Col du Lautaret and snow!

Friday 31st August

Today I drove up to the ominously named town of La Grave to begin a ride up the Col du Lautaret. Technically the ride starts further down the valley however the climbing would be so flat and I wanted to avoid riding through the worst of the mountain tunnels. I chose this ride because it is on a cycling jersey I bought and I wanted to ensure I had ridden up all the climbs on the shirt (I appreciate my logic for selecting rides can be a little odd at times). I had ridden down this col when I descended the Galibier so it was also a good ride to do when it is wet, cloudy with no views in sight.






The climb was pretty easy and only nudged above 7% once on the way up. With plenty of energy still in the legs I decided to continue up the Col du Galibier, riding up the side I did not go up earlier this week. This side was both shorter and less steep, however I did not make up to the top. This was because the rain that was falling in the valley was falling as snow near the top of the Galibier. At the 2km to go sign, with me now riding in the middle of a snow storm, and the snow now starting to lie on the road (rather than melt away as it had been doing until then), in the interests of self-preservation and to avoid becoming hypothermic, I decided to turn around and head back to the car. The descent was absolutely freezing and my fingers and toes were like ice when I got back to the car. This may all sound terrible, but I had a great time. It was simply a pleasure just to be riding these roads and the rain, cold and snow just made the ride a little more adventurous than it would have been otherwise. Col de la Croix de Fer tomorrow.



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Les Deux Alpes

Thursday 30th August

As predicted, my first wet ride of the trip through the rain and clouds up to Les Deux Alpes. which apparently has Europe's largest skiable glacier, and has also seen a number of Tour finishes over the years. I had lots of fun on this relatively easy category 1 climb and can now appreciate why it plays a very much second fiddle to Alpe d'Huez. It was far easier and much shorter than its neighbour across and down the valley.

My ride started from home and headed along the D1091 for 12km or so up to the official start of the climb at the Barrage de Chambon, barrage being a dam in French. This section was scenic enough but had a number of mountain tunnels to ride through. Now equipped with lights I was visible to traffic but I still did not like riding through them. I also saw a car accident where a car had gone around a hairpin too quickly and slid into the ditch at the side of the road. When I got there the emergency services were standing on the side of the car about to remove the driver. Not good. The actual climb itself was very straight forward and enjoyable. As usual the climb started in trees and opened up at the end before arriving at the ski station which, judging by the number of mountain bikes around, also serves as a mountain bike park. With no view and the rain falling there was no need to hang around, so it was back down the hill for a cautious descent home. It was great to be out on the bike even if it was a bit soggy. It does mean I have to go and clean the bike now so cheerio.



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Col de la Madeleine

Wednesday 29th August

It was a pre-sunrise start for me as I had to drive over the Col du Glandon to get to the ride I wanted to do, and be back home for lunch to let Nicola and Heather go out to a workshop in the afternoon. In the end they decided not to do the workshop so I could have had a lie-in, however the upside was that I did get to watch the sun rising over the Alps which was very special.

The drive over the Col du Glandon gave me a chance to see the north side that I won't get a chance to do (doing the south side on Saturday). It was a strange climb as it was not apparent even up until the last kilometre how exactly the road was going to get you to the pass over the mountain. The climb looked tough and excellent, and the paint on the road indicated that the Tour had come over this way this year. I can't do every col in every direction so this one will have to wait for another day.

The drive also allowed me to look at Saturday's ride which as it turns out is very different to those I have done thus far. Instead of the normal long climb up, then long descent back down again, the climb up the Col de la Croix de Fer (with a side trip to the top of the Col du Glandon) is more of a roller coaster up, down, up, down and up again. The surrounding mountains are spectacular and the ride also passes two large reservoirs which are very scenic too. It may be a good thing I saw the views today as the weather forecast isn't looking marvellous for Saturday, however now I have seen the riding on offer I am looking forward to it immensely.
Enough of future rides and back to today's ride up the Col de la Madeleine. I started off in the rather oddly named town of La Chambre where the 19km climb commenced. Being the first ride after the long ride up the Galibier the short distance was good however in true Alps style the climb immediately started with a no nonsense 8% gradient and never really let up from there. As the map promised, this was a climb of continuous switch backs, climbing up to and beyond a number of ski stations on the mountain. The pass itself was 5 km beyond the last ski station and had magnificent views on the north side across to Mont Blanc, while on the south side I could see across the valley in which the car was parked up the impressive side valley which led up the north side of the Col du Glandon
From my vantage point this morning on the Col de la Madeleine I was also able to remain dry while watching a storm coming through the valley of Bourg d'Oisans which was getting a good soaking. By the time I was back over the mountains into our valley the road had dried up, however more clouds and rain arrived later this afternoon and more is forecast for the coming days and weekend. It therefore looks like I will have my first soggy rides of this trip which is much later than I had expected so I have been extremely fortunate with the weather.

Considering the weather, I will likely stay close to home for the next couple of days and will ride from here when a break in the weather presents itself. Likely climbs will be Les Deux Alpes (which I always consider the poor cousin to Alpe d'Huez), the Col du Lautaret (which would take me to the base of the Galibier, however it does go through those nasty mountain tunnels), or the Col d'Ornon (which I saw the sign for today and that is all I know about it). So many choices!



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Mother and Daughter day

Tuesday 30th August

Mother and daughter day today, with Heather and I off to catch a gondola to visit a glacier and an ice cave. Heather woke up excited and ate her breakfast and dressed herself in record time. We were early but decided to head off as anything could happen on these mountains roads and it did. We got stuck behind 3 camper vans (our pet hate in France), there were 2 road works, and there was debris on the road from overnight rock avalanches. This all slowed us down and despite leaving early we got there when I'd originally estimated. It was very exciting. We were first in line to catch the 10am (first) gondola and Heather virtually ran on when the door opened.


