Vallee de la Carree, a popular day ride from Briancon
wo
By Norman D. Ford
Vallee de la Carree, a
popular day ride from Briancon
On September 18, 1999 I started cycling from Briancon in the heart of the French Alps and I biked for more than a month over the high cols and through the deep gorges of the Southern French Alps.
Day after day, I rode through a rugged world of colossal peaks and awesome ravines that took me over the col d'Izoard, col de Vars, col d'Allos and col de Champs, all over 2,000 metres, plus a dozen lesser cols. For hours at a time I cycled on level balcony roads that hugged the sheer mountainside above such incredibly deep gorges as those of Daluis, Verdon and the clue St. Auban. Along the way, I biked to the high glacial cirques of Parc National des Ecrins. And I explored a dozen walled medieval towns full of ramparts, churches and chateaux, some dating back a thousand years.
When cold weather forced me out of the Alps, I spent two exciting days riding an official Bike Route through the Luberon hills. My tour finally ended at the charming town of St. Remy de Provence, made famous by van Gogh.
Since few commercial bike tours take riders through the Alps, the only way to duplicate my trip is to do it on your own. For anyone who needs a tested itinerary to follow, I've written my tour report so that it's easy to follow the route I took. Although I actually rode for 33 days, this is far too long for most people. So I've condensed my tour into a 21-day itinerary based on riding only the most rewarding sections. I'm not claiming my itinerary is perfect. But I guarantee that anyone who duplicates it will have a world class, five-star cycling experience.
My itinerary is designed on the concept of Base Touring. Instead of riding on to a new hotel each night, and in the process passing up some wonderful side trips, I try to stay for two or more nights at the same hotel. This saves constantly packing and unpacking and searching each night for a new restaurant or supermarket and boulangerie. It also allows me to explore the surrounding country on all-day rides free of panniers and to return each night to the same hotel.
Naturally, any town I choose as a touring base must have side roads that offer good cycling. Wherever possible, I tried to stay in the same base town on Saturday night (when hotels tend to be full) and to stay there on Sunday and perhaps also Monday night. That's because many stores, and even some hotels, close from Sunday noon until Monday or Tuesday morning.
The Base Touring concept also let me ride up several high passes without panniers and to return back down the same way. At first, this may sound ridiculous. But it allowed me to visit a number of top-interest places I would have missed otherwise. And I also avoided climbing these passes with a fully-loaded touring bike.
I made the tour solo and each night I stayed at an economical hotel. For each overnight stop in the report below, I list the hotel I stayed at thus (H. Victor Hugo); H means Hotel. I'll fill you in on the practical details later.
GETTING THERE : from San Antonio, Texas, I flew Air France via Houston and Paris to Marseille Airport then continued by bus to the nearby city of Aix en Provence and by taxi to the Hotel de France for two nights (central and near the Tourist Office and rail station but with limited bike storage space). Here I assembled my bike and left my bike carton with suitcase inside at the hotel until I returned on October 23rd.
After a full day of packing and preparation, I caught the 08:22 train for Briancon, a scenic 3.5 hour ride. Each of 3 passenger cars (wagons) carried 3 bikes each, a total of 9. At Briancon, I stayed at the Hotel de Paris for 3 nights (near the station with storage for a dozen bikes). During the afternoon, I hiked up to Briancon's superbly-preserved ville vielle, the Cite Vauban, ringed by massive walls and still entered through the original city gates.
A Day by Day Log of the Tour
DAY 1: Briancon to col d'Izoard and Briancon, 45 kms. Briancon offers several challenging all-day out-and-back rides which let you leave your panniers in the hotel. Today I sampled the ascent of the col d'Izoard, 2,360 meters high. Riding road D-902, the famous Route Des Grandes Alpes, I pedalled out of Briancon past the massive fort of Randouillet and began a 5-hour small chainring climb to the top of the col. The Hotel d'Izoard in the village of Cervieres was closed. But two kilometers beyond, in the hamlet of Le Laus, the Auberge L'Arpelian was open (all year) and offers a chance to break the long climb with a snack, meal or overnight stay.
