Manche to Med

mai - juni 2017

Et 22-dagers eventyr av Chris Les mer

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22dager
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 30. mai 2017, 21:45
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Høyde: 787 m
- Frankrike Occitania Mende 44.52473, 3.4965444°31’29” N 3°29’48” E
Dag 11
Lots of cycling
30. mai 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Thunderstorms overnight. Only slightly damp this morning. Mainly following the Lot today.

Breakfast 1 in tent. Breakfast 2 in a cafe in Estaing. Coffee break and lunch purchase in Lassouts. Very little habitation so no reason to stop - pushed on towards Mende.

Climbing ok until mid afternoon when I made a bad route choice (I blame the map) and did an extra climb to over 880 metres.

Staying at the Hotel du Commerce in Mende - an interesting place with quaint medieval streets in the centre. Population half that of Keighley but bigger.

Evening meal in a maroccan restaurant, very filling and good value.

75 miles, average 12 mph despite over 1000 metres climbing. Top speed 34.2 mph.Les mer
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Cathrine Clarke Looks like you are having fun! X
31.05.2017Svar
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 31. mai 2017, 18:04
- ⛅ 23 °C
- Høyde: 25 m
- Frankrike Occitania Sète Mont Saint-Clair 43.4028, 3.692843°24’10” N 3°41’34” E
1
Dag 12
A day on the Mende
31. mai 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Calculated at breakfast that I could afford to take a day off and still keep on schedule.

A walk up the causse for the views and the exercise, picnic lunch and another stroll around town pm. A motorcycle scrambling competition starts in two days and the competitors have been setting up and checking out the courses.

View
Mende Mayor - a hero of the Resistance
List of names killed in WWII includes a womanLes mer
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Julia Beaumont German Jewish names too?
31.05.2017Svar
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 1. jun. 2017, 18:17
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Høyde: 118 m
- Frankrike Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Vallon-Pont-d'Arc Vallon-Pont-d’Arc 44.40483, 4.3922344°24’17” N 4°23’32” E
Dag 13
Descent into Valley-Pont D'arc
1. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Two passes conquered. The first hit the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. High pasture at over 1100 metres.

The second hit the entry into the Ardeche.

Long descents totalling 1:15 hrs with minimal use of brakes. As a result this has been the fastest stage of the trip: average speed 13.2 mph, max 34.9 mph.

In hilly areas the kilometre signs also show altitude.

Sunny Ardeche valley - before thunderstorms and rain for 4 hours. Dived for chambres d ' hote.Les mer
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 3. jun. 2017, 06:10
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Høyde: 32 m
- Frankrike Occitania Sauveterre Île d’Oiselet 44.04185, 4.822244°2’31” N 4°49’20” E
Dag 15
Chateauneuf du Pape etc
3. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
First the Ardeche gorge, with lots of climbs between combes and cols. Eagles ? spotted.

Then a flattish afternoon ride into Cote du Rhone territory and the Vaucluse.

Passed the Melox plant where nuclear fuel cells are made for power plants round the world - heavily protected. Interesting walled town of Caderousse just after also fortified by a three metre wall, but against Rhone floods.Les mer
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 3. jun. 2017, 18:30
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Høyde: 763 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Sault 44.09234, 5.4077644°5’32” N 5°24’28” E
Dag 15
Assault on Sault
3. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Until yesterday afternoon drivers had in the majority been considerate but suddenly, below Orange, it changed: they passed close and fast. Today, after 20 km or so they switched back to considerate again - weird.

Took the minor road from Mormoiron to Sault where cyclists outnumbered cars 10 to 1. This the Gorge de Nesque route climbing to 800 metres.

Chamonix on way up. Enjoyable climbing at average 3.5% but slightly scary: potential rock falls to the left and potential cyclist falls to the right, plus the eternal threat of being caught in a thunderstorm.

Camping above Sault, rain looks probable.Les mer
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 4. jun. 2017, 16:57
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Høyde: 565 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Moustiers-Sainte-Marie 43.84494, 6.2137743°50’42” N 6°12’50” E
Dag 16
The world is lavender
4. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Blue skies after last night's thunderstorms. A couple on the campsite are travelling in miniature vintage cars made from wood. But they are pedal powered - amazing handiwork and dedication.

All quiet until arriving in Banon for petit dejeuner (pretty centre with fountain ). Baguette and miel de lavendre.

Descent into Forcalquier, busy with flea market.

Undulating across the Valensole plateau.

Fields of lavender all day. The lavender at altitude is still green, turning purple lower down.Les mer
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- 5. jun. 2017, 16:34
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Høyde: 726 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Castellane 43.84526, 6.5098543°50’43” N 6°30’35” E
Dag 17
High plains drifter
5. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Early start in order to tackle the hilliest stage so far. 1300 metres of ascent with no access to water along the Gorge du Verdon. Looking up at the road twisting above me and the gorge made me feel ill!

Passed an English cyclist on the same route who said he never wanted to cycle another gorge - however he still had a long way to go.

Camping in Castellane - hit lucky in choice of site.Les mer
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Angela Smith Well done you. I'd have got the bus! Are you nearly there yet? 😊 A x
06.06.2017Svar
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 6. jun. 2017, 17:56
- ⛅ 25 °C
- Høyde: 345 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Vence 43.71093, 7.0908843°42’39” N 7°5’27” E
Dag 18
Castellane to Vence ↗↘⤵
6. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Last night chatted with Oliver and Jutta who had me round for a glass of wine. Then met Bill from the US, a former travel book writer now full time cycle tourist. We went for a pizza together and also breakfast this am.

Best campsite of the trip.

Walked up 300 metres to chapel overlooking Castellane with views over the valley.

Cycled up 540 metres and then descended 900 metres through the best scenery of the trip. Met Richard on his first cycle tour - he doesn't want to stop at Nice and is contemplating his options.
First signs for Nice: could walk it from here. Three days of no cycling to come.Les mer
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 7. jun. 2017, 19:59
- ☀️ 21 °C
- Høyde: 347 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Vence 43.71147, 7.0924243°42’41” N 7°5’33” E
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Dag 19
Nice - day trip
7. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Hung around the port in Nice, observing the luxury yachts, some of which were for sale or hire.

Pre - booked "guests" leave their shoes on the Quay. Wow, I thought, this boat's asking price is €3.8m, or €120k a week to hire. Little did I know I was at the cheap end. Ultimately prices reached $7pm. I'd expect a destroyer for that money, not a lot of fibreglass and polished wood.

Rental prices included crew but not expenses or VAT. Ingratiating crew, invisible owners, people posing as potential buyers - I couldn't see a lot of enjoyment. Happy to stick to my bike(s) and tent and cook my own meals, ta.

Managed to find a store selling pipe insulation - needed to help with bike packing for the return flight.Les mer
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Julia Beaumont Nice x
08.06.2017Svar
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Reisende Manche to Med
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- 8. jun. 2017, 18:17
- ☀️ 23 °C
- Høyde: 342 m
- Frankrike Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Vence 43.71163, 7.0924443°42’42” N 7°5’33” E
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Dag 20
Vence and Nice
8. juni 2017, Frankrike ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Breakfast in Vence. Funeral underway, dress code - wear something black even with jeans.

Bus to Nice and lunch with Carole at a Lebanese restaurant.

Bus back, sitting opposite two English women one of whom had just had her purse stolen.

Swim in the piscine and picnic tea.Les mer
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Julia Beaumont What a big.....horse
08.06.2017Svar
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