It was a two stage trip as we had to change gondola half way as the top section went off at a different angle. The views going up were incredible as we climbed higher and higher. After the midway point the real elevation gain was made. We followed the face of La Meije, a high jaggered mountain that rises to 3983m and is covered in glaciers. It was spectacular. When we reached as far as the gondola went at 3200m. It was incredible, rocky and barren with a huge glacier flowing just on the other side of the ridge (la Meije on one side, flowing glacier on the other).


We had a quick look at the view and followed the signs to la Grotte de Glace which was a cave dug out in the glacier. It was quite a difficult climb down over loose rocks and slippery ice so we very lucky Callum and Neil stayed at home. The cave was brilliant. I'd imagined one loop with a couple of sculptures but there were multiple tunnels linked together with sculptures at the intersections and in small side caves. There were dragons, dinosaurs, giant feet and even a car you could sit in.


The creators must of had a ball making them. Each sculpture also had a light illuminating it. Being at the end of the season they were beginning to melt a little but the general forms were all still there. Even just the patterns and light in the ice itself (without the sculptures) I thought were incredible and I wondered how different it would look on a bright and sunny day. After Heather declared she was too cold (she was wearing two jumpers and a jacket of Neil's that I had brought for me) we made our way out of the ice maze.


We climbed our way off the glacier and back to the rocky lookouts just in time for it to start snowing. One of the reasons for the trip was because Heather was desperate to see snow and here we were looking at this huge glacier and it was snowing! Heather couldn't believe it and started dancing around then poking out her tongue to eat it. It was so cool to see her so happy. After the excitement she realised how cold she actually was so I suggested a hot chocolate to warm her up. This did the trick then we caught the next gondola down. Silly me asked her where do you want to sit as there were four in a sort of train of gondola cabins. Her answer was the front one. Knowing the altitude we had travelled up I knew what the journey would be like going down, but with all my courage I agreed and off we went. It was fine at first then a pylon came up on the edge of a cliff and there was only one way down - very fast and at a very steep angle. Fear, exhilaration and adrenalin all at once. I admit we both screamed a couple of times but the view and the fun we were having together made it a trip to remember. After reaching the ground we had a quick bite to eat and headed back down the valley to the boys. They were just returning from playground number two for the day and from all accounts had had a lovely day.

I will treasure my day I spent with Heather. Going to the ice cave was brilliant but seeing her face at the sight of the glacier and standing in the snow was something that gives a mum the warm and fuzzies. Tomorrow Neil is riding the Col de la Madeleine and doesn't need his support crew so we are staying at home and doing school work and secret stuff for Father's Day.


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Col du Galibier - support crew

Monday 27th August part 2



What a day! We went to the top of the world today. Well it felt like it anyway. As Neil said it was an early morning to drop the cyclist off to test his body to the limit. The drop off point was the top of the Col du Galibier which at 2600+m meant we were high in the Alps. While Neil was getting ready, and I was admiring the view of the mountains, imagine my delight when I spotted a couple of marmots playing on the hillside. I quickly called Heather over so she could share in this great sight (Callum just would not have seen them, then we would have heard about it all day). Our marmot sighting put a spring in our steps so after we watched Neil disappear off the Galibier Heather, Callum and I went for a short walk higher up the hill to an amazing view point. It was relatively early in the morning and quite cold but this also meant the views were crystal clear and even more breathtaking. We then hopped back in the car for our descent down the other side to Neil, back the way we came.
We stopped a few times for photos and to admire this magic scenery. Our original plan was for us to go home now and Neil meet us there, but now were to meet him just down the road so what to do for 4 hours? I drove to the village of La Grave about 10km down the road where we got some information about glacier trips, had a little walk around town, ate lunch then took a scenic drive up the hill to some small settlements, basically pleasantly killing the time any way we could. With an estimated hour left we decided to drive back up the Galibier to meet Neil, but before we even reached the turning, "that was Daddy," was shouted by in the car. We stopped and fortunately Neil had spotted us so slowly rode UP to where we parked.



The day was nothing like what I had planned that was mostly boring stuff so seeing this incredible scenery and soaking it in was great. Have I mentioned there was not a cloud in the sky all day as well? Being in La Grave I managed to plan a mother daughter day for tomorrow which will be a gondola ride up to a glacier then a visit to an ice cave. Should be a lot of fun and Heather is so excited which is cool.


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Col du Galibier and Col du Telegraphe

Monday 27th August

Monter le Galibier sans monter le bourrichon, voila la recette!
Climb the Galibier without putting the idea in your head, that's the recipe!
Gustave Garrigon, 8 Tours de France from 1907 to 1914, winner in 1911.



Today I managed to do the last ride from my absolutely must-do list, but only just. We set off early as planned and the support crew drove me up to the top of the Galibier to start the ride. On the way I became alarmed when I discovered there were numerous long mountain tunnels as I did not have any bike lights. These tunnels would be unpleasant enough on a bike, without chancing not being seen as well. A quick Plan B was devised that the support crew would meet me at a town close to the base of the Galibier just before the tunnels started. In hindsight this change which shortened the ride proved to be a brilliant idea as my legs were so stuffed after the climb up the Col du Galibier that the originally intended 38km ride home through the valley would likely have had me weeping and crying for my mummy.