From here, D-902 switchbacked steeply up through the forests of Queyras Regional Park to timberline. Just one kilometer below the summit I passed the Refuge Napoleon, also offering snacks, meals and a few rooms. Then from here on, thick mist swirled across the tundra, dashing my hopes for a great view from the top. The summit was completely socked in, the monument barely visible and I saw nothing of the Casse Deserte, a uniquely bare section on the other side. As wind and rain began, I swiftly donned sweater, raingear and waterproof gloves. And after a fast ninety minute downhill dash I was back in Briancon. A world class 5-star ride it is--this just wasn't the day for it.
DAY 2: Briancon to Vallee de La Carree and Briancon, 70 kms. I saw 75 other cyclists during this popular ride into the Alps north of Briancon. My ride began by cycling up and around the walls inside Briancon's historic Cite Vauban then on down a narrow road to Le Fontenil village thence for 700 meters on busy N-95 to the junction of D-994. This quiet backroad wound past steep mountains and through ancient villages like Val des Pres and Prampinel, each with outdoor cafes filled with cyclists.
Here I branched right on the narrow road that climbs through the forest to col d'Echelle, an easy-to-reach pass at 1,766 meters. Some cyclists were continuing down the other side to Bardonecchia in Italy (which adds two more hours). Back on D- 994, the narrow road wound under the high, snow-capped mountain wall of the Crete de Queyras to a campground at 1,900 meters. Returning, it was all effortless downhill riding by the same route back to Briancon.
DAY 3: Briancon to Parc des Ecrins and Vallouise, 60 kms. Only dead-end roads penetrate France's superbly alpine Parc Nacional des Ecrins, and today's ride took me just about as far into the park as a road bike can go. From Briancon, D-136 dropped down through a 100-meter unlighted tunnel (almost zero traffic) and on to a balcony road that contoured high above the Durance River with stunning views of the crags and peaks of Parc des Ecrins. As I passed through the village of Vallouise, I left my panniers in the Hotel Vallois and, free of their weight, began pedalling steeply uphill on D-994-T.
For 15 kilometers, this narrow road winds between sheer mountain walls and squeezes through age-old villages, each clustered around a steepled church. Finally, a series of switchbacks led up to a colossal mountain bowl ringed by awesome precipices, towering pinnacles and hanging glaciers. Called Pre de Madame Carl, and one of the most spectacular cirques in France, it is a popular trailhead for alpine climbers. In late afternoon, I sped back downhill to Vallouise and my comfortable room in the modern Hotel Vallois.
DAY 4: Vallouise to Freissinieres and Guillestre, 58 kms. I wore sweater and windbreaker for the long, chilling descent to L'Argentiere but warmed up quickly as I headed for two kilometers up the incredibly steep (18 percent) grade into the Vallee de Fressinieres. This is another dead-end road that penetrates the Parc des Ecrins. It's not quite as dramatic as yesterday's ride. But cycling up the narrow, twisting road through timeless villages like Viollin and into the heart of this alpine park was reward enough.
Descending steep switchbacks, I coasted back down on D-38, crossed the
Durance River and continued uphill again to Mont Dauphin. Perched atop a
huge cliff, this massive stone fortress remains completely intact while people
still live in the medieval village inside. From here, a narrow road winds
through the woods into Guillestre. This small alpine town with hotels,
supermarket and bike shop was my base for exploring the surrounding Alps
on day rides. (H. Hostellerie de Queyras--3 nights.)
DAY 5: Guillestre to Queyras, col d'Izoard and Guillestre, 52 kms. On today's ride, I tackled the col d'Izoard from the south. But to get there involved a spectacular climb up the side of the tremendously deep Combe de Queyras gorge. En route, the road traverses several short tunnels plus one longer one that requires care, a 180-meter dimly lighted tunnel with no sidewalk and a curve in the middle. Above the tunnels, I saw the pointed roofs of the Chateau de Queyras, a fantastic castle perched atop a sheer rock pinnacle in the middle of the Combe.
At this point, I was back on D-902, the Route des Grandes Alpes, and climbing the south side of the col d'Izoard. In Arvieux village, I discovered the rustic Auberge La Clapouse with a good restaurant (and with rooms available by phoning ahead). Next to it is an epicerie with fresh fruits, bread and snack food. Ahead, a series of switchbacks soared up the side of Izoard and over the Caisse Deserte to the monument on top. This time it was sunny and clear and warm enough to coast all the way back to Guillestre without donning a windbreaker.
