The donkey sanctuary 😍

I was very excited about this bed and breakfast and it hasn’t disappointed, I’ve always had a bit of thing for Eeyore.

It was a beautiful 33 mile ride to get here, still hilly but not as ridiculous as yesterday and I did the old fashioned navigation of following signposts instead of the excommunicated Garmin.

I wanted to see Simiane-la-Rotonde, another stunning ‘village de caractere’, which forms the apex of a triangle of the Luberon, Lure mountain and Ventoux and their different landscapes.

With unusually good planning, Support Crew and cyclist arrived at Mane at the same time, just in time for lunch.

The body needed rather a lot of carbs today, I can’t think why!

One of the locals was happy to help out with the excess carb load

The storms are brewing again but today we can watch them from a dry terrace with a glass of vin rose instead of from a soggy bike saddle!

Oopsies

So today was supposed to be the day to climb Mont Ventoux. Rusty decided he would join me on a hired electric bike, the sun was shining and all looked good. But then the Garmin did it’s thing. We are staying in Sault from where the ascent of Mont Ventoux is supposed to be 26km and doable ish. The Garmin decided that would mean we would miss out of lots of gorgeous Provençal countryside so sent us the long way round...

This would have been okish if (a) Rusty’s bike had unlimited battery (b) that route up Mont Ventoux wasn’t closed for snow (c) storms with hailstorms hadn’t arrived.

We got as far as Bedoin through some admittedly beautiful scenery

But then the battery ran out and the storms arrived

After a recharging of the battery at a lovely bike hire shop and a recharging of the bodies at a cafe, we set off again. Unfortunately the ridiculous subsequent climbing killed off the battery again (let’s not mention my poor tree trunks) and to add extra drama I’m not sure I have ever been as soaking wet on a bike before the hailstorm pelting.

Fortunately once we had climbed the last col, it was mostly downhill so no battery required but we did have to push a very heavy bike up the last hill!

Hot showers, a huge meal and several buckets of vin rose later, we are almost human again.

Hello climbing legs

The destination today was Sault, only 20 miles away but obviously that would be insufficient pain for the tree trunks! I did a bit of research and decided that the Gorges de la Nesque was the place to visit and as usual, had no idea how much climbing would be involved.

As you can see, 5 miles into the ride, the Garmin instructed me to go up to Gordes and that sent the heart rate up a bit.

I then found myself on the 2016 Tour de France route - they had already cycled 131km from Montpellier by this point and finished on Mont Ventoux, makes my efforts look pathetic!

The Gorges de la Nesque lived up to expectations, with a winding road and tunnels built in to the overhanging rock, the views were spectacular.

An avid topiary fan has carefully cut and maintained immaculately shaped bushes on the entire route - only in France!

We are staying in Sault this evening, another really pretty village with some spectacular views.

Shut up legs

The Provençal life style is very fabulous but probably not the best preparation for the following day’s hillfest.

My somewhat random approach to route planning (let’s try north east today) can lead to a bit of a shock for the tree trunks and they were certainly not expecting to work that hard today! However, the sun was shining, the scenery was spectacular and my delighted senses overruled the complaining legs.

As a bit of advance warning for the tree trunks, there was a rather spectacular view of ‘the beast’. If the weather co-operates, the plan is to pootle my way up the infamous Mont on Saturday.

I was planning to do some more miles along the ‘Ochre’ bike route, but the legs were having a bit of a sulk so a shortcut was needed - shortcuts round here aren't exactly shabby.

After a chicken, chips and beer refuelling back in Roussillon, afternoon walkies provided a gorgeous view of the village from the vineyards beneath.

The support crew had fun in the market this morning and we have just opened a bottle of local rose to go with yet more pate and cheese - shut up legs!

Pootling in Provence

A long time ago I read Peter Mayle’s ‘A Year in Provence’ and have wanted to visit the Petit Luberon ever since. Cycling nearly always makes me happy and today’s ride was up there with one of the best.

Gordes is apparently one of the most photographed views in Provence and is popular with French celebs.

My favourite place was Oppède-le-Vieux, above the vines and quite a climb with a great view of Mont Ventoux.

There are some amazing houses with amazing prices to match - post lottery win, this would work well with the Butlers Wharf penthouse...

I pottered on eastwards through Ménerbes and did a detour to the Abbaye de St-Hilaire which was deserted and peaceful.

Next was Lacoste with its chateau previously owned by the Marquis de Sade and now Pierre Cardin

One of the things I love about France (as well as baguettes, wine, cheese and strawberry tarts) is the priority given to cyclists, this empty cycle path was pothole free and apparently just for me!

Meanwhile back at the hotel, the Support Crew had been shopping so I returned to the requisite baguette, cheese, pate refuelling and then we did an afternoon walkies around the ochre quarries

Followed of course by cold beer with another view of Mont Ventoux - it’s calling me!