What follows are diary notes from a 2 week cycling holiday using small hotels, carrying minimal baggage. We used the Bolero cycling coach service to get to and from our start point. This time of the year is definitely one of the better times to visit this area of France, the hot weather of high summer has lessened and more importantly most of the French and other holiday makers have gone home leaving you with quieter hotels and a lot less traffic on the roads. With regards to the reference to 'BPF stamps' in the diary , more information on this can be found in the 'Across France' trip notes. We were also doing two French cycling permanents - La Route de la Lavande, a 329km ride and the Tour des Alps Maritimes, a 326km ride. All of these help give the tour some sense of purpose as well as being organised to take you through the most scenic parts of the region. 28/8 - Bollene to near Apt. Warm to hot sunny day. 70mls.
Limestone gorge
Off the bus at 06:00hrs approx, still dark for another 30mins or so. On quiet D8 road to Cairanne for an early morning coffee. A lovely early morning warm smell in the air. One lone young cyclist from the bus tagged on with us for a while - looking for company, which we welcomed for a short while, but not for a fortnight. We managed to convince him to go to the tourist office at Orange instead of our way. Went into a run down cafe at Cairanne with had a large dog in toilet, something of a surprise, but he was harmless, had to stride over him. Through Carpentras and hot roads to Pernes-les-Fontaines (BPF stamp, church and numerous fountains). Gradual rising road through Venasque and then steeper D177 road through picturesque limestone gorges over to Cordes (BPF stamp - touristy hill top village, very pretty with good views from it) and onto Rousillon (BPF stamp -old village and lovely views over red soiled hills. Tired now after the long coach journey and the hot day so we stopped by early afternoon at the first hotel we saw - a dip in their swimming pool to cool off. No restaurant - ate out 500 metres away. Hotel le Manoir: Room 250frs. P/D 35frs.
29/8 - Apt to Riez. Hot and sunny all day. 52mls
Tree lined road after Apt
Left 08:45hrs, stopped in Apt for some shopping for lunch. Followed a cycle path for about 6mls and then the main N road, but not very busy. Turned off after 25k with a hot climb , had some lunch near the top. Pleasant roads onto Greoux-les-Bains, a lovely spot by the river, but some of the surrounding roads were a little busy. We then followed the D952 along the valley after an initial climb to Allemagne-en-Provence (cafe stop here). Reasonably quiet roads as we continued to the old roman town of Riez - the first hotel we tried only had small boy in attendance (his parents, the owners, were out). Very pleasant Provencal small town. Hotel Camina: Good ‘posh’ rooms at 230frs and good P/D at 32frs. Ate out at pizzeria.
30/8 - Riez to Comps-sur-Aturby. Another very hot day. 43mls.
Increasingly scenic 10mls to Moustier-Ste-Maries - a superb location below cliffs - suspended cross on wire between the cliffs. BPF stamp here for the nearby Gorges du Verdon. Had a short walk around the narrow streets. After descending around the lake we then had a hard climb to get up high on the right side of the gorges at approx 1200’, but well worth the effort. Absolutely knockout views down into the gorge. Its was hot work to Les Cavaliers - no water available on the way, had to buy expensive bottled stuff here. Impressive views around the Balcon des Mesela. Stayed high up all day and finished early about 800’ high.A knockout route, though hard work at times. Moustier-Ste-Maries
Verdon Gorges
Verdon Gorges
Hotel Grand Bain: excellent room 230frs. P/D 32frs. Only hotel in the village.
31/8 - Comps-sur-Artuby to Castellane. Cloudy start but warm all day - a brief rainstorm. 55mls.
A mainly downhill ride through the lower part of the gorges, not as impressive now, but still good scenery. We arrived at Castellane by 11:00hrs - booked into a hotel and left our luggage there and under threatening skies rode over Col de Cheiron 887’ past the Barrage de Castillon and then easier riding to St Andre-les-Alpes. A major rainstorm with lightening and strong winds sprung up quickly so we spent our time in 2 separate cafes, a kind hotel owner let us leave our bikes in his garage. Cafe chairs were getting blown all over the place. It cleared up just as quick so we left about 14:30hrs, a short rise over the Col des Robines 988’ and a lovely long descent to Barreme. A warmer ride now and easy gradients over the Col de Leque 1146’ - impressive rock gorges higher up and good hairpinned descent back to Castellane.
Hotel du Roc: Room 180frs. Meal 68frs. P/D 25frs. Bikes in hotel foyer.
01/9 - Castellane to St Vallier de Thiery. Cool & cloudy all day. 50mls.
View back on way to Col St Barnabe
Clue de St Auban
A friendly dog followed us for a while on the main road out of Castellane. At the junction to a quieter road it dropped off. We then had a nice quiet climb with good views past Demandoix to Col St Barnabe 1367’, views a bit hazy at the top but good enough. Cafe stop at St Auban - brief diversion to look at Clue de St Auban(narrow gorge and quite impressive) More quiet roads and then a wooded climb to Col de Bleine 1439’, wooded top with limited views. Short descent and then an easy ascent over Col de la Castellans to Andons - cafe stop. One more easy ascent over Col de la Sine 1108’ before dropping to finish. Met an English cycling group with backup -doing a permanent ride from Lac Leman near Geneva to the south coast. Thunderstorm during the evening. Hotel la Rabassiere: 220frs(with bath & shower). Ate out. No breakfast served here.
02/9 - St Vallier to Vence. Cool start, becoming warmer. Blue skies and short rainstorm. 55mls
A downhill run to St Cezaine, a nice spot for a cafe stop, so we did. More downhill before we climbed to Grasse - roads busier now. Good views towards the coast. Started climbing again 3mls after Grasse, steep on lower slopes, past Gourdon (old chateau on clifftop). Impressive road then along the side of a gorge and up to Cipieres - small hamlet - brief rainstorm here. Downhill and uphill(more rain) to Grelories(BPF stamp, ruins, church). There were more dark clouds about so instead of going over the Col de Vence as intended we descended through the Gorges du Loup and glad we did as they were very scenic. We then rode around a gently rising road through scented pine forests to busy Vence in bright sunshine. But then wind and rain to end the evening. Ate out at a pizzeria. Gorges du Loup
Tourettes-s-Loup
Hotel le Provence: Room 250frs(300frs for quieter rooms at the back). Good P/D 30frs