DAY 6: Guillestre to col de Vars and Guillestre, 38 kms. As it traverses the French Alps, route D-902, the Route des Grandes Alpes, crosses many of the highest and most scenic passes. Already, it had taken me up and over the col d'Izoard and down to Guillestre. Today, I continued to ride it from Guillestre south to the col de Vars at 2,111 metres. Of this climb, the Virtual Alps website says, "not as scenic as some but well worth doing." I agree. For 19 kilometers D-902 climbs steeply through a series of ski resorts before emerging on to tundra just below the summit. Though I saw plenty of ski resort hotels en route, in early October not a single one was open. A small monument marked the top and from here, the road plunged down between steep, green mountains towards Barcelonette. Returning, I fairly flew downhill all the way back to Guillestre.
DAY 7: Guillestre to Embrun, 28 kms. Short in distance but long on scenery, today's ride took me on D-994d, a narrow, almost traffic-free balcony road that hugs the mountainside high above the Durance Valley. After two hours of stunning scenery, the road dropped down and crossed the Durance River into Embrun. Poised on the edge of a 100-meter high cliff, this medieval town has a well-stocked supermarket, plenty of hotels and interesting walks along the walls. (H. La Mazeliere--economical old-timer.)
DAY 8: Embrun to Barcelonette, 60 kms.Today I cycled a smooth, wide and lightly travelled road that wound around the mountains for 25 kilometers, providing superb panoramas of huge Lac de Serre Poncon far below. But to get here from Embrun required a ten-kilometer ride on busy N-94. The first two kilometers were easily by-passed by leaving Embrun on the small "Plan d'Eau" road. From there on, N-94 has a metre-wide shoulder on both sides. But it was a relief to reach the lake and leave N-94 with its trucks and traffic behind.
For the next 25 kilometers, D-954 climbed high into the hills, providing far-flung panoramas of the azure lake and distant mountains. Near the top, a roadside cafe lets you take a break while you view Les Demoiselles Coiffees, tall rock needles each with a huge flat boulder poised on top. At La Sauze village the road topped out and switchbacked downhill--all with endless views of mountains, lake and the Ubaye River.
Near the bottom, D-954 traverses a pair of side-by-side tunnels, each carrying traffic in one direction only. Though they appear long on the map, the tunnels are only 140 metres in length and each has a sidewalk if you prefer to walk through (tip: the "haut" tunnel has the best sidewalk). Near Lauzet-Ubaye village, I found the first class Hotel Lauzetane with 68 rooms at attractive rates.
I was now cycling on D-900, a busier road that carries trucks. While traffic wasn't a problem, I left this road at Thuiles village and cycled the rest of the way to Barcelonette on quieter D109 and D902.
Barcelonette, a traditional French town with narrow streets and squares, is a popular base for cycling up a variety of local passes. The town was full of cyclists from Holland, Switzerland and Germany, most of whom were also practicing Base Touring. Each day, they would ride up a different pass and return each evening to their hotel in Barcelonette. (H. Le Touring--two nights.)
DAY 9: Barcelonette to col de Vars and Barcelonette, 66 kms. Among the most popular ascents from Barcelonette are the col d'Allos at 2,240 metres; the col de La Cayolle, 2,327 metres high and reached by cycling up a narrow gorge; and the Cime de La Bonette, which at 2,715 metres is the fourth highest pass in the Alps. All lead into France's magnificent Parc Nacional du Mercantour which includes some of the wildest and most dramatic peaks and gorges in Europe.
My ride today led in a different direction, up the south side of the col de Vars. The first 15 kilometers took me past the massive fortifications that rose in tiers up the mountainside near Jausiers. Then I left the main road and found myself once more back on D-902 and cycling uphill on the Route des Grandes Alpes.
My ride over this road in 1998 had been blocked by a huge landslide in a ravine called the Pas de La Reyssole. But a new tunnel should end the constant landslide problem here. Illuminated by frequent openings, the tunnel curves through the Pas for over 300 metres. Meanwhile, the sheer rock faces still left unprotected have been covered by an incredible system of wire nets that reach above the road for 300 meters.
During my ride, the tunnel was closed to cars but bikes were allowed through. Above the Pas, the road passes the hamlet of St. Paul, traverses a short tunnel and switchbacks up the tundra to the summit. The climb up took 5.5 hours, the descent about 90 minutes.
