Provence – the middle days

Days 27 to 30

Provence day five

Today was a rest day for us. The others went off for a ride in the morning and did not get back to the house until mid afternoon. We rode our bikes down to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue late morning and had a wander around the centre of the town. It is a lovely little town with narrow streets and the canals and river add a very calm effect to the place.

We had lunch at a restaurant on the river and then went up to the supermarket to organise the hire of a car. We had not planned to hire a car but we were feeling restricted by not having one available so after not finding any local places on the internet we asked at the local tourism office and they said it could be done at the SuperU supermarket. It took some time to organise (with my broken French and her broken English) but arrangements were made to collect the car that evening.

We then headed back to the house. Cath walked up the hill to the house and was very tired and hot by the time she reached the top.

Provence day six – another market, another ride

Cath headed off to Bonnieux with some of the girls for the market. Bernie and the guys headed off for a ride. We had a great ride which took us up to the mid levels of the Luberon range and then back along the canals serving the Luberon valley.

Provence day seven – 

We did not ride today and spent the morning at the house. In the afternoon we headed out to Fontiane-de-Vaucluse and Lagnes but they were very busy (the Sunday visitors problem) so we came back to the house. Provence is very busy during the weekend, much better to visit places during the week (preferably non-market days) to get a real feel for the place.

Great weather is holding out so no problems with spending some relaxing time by the pool at the house.

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a very restful spot even on a day that is busy with visitors. Looking up the La Sorgue river with the chateau at the top of the escarpment. The water from the spring is so clear and clean.

Provence day eight – Mont Ventou

Big ride day with the target being the summit of Mont Ventou (1912 metres), the Giant of Provence. Three cars were heading off with Bernie, Ross Foster and Bill Melbourne in the first car which arrived at Sault at the foot of Ventou at 7:15am. The other cars left at 6:30 to arrive at the starting point at 7:30am.

Bernie and Ross set off on their climb and reached the summit (about 21km riding) at 9:20, took some quick photos and did the descent to Malaucéne, arriving there about 10am. After some food and water we started the climb back up to the summit of Ventou. The climb from Malaucéne is much steeper and Bernie chucked it in about 11km into the climb when long sections of the climb were around the 12% gradient. He descended down to Malaucéne while Ross continued to the summit (it is a great fast descent to Malaucéne on smooth roads).

The summit of Mont Ventou is in a bare limestone, windswept landscape. Looks close but this is about five kilometres from the summit.

Pressing on to the summit of Ventou, Ross in front and Bernie taking the pic. It is a bare landscape because the trees were stripped to build warships for the French Navy in the 14th century and the forests never recovered.

Finally at the summit

Meanwhile all of the others except Cath had started the climb from Sault. John and Shirley Locke and the Mebourne's made it to the summit. Marg and Mike Kermode stopped short of the summit but proved that recent falls would not necessarily stop them.

Ross was very happy to have done the two climbs in the morning and after re-grouping at the summit we all headed to Gigondas for lunch, collecting Bernie on the way at Malaucéne. We were too late to get into the restaurant we had booked so went into town and found a restaurant serving degustation meals with wines and we settled in there for a late lunch. Not hard really.

Lunch in Gigondas was a degustation menu

After lunch it was time for some wine tasting and purchasing of the great Gigondas region wines. Then it was back to the house for showers and dips in the pool before enjoying gourmet omelettes cooked by Bill and Bernie for dinner.

Another great day in Provence with magic weather and fantastic achievements for all in the day.