The drive up the Galibier was magnificent. I had been very impressed with the Pyrenees but the Alps are something else.
I have run out of superlatives to describe how (insert your own favourite superlative here) they are. I started the 35km descent down to St-Michel-de-Maurienne trying my best to concentrate on the road as I gawped open-mouthed at the scenery. In my ride planning I had forgotten there was a 5km climb between Valloire and the Col du Telegraphe during the 'descent'. At the bottom I turned around quickly and started the 12km back up the Col du Telegraphe. At an average gradient of 7% it was a good climb that got the legs working. The views down the valley were very scenic, spoiled only by the dirty great autoroute cutting its way along the valley floor. At the top of the Telegraphe I stopped for the compulsory photograph of the Col sign then kept going on up to the Col du Galibier. It was quite steep going through the pretty ski town of Valloire with it's many chalets, before the climb eased off a little, going through a wide alpine valley surrounded by immense mountains on either side. At 8km to go the road kicked up and never went below 8% gradient again. This was okay to begin with but after a while there was simply no point looking up as you could see where the road was heading and it was simply best to ignore this rather alarming scenario and just focus on keeping the pedals moving. At the 3km to go point my legs were screaming and for the first time during all my climbs I seriously considered stopping to give the legs a break. Ignoring this urge, I slogged onwards and reached the top. I was completely shattered and every leg muscle burned. At the same time however I was elevated. With an energy bar and some water in me, I persuaded the body back on to the bike for the descent down to meet the support crew. I actually met them driving up the main valley road not long after I turned off the Galibier. They had decided to come up to see me on the mountain, but unfortunately I had over-estimated how long it would take. I slowly eased myself into the car and we headed home.

I felt privileged to have been able to ride of the longest and highest climbs of the Tour. Once again I was awed by the Tour riders who race up these mammoth climbs, whereas I had simply been able to survive. I can't say that I have been so happy and so sore at the same time, and it has to have been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling days I have had. Lots of big smiles.

With a sunny day forecast tomorrow, and me in need of a rest day, Nicola and Heather will be off on a gondola ride up to a glacier (Heather is dying to see snow). Due to the high altitude Callum is too young to go so he and I will stay at home while I recuperate. The next ride is the HC climb of the Col de la Madeleine on Wednesday. To get there I need to drive over the Col du Glandon which will be good reconnaissance for Saturday's ride up to this col and the Col de la Croix de Fer, both high altitude climbs with stunning views.



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Alpe d'Huez

Sunday 26th August

Today saw me complete another milestone on the "rides-I-must-do" list. Given that the start of Alpe d'Huez is literally at the end of our street, there was also no chance it was not going to get ridden immediately upon our arrival in the Alps, and this 14km climb is easily the most famous Tour de France climb. We had watched the time trail up here back in 2004 with the million or so other spectators that were estimated to be on the hill that day. Today was very different as I started off early and had the road pretty much to myself. There were no polite introductions with the first 2-3km starting at about 13-14%. I was glad I had done my research and I could be assured that it calmed down later in the climb, otherwise it would have a very rude shock. As I ascended the morning mist and clouds lifted and the scenery became ever more stunning and motivating, providing ample inspiration to keep pedals turning. Many of the climb's 21 hairpins were very familiar from watching the Tour, for example I smiled when I passed the church at around turn 7 which is infamously known as "Dutch Corner". It is where the Dutch camp out for three days before, during and after the Tour comes through and they party, party, party. I also had a grin when I rode past the ski chalet we stayed in back in 2004 and from where we cheered on the Tour riders. Far from the raucous chaotic circus that it was that day, it was deadly quiet being closed for summer.
At the top I turned the famous left turn round the roundabout and rode the final 300 metres with a big smirk on my face. It was awesome to complete another of my four climbs. The descent was very chilly so there was the occasional stop to get feeling back into the fingers and enjoy the view. The view from turn 9 was simply jaw dropping and reminded me why I wanted to be here riding in these magnificent mountains.


Tomorrow is planned to be another big day in the Alps. The support crew will be dropping me off at the top of the Galibier before I descend 35km down the other side to promptly turn around and climb back up again! From there I hope to descend and ride the road back to Bourg d'Osian. It will be a long day of riding but I wanted to do this last section (as well as the preceding climbs) as this was where Cadel Evans caught Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador in 2011 tour having lost them earlier that day on the Col du Telegraphe due to mechanical problems. It was an awesome moment that helped him win the tour that year and it had me on the edge of the sofa screaming at the television back in Australia. Wish me luck!


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Bonjour from the Alps

Saturday 25th August

Bonjour from the Alps.

It was very sad leaving our 17th century town house with its slanting walls and uneven stairs, but all good things must come to an end and another chapter needed to be opened on our french adventure. We estimated the drive to be about 3.5 hours (well Michelin maps did), however we decided to go the scenic way on the Napoleon Route, so we took longer than that. It was a lovely drive with the view of the Alps getting closer and closer as we drove along. As we left Gap (the gateway to the Alps in a sense) and we climbed high into mountains I turned to Neil who had a huge smile on his face. He was back in his beloved playground and I'm sure he was thinking about the upcoming rides. As we were driving down one of the valleys with soaring peaks all around us he said to the kids "look at the great mountains" and in unison from the back seat we heard a "wow". Neil's grin grew even bigger.