The col d'Allos, a famous Tour
de France pass, from the summit
DAY 10: Barcelonette to Colmars, 50 kms. Today's ride started climbing from the edge of Barcelonette and continued without pause for 22 kilometers to the summit of the col d'Allos at 2,240 meters. With fully loaded panniers, the ascent took almost six hours. Snaking up the sides of incredibly deep gorges and past enormous rock crags, D-908 was barely wide enough for one car and the road was often unfenced with a sheer 300-meter drop below.
The col itself is above timberline and the cafe-refuge appeared to be closed. From the top, D-908 drops down a stark, treeless mountain in a series of steep switchbacks and hairpin bends. By the time I'd descended to Foix d'Allos, a ski resort in a mountain bowl, my hands were so stiff I could hardly release the brakes. But the grade eased here and my bike rolled effortlessly down through a series of ski resorts beside the foaming Verdon River.
Finally, the towers of a castle appeared ahead and I glided into Colmars. On the left was my chalet-style hotel. It overlooked the castle, floodlit at night. And right next door was the totally intact walled village of Colmars, one of the best-preserved bastides in France. (H. Le Chamois--two nights).
DAY 11: Colmars to col de Champs and Colmars, 40 kms. Today, I made another pannier-free ascent up a major pass, this time to the col de Champs at 2095 meters, returning the same way to my hotel in Colmars. The climb began at the hotel door. Route D-2 soared straight uphill in a series of steep switchbacks. From a viewpoint, I got an aerial view of Colmars far below: every detail of the casbah-like village was clearly visible, all packed tightly within the walls.
Like many narrow mountain roads, D-2 was often so rough, cracked and abraded that my 700 x 28 rear tire seemed barely adequate. After climbing through tall pine forests, D-2 emerged on to the tundra and wound on around bare mountains to the pass itself. Of col de Champs, the Virtual Alps website says, "an underrated pass on a quiet road with superb views on both sides. Don't miss it!" I heartily agree. From the top, I could see D-2 snaking down the other side of the pass into the depths of the Var Valley.
Riding up the rough road had taken nearly 5 hours and it took another two hours and 15 minutes to drop back down to Colmars.
The Chateau at Colmars from
the hotel
DAY 12: Colmars to Annot, 48 kms. Heading south on a backroad I found a well-stocked supermarket in Villars-Colmar, a hamlet just 5 kilometers from Colmars. Then I dropped down the forested Verdon Valley before branching left for the 11 kilometer climb over col St. Michel. The col is only 1,431 meters high, and the grade is an easy six percent, but the climb is spectacular with the road hacked out of the sheer mountainside in many places. Traffic was light and I found a cafe in the village on top of the pass.
From here, D-908 descends in long, sweeping curves. Perched on a cliff-edge across the valley I saw the centuries-old town of Meailles, still served by a rail line that runs from Nice to Digne. From the "gare", a narrow road twists crazily uphill to reach the town. Another hour of easy riding led on down to Annot, a small medieval town with several hotels and a large supermarket on the outskirts. Of the town's 4 hotels, 3 were closed on Sunday and Monday nights. (H. Beausejour.)
About the railway. The privately owned Chemin de Fer de Provence runs all year from Nice to Digne via Puget Theniers, Annot and other towns. Four one-car trains run daily in each direction. Excepting Sundays, the first train of the day each way has a baggage car with space for up to 20 bikes (at 50 francs each, regardless of distance). The first trains leave Nice and Digne around 06:50 but pass through Annot (in both directions) at a more convenient 08:32.
DAY 13: Annot to Gorges de Daluis, Entrevaux and Puget Theniers, 65 kms. My original plan was to cycle from Annot up the Gorges de Daluis to Guillaumes then head east to Beuil and descend the Gorges du Cians to Puget Theniers, a 2-3 day trip. But after learning that the single small hotel in Guillaumes was closed in midweek, and that the Gorges du Cians was completely blocked by construction, I had to change plans. Despite this, today's ride traverses breathtaking scenery almost all the way.
En route, I met several large herds of sheep being driven down from the mountains for winter. The herds, called "troupeaux", completely blocked the road. One troupeau, led by four donkeys wearing clanging bells, completely filled the road for a length of 500 meters.
Starting from Annot, I sped east on N-202 through the rugged Coulamp Gorge then forked left on D-2202. For 20 kilometers, this road follows the Var River up into the rugged heights of the Daluis Gorge.
