Day 21 Saturday. Roussillon to Vesasque. 25 Av 8.5
Rudely awoken at 2.30 am by our campsite neighbours 6 young guys from Amersham that we had gotten to know the previous evening who took a bit too seriously the wine tasting part of their 7 day cycle touring holiday. Absolute hoot listening to their arrival after miraculously descending on their bikes the 2km from the village unscathed. They won't be going far today and certainly not to a vineyard.
Severe thunder and lightning storm within 30 mins of their return. Kept
dry though and tent stood up well.
Away by 9.30. Steep climb up to Gourdes, used tourist office to book into logis in Venasque - scene of our recovery from a Ventoux expedition 12 years ago. From Gourdes to Fontaine-de-vaucluse site of the world renowned source of the River Sorgue - a quite remarkable geological feature. A huge 1,000 foot deep underground water basin. Picnic lunch there and then another steep climb up and over to Venasque. Good logis ( although slight deterioration since last visit ) and good no choice dinner thrown in. Ecstacy.
Day 22. Sunday. Venasque to Sault . 38. Av 8.3
Away by 10 after good breakfast in logis. Montmoiron and the street market to buy picnic. Found good park in three little village of Ville sur Auzon--fabulous town, 2 lovely campsites. Great access to Ventoux and Gorges de Nesque. Get next gite here? Aurel--. Very modest but superb location. On then up the Gorge de Nesque . As magnificent as we remembered it. Met the couple from Columbus OH - Bill and Carol . Over to Sault and the municipal campsite. Dined with the Buckeye supporters ( an i-dotter of 1965 ! ) happily with them before returning to our tent. Another superb day .
Day 23 Monday. Sault to Lafare 39 Av 10.2
Sault municipal campsite has gone downhill a bit since last here - like the restaurant we ate in last night. But a beautiful morning and virtually no one here. V much - fin de saison . Cold too ! Beautiful ride - almost all downhill to Montbrun-les-bains for coffee and almond croissants .The ride down the L'ouveze river towards Vaison was anything but a straight shoot. Significant climb over a col and down and then up again to Entrechauz. Up and down again to Maulecine and finally a killer of a hill to Suzette in the Dentelles before the descent to Lafare.The night and dinner in the hotel we were rescued by 12 years ago after getting lost and v wet and cold in an orage. As charming as ever , but a new and delightful owner - Natalie in her early 30's who lost her Dutch husband to cancer only a few months ago and with no family outsideUkraine. Excellent dinner - salmon wrapped in a v light pastry. Superb Vacquyras white Balma Venetia 2013 . Good value for 32 eu. And a room in a little cottage in the garden with a view of the Dentelles to die for. Very much a celebratory event to conclude this 24 day tour. These last 2 days must rank as about the best 2 consecutive touring days we've ever had.
Day 24 Lafare to Orange. 25 av 8.9
An easy day in relative terms. A very leisurely morning at Le Jardin and then short sharp shock with a horrendously steep climb from Lafare up to the Col de Le Deves over the Dentelle range coming down right into the middle of the village of Gigondas. Too late to buy picnic provisions - midday till 3 life apart from eating and drinking - closes down - so treated ourselves to plat du jour in a little main street restaurant in Sablet. (At top of the pass , we had another extraordinary chance encounter with a couple of enterprising women cyclists from Asheville, NC where we will be this time next week. The last km up to summit is dirt road and we met them at the very summit in a state of near exhaustion for one of them. Fair to say the relationship between them at that stage was strained ! ). An easy 20 km or so ride back to Orange via Raiox and passing right through our little village of Travaillon the scene of our family get together now almost a month ago. And from there to the Gare hotel at Orange and all set for train to Avignon and Nimes tomorrow. Walked down to main square of Orange for dinner and again by complete chance joined our new Columbus friends Bill and Carol who are headed for Avignon. Another delightful evening of shared experiences etc.
Day 25 Orange to Nimes via Avignon by train.
Old type French train on section to Avignon so major hassle getting loaded bikes up 4 feet of steps on to crowded train . Short journey though and much easier on section Avignon to Nimes. Checked into Ibis Styles Hotel right beside the station, and biked up to the 2nd century AD Arenas. Then out to Passieu bike shop on outskirts of Nimes which we had semi-lined up ahead of time through Gerry of Langedoc Cycling. David there could not have been more helpful in starting the process of getting bikes boxed and shipped to Inverness. Bus back to centre of Nimes and took Gerry out to delightful restaurant in old Nimes. Languedoc Cycling sure to be a success.
Day 26. Nimes to Paris - TGV - under 3 hours!
Metro up to our hotel, and a long walk through streets of Paris ending up beyond the Arc de Triomphe at Port Maillot for bus to Beauvais airport en route to Shannon. End of a hugely successful month in France with many of the usual highs and lows of cycle touring. The old adage lives on. You haven't lived till you've cycle toured.