We had been to Bourg d'Oisan in 2004 when Neil and I followed the Tour de France so we knew the general layout and what the town has to offer. It is your typical alpine village, catering for hikers, cyclists and adventurists in the summer and skiers in the winter. Our house is a block from the main street and backs onto a crystal clear river with ducks floating downstream (and every now and then a tourist in a canoe as well) and large fish swimming upstream. From the outside the house looks like a dolls house with a large backyard for the kids to run around. It is quite different to our last accommodation but equally as comfortable. Neil has a very busy riding schedule so this fortnight will be quite different to our lazing around Provence. Tomorrow Neil gets straight into the riding and climbs the legendary Alpe d'Huez while I make shopping lists and sort the washing ready for visiting the laundrette.



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Last day in Provence

Friday 24th August

Our last day in Provence and unfortunately it did not quite turn out as planned. I had spent yesterday packing while Neil was out riding Mont Ventoux as I thought that I would be out this morning, but some things that are beyond your control. I had booked to go hot air ballooning from Roussillon but the wind came up yesterday and the flight was cancelled. I was very disappointed as a balloon ride has been on my bucket list for some time and what better place to float over in the early morning than Provence. It wasn't meant to be and gives me another reason to return. Today instead I squeezed in another village, well a return to one I'd been too before but it was hidden bymarkets, L'Isle sur le Sorge. When I was there previously I had picked up a map and I noticed a town walk taking in 13 water wheels. Knowing how much the kids enjoyed the water wheels in other villages, we set off on our adventure of water wheel spotting, with each of kids armed with a map leading the way. After going round in circles to find our starting point we were under way and the walk was very interesting. Many of the wheels dated back to the 1800's and were used for a variety of reasons, from irrigation to powering mills to spin silk and yarn. It was an enjoyable morning and nice to actually see the town (not through market stall umbrellas). We then headed back for home (with the kids still holding their maps) to some serious packing as tomorrow we are sadly leaving Provence. I am not entirely ready to leave but I know another chapter of this trip and new scenery awaits a few hours away. Heather and I have just finished our last evening walk around the village, which was going to be a short one but ended up at the castle and windmill.


It was a lovely way to spend our last evening here. The sun is now setting over the stunning view we have enjoyed and relaxed in front of over for the last two weeks, and Bourg d'Oisan with its view of Alpe d'Huez now await our arrival tomorrow.



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Mont Ventoux again

Thursday 23rd August

This week has been a fairly lazy week riding wise, doing training rides through the gorges and over the baby cols surrounding our village. It has been lots of fun and has probably been a good thing given the intensity of the riding when we get to the Alps (I have a ridiculously long ride wish list to try and get through).

Today however was a different story as I once again headed off to ride Mont Ventoux. Last time I completed my shortest ride so far, having started from Bedoin and ridden a whopping 22km up to the summit. This time I did my longest ride so far, starting before sun rise and riding from here up and over the Plateau de Vaucluse via the Col de la Liguere, then descending into the Sault before starting the 26km ascent of what I have been calling the "sissy" route up Mont Ventoux.

The weather conditions at the top of Mont Ventoux were very different than before. Last time it was a hot sunny day with spectacular clear views as far as the Alps. Today it was hazy with not an Alp in sight. The mountain also lived up to its name as it was windy near the summit, creating a head wind that made the riding more challenging. It was a fun climb but by the time I reached the top there were more than 50 km in the legs so they were complaining a bit.

A quick Orangina and it was back down the hill to Sault. The wind made the descend a bit blustery and wobbly, as did the road conditions which were much worse than the other side which is favoured by the Tour so kept in better condition. At Sault I decided to take the longer but more scenic route back to Saint-Saturnin-Les-Apt, over the plateau again however this time down the side of a very scenic gorge. It made for a really enjoyable finish to a great ride.

That was the last of the riding for Provence and I have been very pleasantly surprised by the riding here. I have enjoyed it very much. As well as the local rides, Mont Ventoux was great to climb and riding up the upper section with its unique lunar landscape is forever etched into the memory. It was great to ride another iconic Tour climb, with my favourite Ventoux moments replaying in my head, such as Eddy Merckx assault of the mountain in 1970 that put incredible time into his opponents but caused him to collapse after the finish and need oxygen. Then there was the duel between Armstrong and Pantani in 2000 where Armstrong apparently did the normal Tour etiquette for a GC rider interested only in gaining more time, and let Pantani win the stage. Later an offended (and ungrateful?) Pantani claimed he won the stage fair and square, which led to the famous Armstrong rebuke of, "no more gifts". This was only Armstrong's second tour win so perhaps he was a little too honest and still learning diplomacy skills.

Packing tomorrow before heading along the scenic route to the Alps on Saturday.




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Seguret & Venasque

Wednesday 22nd August

My last two provincial villages are both on the "most beautiful villages in France" list and they did not disappoint. The whole family joined me today as Neil did not feel comfortable letting me drive the 1.5 hours to the village of Seguret, which I had read about in the trusty France magazine, and sounded quaint and oozing character.


Seguret was different from the previously visited villages as it was to the north in the flatter wine country. Seguret itself seemed to be up on the last hill overlooking kilometres of vineyards. It was a pedestrian only village with cobbled streets and typical winding paths and lane ways. The kids had fun directing us up stairs and down through tunnels. Another unique thing it had was a clock only had one hand. The locals seem to be able to tell the time and it chimes on the hour. It didn't take us long to explore as there was only about three streets. The village was just about in ruins back in 1997, then the remaining villages rallied together to start restoring and bringing it back to life. They have done a great job but you do get the feeling that it's mainly a tourist town with not many residents (there isn't even a boulagerie). After ticking Seguret off the list we headed for Venasque (which we actually drove past in the morning to get to Seguret). Venasque was a hill top village perched on the end of a ridge. We arrived in the middle of siesta so we set up a picnic with an incredible view over to a hazy Mont Ventoux and enjoyed the peace and quiet.