Going uphill, as I was, all traffic travels on a narrow one- way "corniche" road that hugs the mountainside, providing fantastic views of the deep, narrow gorge. But downbound traffic, including bikes, uses a paralleling one-way road that runs through a series of tunnels, some narrow and not too enticing. (On the way back, I was able to descend the gorge without riding through the tunnels by simply walking the bike around them on the outside road, keeping close to the side and out of the way of upbound traffic.)
At the head of the gorge is Guillaumes, a pleasant mountain village. And, on Thursdays-to-Mondays when the hotel is open during the fall off-season, it's an ideal center for exploring the heart of the Parc du Mercantour. Since this wasn't possible, I descended back down the Daluis Gorge to N-202 and headed east. There's traffic on N-202, including large trucks. But speeding downhill, it took only 20 minutes to reach Entrevaux, a truly spellbinding town that soars in tiers up a hillside to a fortress on top.
To enter Entrevaux, I rode my bike across a bridge and through a gate between a pair of towers in the city wall. Inside, rambling streets wound through a maze of ancient houses and squares and one street climbed to the fort overhead. When I could finally tear myself away from Entrevaux's seductive charms, I sped on down N-202 to the small roadside town of Puget Theniers. Here I stayed at the Hotel Loigeurs (but believe the Hotel Alize may be better--I stayed two nights).
DAY 14: Puget Theniers to Gorges du Cians and Puget Theniers, about 60 kms. It's only 8 kilometers east on N-202 to D-28, a road that climbs through the colossal scenery of the Gorges du Cians. And climb it does, heading steeply uphill the entire way for a total elevation gain of over 1,000 meters. Because of the grade, I suggest leaving your panniers in Puget Theniers and cycling up the gorge only as far as you wish to go before heading back downhill to your hotel. This lets you explore one of the most scenic gorges in Provence free of the burden of carrying baggage.
Here again, the gorge road traverses tunnels. Fortunately, there's a pedestrian-bike path that follows an old road outside the tunnels. It's marked "no entry" but that only applies to cars. Whether going up or down the gorge, you can experience much of the Cians free of motor traffic.
Alternatively, if the Gorges du Cians is still closed (as it was during my trip), consider cycling south up the col St. Raphael and heading east on Route D-27, a beautiful balcony road that runs gradually downhill for almost 40 kilometers. Go as far as you like, then either return down to Puget Theniers (or from the col St. Raphael, cycle a few kilometers south on D-2211-A to La Penne village and stay at the comfortable Auberge de La Penne- -if you do, you will have completed one-fourth of next day's ride.)
DAY 15: Puget Theniers to clue St.Auban and Castellane, 70 kms. This powerfully scenic all day ride took me first up and over col St. Raphael then through one of the most wildly scenic ravines in France. From Puget Theniers, road D-2211-A heads straight up to the col St. Raphael, a climb that with fully-loaded panniers took me two hours. Below the col, I found the hilltop village of La Penne with its Auberge de La Penne, a pleasant 11-room inn open all year.
Narrow and winding, D-2211-A roller-coasters through forests and mountains to finally climb up to the clue St.Auban. A clue in Provence is a road hacked out of a sheer cliff with a rock roof overhead. Clues are usually in deep, narrow ravines cut by a swiftly flowing river and the scenery is awesome. Of the many clues in Provence, St. Auban is undoubtedly one of the deepest, steepest and most spectacular. For two kilometers, the narrow one-lane road contours up the sheer ravine wall with a roof of rock overhead much of the way. Two 45-meter tunnels en route are easily traversed.
From the clue, I cycled straight into St. Auban village. Beside the road, a cafe and epicerie provide a break for refreshments. Also here a sign pointed uphill to a Trecastel Hotel (but it was not listed in the Provence Hotel Guide). From here on, progress was faster and it took only 3 more hours to cycle through Peyroules and into Castellane. For the last six kilometers, I rode on N-85, a busier road with many cars and an occasional large truck. Fortunately, it was mostly downhill.
I mention this in case anyone is tempted to ride into Castellane on D-102, an obviously low-traffic road that hugs the shore of a mountain lake. The snag is that D-102 first makes a tremendous climb over a col 1,367 meters high. Still, for anyone who has the time and energy, D-102 is the quieter and more scenic route. Whichever way you may go, all roads lead into Castellane, a pleasant tourist town at the foot of a gigantic cliff capped by a church. (H. Du Levant--two nights.}
Alternative route: if this route sounds too strenuous, there's an easier
way. From Puget Theniers, simply take the 08:00 train for the 90-minute ride
through the mountains to St. Andres des Alpes. From here, it's an easy
30-kilometer ride around the shore of a large mountain-rimmed lake into
Castellane (several tunnels en route are easily negotiated).
