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38 photos and movies (
) by Steven Hill and Rebecca Heald, steephill.tv
This report continues the documenting of my/our Summer 2006 cycling trip through France.
Believe it or not, you can show up in Provence in peak season (August) and cycle quiet, idyllic roads. And if you are willing to camp and equipped to do so, you don't have to book accommodations.
In June, I posted the first of two Provence cycling reports just in time for the Dauphine Libere Mont-Ventoux stage. This second report documents the cycling north of Mont-Ventoux in a quiet region known as Les Baronnies [and more info]. An astute reader may realize the region I'm documenting, technically, is just outside Provence in the Rhone-Alpes... a minor detail since it looks the same and few people have heard of Les Baronnies.
August is a busy time for travelers in Europe and no region in France pulls in more European visitors during the summer than Provence. If you recall from an earlier report, we planned to spend a few extra days in the Vercors, but changed our minds with the bad weather forecast and the crowded roads. So we headed south in our rental car in search of dry, quiet roads. One reader of a previous report was skeptical we'd find quiet roads in Provence in August, but we did because Les Baronnies is off the beaten path.
I had the benefit of visiting Les Baronnies in July for three nights while traveling with the RBR boys. We stayed in a gite a little further south, which was a good experience, but I also brought my camping gear to Europe because this option has always offered Rebecca and me the greatest flexibility. No reservations, check in early, check out late... those sort of things, which held true in the Sainte Jalle area. Campsites in France generally aren't as good as North America, so you may spend some time checking out 3 or 4 sites before choosing one as we often did. At the Sainte Jalle site where we stayed in August, we experienced typical France camping... small, somewhat barren row sites. But the grounds were clean, the sites were divided by hedges and the bathrooms even had toilet paper (usually you bring your own). The site was run by a friendly host who allowed us to check out late at 4 PM. For 12 Euros a night who says staying in Provence in peak season is expensive!
Sainte Jalle was also a great cycling base camp for us since we like small, quiet towns at the hub of a clover leaf. It's a medieval village with a population of just 270 people. There's not much going on besides a general store, a cafe, a small hotel and a Roman church for entertainment. Buis-les-Baronnies, where I stayed in July, is a nearby alternative for those who want more variety and action. We stopped in this larger town to buy groceries for our favorite evening meal consumed off our car dashboard: Bread, cheese, pâté, fruit, chocolate, and of course, a bottle of red wine.
To explore the area, click on the map to go to Michelin's site The ride: 55k with 3 modest climbs
We only spent two nights in Provence my second time around. So many places to visit in so little time is the corny expression. Sandwiched around our big Mont Ventoux/ Gorges des Nesque day we did a short evening ride on our arrival day and a modest 55k ride the morning of our departure among the limestone hills and valley in the Sainte Jalle area. Not many tourists come to this area likely because there is no focal point, but it is a picturisque farming area with crops of lavender and apricots and vineyards mixed with Romanesque houses surrounded by modest-sized mountains. In fact, the area is strongly opposing the creation of Parc Naturel Régional des Baronnies as we first discovered by the protest signs displayed by landowners. A large "state" park would, of course, draw more tourists. The smell of lavender permeates this ride. Most of it had been picked by August, but there were still several unharvested fields and stacks of cut lavender ready to be towed away.
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Neither spectacular nor ordinary,
but try to smell the fragrance of lavenderWe slipped through sleepy Sainte Jalle on our way up to Le Pöet Sigillat on a narrow, one-lane (old Roman?) road. Le Pöet Sigillat is a tiny hamlet built in the typical Provence style of limestone bricks started by the Romans. We did a small loop on the only streets and exchanged smiles with the locals who either aren't use to tourists or simply know that their hamlet is special. From there, it was on to Col de Soubeyrand along a ridge road that provides a great view of the valley and Mont Ventoux in the distance. At Col de Soubeyrand, we turned around and descended back to the valley past farms through more hamlets and a farmer's market in progress. Once back in the valley we headed east on the main valley road that was virtually deserted. Next up (literally) was Col de Peyruergue, a gentle climb that offers another good view of the valley. We continued down the other side on D64 to Saint-Auban before turning west on D529 towards Buis-Les-Baronnies. This road isn't as interesting but it was also quiet. Before reaching relatively busy Buis-Les-Baronnies, we turned off onto a side-road labeled D108 that took us up to Col d'Ey, the last climb on this ride. Col d'Ey gives you the best vantage point of the purple valley. I climbed it from all three directions over the five days I spent in Provence on my July and August visits. We then descended on fresh pavement to the tree-lined streets that lead into Sainte Jalle. It was a modest 55k of hilly terrain that any intermediate cyclist can handle. This ride is neither spectacular nor ordinary, but ah the sensation of the perfect temperature and tranquility amidst the fragrance of lavender.... I felt like I could have taken a dreamy nap anywhere along the route. The contrast of this ride with the busy climb up Mont-Ventoux the previous day and the Vercors two days prior was a relief. Harmonious is one word that describes this region. — Steve, October 10th 2007
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