The village ticked all the boxes, with fountains, lovely old buildings with colourful shutters, vine covered cafe terraces, artists' workshops and a boulangerie. By the time we had wound our way around the streets it was hot and everyone was fading very fast.

It was a lovely day and I feel very satisfied that I have covered every type of provincial village. Tomorrow Neil is riding Mont Ventoux from home and back going up an alternative route to the one he did last week. While he does so the kids and I will have a morning at home and start to pack. I'm not quite ready to leave here so I'm not sure how productive the day will be.



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Early morning in St Saturnin les Apt

Tuesday 21st August

A rare occurrence happened today. I got up before the sun. It was very beautiful and peaceful. My motivation was to try and capture this gorgeous town we are staying in the early morning light, so with camera and tripod in hand I headed up the hill to the castle ruins and the windmill. It was lovely. The swallows were darting about catching breakfast and the countryside was covered in a warm glow.


I took a few shots then headed into town to try and capture some of the buildings in the dawn light, and also before the owners woke up and parked themselves at the front door for the day (the town has a lot of elderly people that sit and watch the day go by). It was also market day so at the end of my wandering around town all the stall holders were busy setting up their stalls and the town took on a whole new lively feel from its peaceful dawn start.
It was a great morning and I discovered areas of the town I had not yet explored with Heather during our evening walks. We have been going for the odd evening walk after dinner as well. Heather has been having trouble getting to sleep due to the heat and her bedroom having no curtains (it gets dark about 9pm) so we've been going for a walk to try and help her sleep. The town is not big but there are lots of tunnels and little winding lanes that start in one direction then lead you in another so it is fun to explore.

I enjoyed my morning walk and got home with enough time for a quick peek at the market and to buy our lunch baguette while Heather was finishing her school work before our day's adventure. Heather, Callum and I left Neil at home to try and catch up on a heat-induced sleepless night and headed for Fontaine de Vaucluse, a small town with a lot of history.
The main thing I wanted to see was a spring that had the largest flow of water (in the world I think) and is the source of the river Sorge. Water flows from a big hole in the ground immediately creating a crystal clear river. We found the path to the spring by following the stream of tourists and walked in the midday heat to find that the water level was so low that all you could see was a big hole. We all enjoyed the walk up though as it was beside the river which is stunning and shaded by a huge cliff face that the spring is directly beneath. I got the idea but used a postcard to show the kids what it would look like if we had not have visited during the driest month of the year. We then stopped for an ice-cream and headed for the second attraction I wanted to see which was the paper mill powered by a water wheel using the flow of water from the spring. The kids thought this was really cool, making paper from the power of water. It was a lovely visit with the kids seeing their excitement at the crystal clear river and it's water wheels. After returning home and having lunch, the temperature had dropped a little so we all went for a refreshing swim at the local pool. It had been hot and humid so the cool pool was perfect. Tomorrow I explore my last two provincial villages of Seguret and Venasque.


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Pont du Gard

Monday 20th August

The plan was to visit Pont du Gard and Avignon. Pont du Gard was about a 1.5 hour away from home and you drive through Avignon so that was going to be done on the way home. We set off earlyish and arrived in good time, however whilst I was parking and making a routine parking manoeuvre (definitely not Neil's word for it) I popped a tyre on the car. There was a little bit of #*@+ and a lot of silence. Neil managed to find everything that Peugeot had hidden away in the car to change a tyre and did so while the tourists were pouring through the car park gates. With tyre changed, and Neil now filthy from the gravel car park, we went and viewed the bridge.


Pont du Gard is a bridge built by the Romans to transport water to Nimes and is quite beautiful. It was not quite the day we expected and no one was interested in seeing the bridge except for me, especially after the car park incident. We viewed the bridge from every angle then left the masses to their picnics and the midday heat. We cancelled Avignon and drove on to Apt (close to our holiday home) to get a new tyre fitted. Thankfully the Peugeot dealer was extremely efficient and everything could be done straight away while we waited and had our picnic lunch in their car park under a tree. Not quite Avignon but that's life. Tomorrow it is off to photograph our town in the morning light, then with the car fully functioning, a short drive to visit the nearby village of Fountaine-de-Vaucluse .


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L'Isle le sur Sorge

Sunday 19th August

Today, one of the biggest markets in the area was on in a town that was also on my to-do list so off I went to L'Isle le sur Sorge. I knew it was going to busy and I was right. Parking was a free for all and there were people coming from all directions into the village.


The old town is on an island surrounded by the most crystal clear water I have ever seen. The source of the water is a few kilometres up the road from a spring so it hasn't had time to become polluted. About 75% of the village was market. When I got there I had to take a photo of where I came in so if I got lost I could show a local and get directions out. It was mayhem. With a deep breath I entered, you could get anything and everything at this market. There was some lovely linen clothes and I considered taking up ironing but I knew that would never last and the clothes would sit in the cupboard unworn. I did pick up a lovely pendant made from a bit of stone found on Mont Ventoux which I thought was a good souvenir, and some lovely fresh veggies for dinner for the next couple of nights. I enjoyed wandering aimlessly and watching the people without having to worry about the kids. I began to wonder what the town would be like without the million market goers and stalls so I may return another day if time permits. It was a very enjoyable morning watching and soaking up the provincial lifestyle, but I was melting in the midday heat so headed home for a cool glass of white wine in our shaded courtyard.