DAY 16: Castellane to Trigance and Castellane, 50 kms. Today I made an easy 5.5 hour loop ride through two gorges and the wonderful old hilltop town of Trigance. Leaving Castellane south on D-102 I cycled for 90 minutes up a long, narrow gorge then dropped down through wooded hills to Jabron village. From here, it was downhill all the way to Trigance, a medieval hilltop village clustered around a turreted castle. Road D-995 then continued down to the Gorge du Verdon and I cycled beside the river back through the Gorge and into Castellane.
DAY 17: Castellane to Moustiers-Ste-Marie, 47 kms. Immediately below Castellane, road D-952 plunges into the Gorge du Verdon, 42 kilometers long and the deepest gorge in Europe. For the first 15 kilometers, the road snakes along the bottom of the gorge beside the river. It was here that I cycled under the immense overhanging cliffs of the clue de Carujen. Next came a climb of 8 kilometers to Pointe Sublime where a cafe overlooks the gorge's north wall. Here I met a middle-aged German couple who were cycling briskly uphill on old fashioned 3-speed bikes. But I saw few other cyclists today. Despite the gorge being a popular cycling route, it was getting late in the season for cycling in the mountains.
Vignettes of the gorge appeared through the trees as I cycled on uphill to the junction with D-23. This side road traverses 3 short tunnels as it follows a loop for 23 kilometers past the deepest and steepest part of the canyon. Called the Route de La Cote, the detour is well worthwhile if you have the energy and time (I had already done it the previous year). The loop rejoins D-952 in La Palud, a picturesque village halfway through the gorge with hotels, cafes and an epicerie. Most cyclists take a break in La Palud before climbing up over the col d'Ayen and on down to the western end of the gorge.
Jagged crags loomed overhead as I cycled the level balcony road that contours high up on the west end of the gorge for many kilometers. All around was a wilderness of rock while on my left, the road dropped dizzily down to the Verdon River 600 meters below. Gradually the road then emerged from the gorge and descended to huge Lac St. Croix.
Ahead lay Moustiers, proclaimed by an official sign on the outskirts as "l'un de plus beaux villages de France" (one of the most beautiful villages in France). Altogether, more than 100 villages have been awarded this title and Moustiers is certainly a "plus beaux" village. Ringed by massive cliffs, its rambling streets are lined by the ateliers of glazed tile artists while a church looks down from the cliffs above. (H. Bonne Auberge.)
Note: it's possible to cut short the tour here and return to Aix-en-Provence. To do so, cycle from Moustiers past St. Croix and through Montegnac and Allemagne to Greoux-les-Bains for overnight (H. du Grand Jardin). Next day, continue to Aix-en- Provence through St. Julien, Le Verdiere, Riens, Pourrieres, Puyloubier and Tholonet via a scenic, lightly-travelled backroads route.
DAY 18: Moustiers to Forcalquier, 60 kms. From Moustiers, I rode downhill on D-952 for 15 kilometers into Riez where I found a group of twenty Germans exploring the region on 3-speed bikes. Most spoke English and they invited me to share their mid-morning snack on the town square.
People often ask me why I cycle alone and I tell them that, staying at hotels, I can travel alone at one-third the cost of most group tours; I don't have to share a room; I'm free to plan my own itinerary; and I'm forced to interface with French language and culture. Most groups, I find, become closed groups, interacting only with each other while they constantly compare France to their own country.
From Riez, I cycled up and down on D-6 to Valensole, a fascinating hilltop town with cafes, then rode through Oraison and crossed the Durance River bridge to the village of Brillane. It was then an easy 11-kilometer ride on N-100 into Forcalquier. A busy small town of quiet squares built around a massive cathedral, Forcalquier has two supermarkets plus two smaller markets in the center. (H. Grand Hotel.)