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Kids day

Saturday 18th

KIDS DAY. Every time we visit a tourist office the kids pick up cards of things they like to do. We checked out all the ones they had collected in Provence and there was only one that was a reasonable distance, and even that was 1.5 hour drive! The kids however had decided that's what they wanted so we were off over the Luberon hills to a play park. They were so excited when we arrived.
There were big colourful statues everywhere, pedal go karts, animals, obstacle courses, flying foxes, water games, a train, in other words it was kid heaven. Heather went into overdrive not being able to decide what to do first, almost as if we were going to go home in the next five minutes. The funniest thing about the park was that it was full of old fashioned mechanical puppets dancing and telling stories. These were inside bright coloured themed houses that you had to push buttons to get everything working.


By the time we had been there 2 hours we had completed 2/3 of the park and the kids were bright red from the heat so we forced them to stop and refuel with a picnic. We happened to stop beside some large flowers that, when you press a button, sprayed out a fine mist of water. Needless to say both kids ate lunch dripping wet from pressing the button numerous times. Refuelled and ready for more we finished the rest of the park, did the kids' favourite things a second time, then dragged them out of the park for the drive home.


Callum lasted about 15 minutes before he was fast asleep, and Heather was out for the count soon afterwards. They had a ball and to top off the kids' day we had an ice-cream when we arrived home in the shade by the fountain in the square outside our holiday home. It was fabulous seeing the kids so happy and having so much fun.



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Gordes

Friday 17th part 3
After dropping off Neil and the kids at home I headed out to Gordes. It's a hill top village with a castle at the top. What more could a girl ask for. Gordes is in all the guide books so I could not miss it, unfortunately though neither could all the other tourists. It was very pretty with lots of winding thin streets and ancient houses with quaint windows and doors, but it was too touristy and was loosing a little of its charm. Ironically one of the best parts was the view you got of the town when approaching. You were high up on an opposite ridge so could see all the houses and streets really well. I arrived at this lookout just as the Japanese tourist bus was leaving which was good timing.
There was no rush to get home as we were going out for dinner, so I went on a few kilometres down the road to the village of Les Boires, a settlement of ancient bee hive dwellings. Part of the fun of this adventure was negotiating the supposedly two way road which was wide enough for one car, so thank goodness most of the cars coming from the other direction were happy to practice their reversing skills.
The village was cool, being entirely built from stone using no mortar. All the fences, dwellings and animal shelters were bee hive shape and were an engineering marvel at the time. They even had silkworm pens, usually over the wine caves. It was now early evening and time to go home and freshen up for dinner. On our first night in St. Saturnin-Les-Apt we discovered you need to book for almost all the restaurants and definitely the one we were going to. It was recommended by the owners of our holiday house and the food was delicious and half the price of the other more touristy restaurants. No kids menu but they adapted something for them and were very accommodating. The food was fresh, local and the service good (extraordinary for France). We will be back before we leave Provence as we can't miss another meal like that. The deserts alone were worth going back for, again and again. It was a long, full day for me but very enjoyable.



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Photos

-House for sale

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Mont Ventoux support crew

Friday 17th part 2

This was the big ride for Provence (the only one too). Once again it was a picture perfect day to ride an iconic mountain, easily the tallest in the region. We dropped Neil off and did a quick explore of town (mainly to buy our croissants for morning tea), then hit the road to pass Neil then find a vantage point on the side of the road to cheer him on. We gave him half an hour head start which I didn't think was that much but it was lucky we didn't give him more. He was almost through the forest when we caught up with him. We past and cheered him on then went further along and stopped. I told the kids we will have morning tea and wait for Daddy. I warned that he may be a while ( thinking I drove a good distance between him and us) as we all piled out the car. We took one bite of our croissants then Heather yelled, "here comes Daddy!" He was flying.


This craziness lasted for the rest of the climb and the kids had fun yelling out the window "go Daddy" and "allez allez" to Neil (and most of the other riders too). It was fun and there were the most spectacular views. Mont Ventoux is a wondrous sight when you come out of the forest and on to the bald top. The column of cyclists making the pilgrimage up was mind blowing. Neil made it in good time and it was a hot tough climb, and after the essential summit photo we headed back down the mountain for a picnic and home.



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Le Geant de Ventoux

Friday, 17th August
The first blog from me from sunny Provence. Nicola has already let you know that she outdid herself finding the amazing accommodation we have here in the village of Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt. It is very old, very comfortable and immediately puts you into a relaxed provincial frame of mind as you settle into live at the local relaxed pace. I am very quickly getting used to this lifestyle and am not entirely against Nicola's threatened visit to the local real estate office. I could easily live here although how to fund an existence here remains a minor detail I have yet to consider.

During the last week I have been disappearing before sunrise to pootle up the nearest climbs which I have affectionately named 'baby cols' as none are above 1,000m. Only one, at 12km long, has been what you would consider worthy of the name 'col'. It has made for some enjoyable scenic riding, while not letting the climbing fitness gained in the Pyrenees turn to mush ahead of arriving in the Alps next week.

Relaxation was not however on the cards today as it was time to tick off another of my must-do climbs. There were four absolute must-do Tourde France iconic climbs I had to do while I was here in France and Mont Ventoux was one of them (the others being Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees (done), and the Alpe d'Huez and the Col du Galibier in the Alps). There are three roads up Mont Ventoux and today I climbed up the preferred Tour de France route from Bedoin. After having presumptuously bought the 'I climbed Mont Ventoux' stickers and other souvenirs, I was quickly off on the bike up the 22km climb to the summit. The climb started easily enough for 3km or so through the vineyards, before heading into the trees as the climb increased in gradient a little more and got the legs used to steeper gradients ahead. After 8km or so the softly-softly introduction ceased and the gradients kicked up. At about the 11km mark the family/support crew drove past shouting, "allez, allez", then proceeded to stop periodically on the way up the climb to offer encouragement as I rode past. It was very cool having them there and enjoying my achieving another climbing goal today. At 16km I made the famous left hand turn at Chalet Reynard to complete the final 6km to the summit. This was also where the famous Mont Ventoux moonscape started, that is, where the vegetation ceased and the rocky landscape began. The final 6km through this lunar landscape, with the incredible views back down to the provincial countryside were fantastic and very memorable, however it wasn't long before I reached the summit to the cheers of the support crew. The climb was lots of fun and not too hard as I had done no lead in ride but simply started from the bottom. The views at the top were stunning on this clear day and we could easily see the Alps, whetting the appetite for the next leg of the cycling-related portion of this trip.



More morning training rides around the beautiful provincial countryside are on the cards for the coming week, with the next big ride being another climb up Mont Ventoux, this time from here then taking the longer but less steep route up from Sault. When I told Nicola how long this ride would be she looked at me like I was insane so some discussion and late ride plan changes may be needed before this happens.

Tomorrow is kids' day out so we are off to a leisure park which should be fun. TTFN.




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Roussillon

Thursday 16th August.




Today we headed to the town of Roussillon which is one of the towns that every guide book and brochure says is a must see, they were right. It's a hill top village that's red. All the houses are coloured by the ochre on which the village sits on top of. It is only small but full of winding alleys and sunny corners, with old buildings in every shade of warm red possible. After exploring the village and wandering the town's market (yes I have planned village visits on market days) we followed the crowd to the ochre walk. Next to the village you can walk through the ochre cliffs which is amazing. The ochres are red, orange, white, yellow and are extracted for their natural pigment to make paint.


The first thing Callum did when we were surrounded by cliffs of it and standing in it was bend down and dig. You can imagine the colour he came out at the end of this walk. The cliffs were spectacular, eroded by wind and rain so that the shapes and spectrum of colour was beautiful. The walk was short but took you to a couple of different cliffs through a forest. I was amazed when I saw a lady in front if me in beautiful white shoes walking along. A very bad day to choose white. She seemed to be walking to try and not create dust (impossible) so her shoes don't get dirty. Very amusing.
The state of the kids when we emerged from the dust was priceless and being a natural colour pigment was not the easiest stuff to remove from them or their clothes later. I think they both may have slightly orange hands and feet for a couple of days. A lot of fun was had by all. Tomorrow Neil will be ticking another ride from his wish list, Mont Ventoux, and this is one of his top climbs. His support crew will drop him off somewhere around the base and we will meet him at the top as it is another iconic hill top finish of the Tour.


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Lavender festival

Wednesday 15th August

The biggest day of the year had arrived in Provence if you were into lavender. After attempting to translate the programme we decided to arrive for the parade that started at 10.30am. Knowing the French are into mornings or punctuality we were expecting a small turn out at this time. We were wrong. While on route on a road we have taken several times and had pretty much had to ourselves, there was a stream of cars heading towards Sault, home of the Lavender Festival. On arrival to the usually quiet town it was every man for himself and if you saw a parking spot take it. We then opted to take the short walk instead of squeezing onto a navette, which translates as ferry but was actually a free bus to the festivities at the hippodrome, which actually means race course so there was not a hippo in sight. On arrival there seemed to be no sign of the advertised parade, then some horse and carts turned up with people dressed up in period clothing. Ah ha the parade so that was good timing. There was only about a dozen groups with people watching then moving on. We thought that was a short parade and moved on too. At the other end of the race course was a crowd so we headed there. It ended up being a lavender cutting competition and it was really cool to see how it was done before the big monster machines they use these days. Each contestant lines up against a row of lavender, armed with a sickle and a large piece of cloth. Some of the contestants folded their cloth around their bodies so when the lavender was cut they popped it on their back straight away and kept going. After the race to the end of the lines, and a large cheer from the crowd, the lavender was bundled up for judging, based on the quality of cut as well as the weight. Then all the lavender was dumped for onlookers to put into bundles and take home. Heather and I ended up with a lovely bunch that is now providing a calming fragrance round our house. After watching other people being energetic it was time for sustenance and what else do you have at a lavender festival on a hot day but a lavender ice-cream.



It was yummy and my tummy was very calm afterwards. Heather and Callum enjoyed theirs while Neil went for peach. While eating our ice-creams more parade went past. It seemed that it wasn't a continuous parade but one that stopped and started. We then had a walk around the market that was beautifully shaded by large trees. It's amazing what you can make from lavender. I bought some lavender lemonade (which I have not tried so I'll let you know what it's like soon). It was a fun morning but a lack of knowing what was happening was a little frustrating. It did seem however that only a small handful of people actually did know what was happening when and where, while the rest were just wandering peacefully and calmly. Time to head home and relax.