DAY 19: Forcalquier to Apt, 60 kms. Forcalquier marks the east end of the Luberon Bike Route that links together a complex series of paved backroads into a continuous marked bicycle trail. For 100 kilometers it runs east-to-west through the Luberon Natural Regional Parc and traffic is light to almost non- existant. You stay overnight in the town of Apt and continue the second day to Cavaillon at the trail's west end. In both directions, every turn or junction is clearly marked by metal signs. Free brochures depicting the route and elevations are available in several languages at all Luberon area Tourist Offices.
Leaving Forcalquier I quickly discovered that the Luberon Bike Route is not a flat, easy ride. Although it begins with a fast downhill run past ancient farmhouses and villages, I soon found myself pedalling up a hill 15 kilometers long in my lowest gear and it took until noon to reach the top. Starting down the other side, I soon passed the remains of Carluc priory, begun in the 7th century, and continued gradually downhill through Reillaine and Cereste, colorful villages with cafes or restaurants. I cycled the last 9 kilometers of today's ride on a paved-over railway bed that took me directly to the center of Apt. Apt, a larger, busier town is a splendid base for exploring the Luberon Hills by bicycle. (H. Victor Hugo.)
Day 20: Apt to Cavaillon, 45 kms. The western half of the Luberon Bike Route began with an easy 11 kilometer climb up D-3 to Bonnieux. Below on my right I made out the hilltop town of Gordes and behind it the huge white bulk of Mont Ventoux. Gordes was made famous by Peter Mayle's book "A Year in Provence."
Following the orange bikeway signs, I rode on to LaCoste, a village clustered around the hilltop chateau of the Marques de Sade (who fled here from Paris in 1771 to escape the scandal created by his erotic writing). Menerbes, a "plus beaux" village came next and here I met a group of 25 Americans, all on a deluxe Backroads Tour and all riding red Cannondale bikes.
From here, the bike route rambled on through Oppede Le Vieux and Robion, villages so truly ancient it felt like being in the twelfth century. Finally, the bikeway took me to within a kilometer of the center of Cavaillon, another busy provincial town similar to Apt. (H. du Parc--popular cyclists' hotel with garage opposite Tourist Office; I stayed two nights.)
DAY 21: Cavaillon to St. Remy, Les Baux and Cavaillon, 60 kms. Today's ride began by cycling on a bike path over the congested Durance River Bridge and turning right into the narrow road that goes to St. Esteve and Molleges. From here, it was a fast, flat ride beside a drainage canal on D-31 into St. Remy. Touristed and famous for its van Gogh associations, St. Remy is a charming place to explore on foot or by bike.
My plan to ride on scenic D-27 to Les Baux was dashed by a heavy thunderstorm which kept me pinned down in the Tourist Office for two hours. The friendly folks in the office urged me to return next day and continue my ride to Les Baux, a partially ruined medieval commune reached by cycling over the Alpilles Hills. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. When the rain ceased, I returned the same way to Cavaillon.
As I reached the Hotel du Parc, the desk clerk handed me a card that read :" Faire du Velo, c'est Vivre dans le Joie et Resplendir de Sante." Translated it means," To ride a bike is to live joyfully and to glow with health." A fitting tribute, I thought, on which to end my 21-day tour.
Returning to Aix-en-Provence. At least two convenient bike- carrying trains run daily on weekdays from Cavaillon to Marseille with frequent connections by other bike-carrying trains to Aix- en-Provence. Or you could cycle back to Aix-en-Provence, a two day ride via Bonnieux.
Some Helpful Tips
Most of the information and advice that I give in my 1998 report, "The Best of Provence" also applies to the report you are reading. Both tours traverse the same departments of Provence and both use the same maps. The maps you'll need are Michelin 1/200,000 series "#244 Rhone-Alpes" and "#245 Provence Cote d'Azur."
The helpful tips I give here merely update or modify the advice I gave in "The Best of Provence" which is on this same website.
If you're flying from America, don't plan on cycling on the day you arrive. Get a good night's sleep first. As soon as you arrive, assemble your bike and check it for damage. If you need help from a bike shop, take it there immediately the shop reopens after lunch at around 15:00. Bike shops close Sundays and Mondays.
I spent the day after arrival buying maps and a telephone card and changing travelers checks into francs (or Euros) at the C. R. A. M. P. bureau de change, just two blocks from my hotel. This bureau has consistently paid better rates than banks. At 6.1 francs per U.S. dollar, I changed sufficient travelers checks to last halfway through my trip. This rate was 20% more favorable than in past years which meant almost everything cost 20% less than in 1998.
I also left my airline ticket and some reserve travelers checks in the hotel safe until I returned. Then I visited the Tourist Office and picked up a free copy of their 85-page guide to Provence Hotels. In case the 85-page guide is unavailable, you can obtain smaller reprints of each department. Since the Aix Tourist Office is a large one, I also asked for a hotel guide to neighboring provinces. These I left in my suitcase for use in planning future trips. Hotel guides are not available outside France.
Next, I walked to the railway station and bought a second class one-way ticket to Briancon. This allowed me to check on rail schedules, to pick up a printed timetable, and to avoid having to wait in line next morning to buy a ticket. Important: before starting on any train trip in France, always validate your ticket in the orange "composteur" machine in the station on the day of departure.
Lastly, I placed my suitcase inside my bike carton and stored both in the hotel's baggage room. Almost all hotels will store your bike carton and safekeep your airline ticket provided you stay overnight both on arrival and departure. If you fly back from a city other than the one you arrive at, you may have to do without a bike carton. Also, I bring half a roll of duct tape and stick-on and tie-on labels for the return flight.
For the Alps tour I recommend taking a mountain bike with light 26 x 1.5 tires such as Specialized Nimbus; otherwise use 700 x 32 or 38 tires. All roads are paved but smaller mountain roads are often cracked and abraded with rough shoulders. For the long uphill climbs I used a 22T small chainring and a 32T large cog.
Because of snow, the window of opportunity for touring the Alps in the off-season is roughly from September 7th to October 15th. After mid-October, make sure any of the higher passes you plan to cross is open. Summers are dry and sunny but it can rain at any time in the Alps. During my trip, most rain fell at night and only one day was too windy to ride.
With fewer than 21 days available, you could still duplicate much of my tour by omitting some of the day-rides and by ending the tour at Moustiers. From Moustiers you can cycle back in two days to Aix-en-Provence. Strong riders may also cover two of my daily rides in a single day.
Travel in France is much easier and better organized than in America. Every town of 2,000 population or more has a Tourist Office, usually open daily except Sundays till the end of October. Roughly half the personnel speak English and most will help you find a room locally, or phone to other towns to inquire about hotel space there.
Several websites were tremendously helpful in planning my tour. They were:
Trento Bike Pages, with its numerous French tour reports.http://www-math.science.unitn.it/Bike/
Virtual Alps, with photos and tips for cycling all alpine passes and gorges: www.aukadia.net/alps
Mike Bedard's French Cycling Page, with tour reports and lots of good information http://www.mikebikes.org
French National Railways: schedules of all trains that carry bikes. http://www.sncf.fr/
During my trip, I spent every night at a modest but clean and comfortable family hotel, usually in the least expensive room available. Rather than turn my bike into a beast of burden laden with camping gear, I find a tremendous advantage in traveling light and staying at hotels.
During my tour, I encountered several hundred other cyclo- tourists. Most were Swiss, Dutch or German. Almost all were traveling independently (not by group tour) and roughly one- third stayed at hotels or chambres d'hotes (Bed & Breakfasts), one third at gites (hostels), and one-third tent-camped.
The following 2 websites list almost all hotels in Provence with details. http://www.provenceweb.fr/ and http://www.gaf.tm.fr/ . On gaf site hit French Riviera button and it will show all Provence hotels. Also www:logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.html lists rustic hotels in Provence and elsewhere.
Older trains on which you can wheel-on/wheel-off bikes as "baggage a main" (handbaggage) are being replaced by modern trains called TER or Transport Express Regional. These, too, are slow, local trains and each second class passenger car (wagon) has space in which to hang 3 bikes. Most TER trains can carry a maximum of 9 bikes. Meanwhile, until all older trains have been replaced, the advice I gave in "The Best of Provence" still applies.
Americans often ask why I make so many bike tours in France. I cycle in France because French motorists are unbelievably courteous and polite to cyclists. French cars are half the size of those in America and drivers seem perfectly willing to share the road. I've had 18-wheelers yield to me when I had right-of- way and drivers even waved me on when I stopped in disbelief.
Towns and villages are loaded with charm and the scenery is awesome. Provided you can speak an intermediate level of tourist French, France offers the most scenic, safe, pleasant and hassle-free road biking in the world today.
Schematic Route Map--Not to
Scale