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Kids day

Tuesday 14th August

Today was kids' day. It started with some fun buying our weekly fruit and vegetables from the town's market (the kids actually enjoy selecting their own fruit), then we headed off to St Didier for some train fun. It was a model railway in a backyard and a lot of fun. A guy had rented some council land and received permission to start a model railway business, so he set to work, built it, and one year later he was up and running. It was very cool and Callum had a ball running up and down the track counting carriages. When it got hot we headed for the shaded shed where the owner had set up several tables of wooden trains for the kids to play with. The other piece of entertainment that was provided was when entering you were given a list of things to spot within the model, like "woman carrying 2 buckets", "an eagle", "2 white rabbits" etc Needless to say the kids quickly lost interest in the search and went and played trains, however I continued the search with the rest of the adults. Only the "peacock" and "postman" eluded me. On the way home we went the scenic route via the Gorge de Nesque. It wasn't the deepest gorge, with a river at the bottom and lush forest, but was rocky hills with low hardy bushes growing in rock and gravel. Quite amazing. Along the gorge I loved that bushes on the side of the road had been topiaried into side barriers. They really added a sense of formality to the drive, although not much use other than being pretty.
The gorge road that had been cut into the side of the hill and every now and then in arches through the cliffs with a short tunnel cut through the rock. It was a barren but pretty drive. The road took us out around Sault which is usually covered in rolling hills of purple lavender. I have been on the hunt and Neil had come across one on his morning cycles. Trust my luck to come to Provence to see the typical scenes of fields of lavender and to arrive the week of the lavender festival, the biggest event of the year in the lavender circle. Every bush has been cut to an inch of its life, probably to decorate floats in the parade at tomorrow's festival and sell for tourist prices. We shall see tomorrow when we attend (it should at least be a calming event). Anyway, we stopped by this beautiful sea of purple for me to get some photos only to be greeted by a strong hum of bees. With every bit of courage I had, and with the calming smell of lavender, I entered slowly and took a couple of photos. I think it was worth it and the family in the car got a kick out of Mummy acting like a tulip, judging by the very bad bee jokes on the way home.
Another lovely day in Provence. No real estate agents yet, however we did pass a fabulous house with potential that was for sale today. Heather didn't like it as it was "broken". I admit that it was missing a roof and only had 2.5 walls, nothing that a trip to the French version of Bunnings couldn't fix. Lavender festival tomorrow.


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Simiane la Rotonde

Monday 13th August
We woke to another perfect provincial morning. Endless blue sky, church bells ringing and fountains gurgling. Neil went off for a quick morning ride before it got too hot and the roads too busy. On his return we ventured out for the all important budgie smuggler shopping and to get some food. The swimmers shopping was relatively painless (for me anyway) however the food shopping was a nightmare. It seemed everyone in the region was in the supermarket and you could not move let alone think. I've never been so relieved to get out of a shop and home to my tranquil surroundings of gurgling fountains and village life. After lunch I redeemed another provincial leave pass and headed sans enfants for the small hill side village of Simiane la Rotonde. I'd read about it in a France magazine I'd been religiously reading back in Perth before coming here.


It was gorgeous, set up on a hillside with a Rotonde and small remains of a chateau on top. The village was pedestrian only so I parked at the bottom and worked off some of my holiday eating by walking to the top. All the streets were paved with large cobbles and the streets were thin and wound around the buildings in no obvious order. Many of the houses had ancient ornate doors with wonderful stone work. At the top of the Rotonde there was a aromatherapy laboratory making essential oils from all the wonderful local produce. Usually the village is surrounded by lavender fields but there was not an uncut plant in sight. I know harvest has not been long ago as you can smell the lavender in the air as you drive along. It was a very relaxing way to while away a peaceful afternoon. On returning to St Saturnin Neil and the kids were coming back from the pool. There were all sorts of exciting tales from the kids of the antics they got up. I'm sure more visits to the pool will be on the agenda. This evening in town we have been treated to an artisan market in the square. So another leave pass was granted (Neil is gaining points for the Alps) and I had a lovely wander after dinner while Neil put the kids to bed. There was about a dozen vendors selling everything from leather goods to jewellery, from olives to macaroons. After the wallet became a little lighter I headed home and I am now enjoying a glass of something local, watching the sun set and listening to the market vendors selling their wares. Tomorrow is a morning farmers market in town. The kids and I will be off to that to shop for some fresh produce and to practice our French and international sign language. Have not made it to the real estate office yet.



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St Saturnin les Apt

Sunday 12th August



This morning after a refreshing sleep and sorting ourselves out a little we explored our town. We did a bit of a loop around the main streets and ended up walking up the hill to the chateau ruins and chapel. The chapel dates back to 1056 and is still used today, mainly for concerts. The view from the top is breathtaking and the sound from the town church of singing and bells (it being Sunday) added to the atmosphere. After nearly giving the kids heatstroke after forgetting their water bottles we headed to a local bar for an apertif before heading home for baguette and brie (the lunch tradition lives on in Provence). The plan after lunch was for Neil to take the kids to the pool and I explore some more, however while finding out the opening hours we discovered our local pool has a bizarre French rule of no bermuda-style swimming shorts (if anyone knows why please tell us). So tomorrow we are off shopping tomorrow for a lovely budgie smuggler for Neil. Instead I left Neil and the kids trying to keep cool in the house and went and explored a lavender museum in a nearby town. It was quite interesting, with the only disappointment being that it wasn't in a lavender field. In two days there is a lavender fete in a local town that we will attend and I hope I have not missed harvest and can see the wonderful sights of purple fields. At least now I am more informed by the process.

Now it is evening I am writing this while watching the sun sets over the beautiful countryside and listening to the town folk going about their casual evening village life. I think tomorrow I might go and check out the local real estate office.


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Provence

Saturday 11th August



We are now in Provence in the most beautiful village, on a hillside overlooking the provincial countryside and in the distance we can see the mountains of the Luberon. There was a moment during our drive from the Pyrenees that I didn't think we were going to make it. Victoria's (the car's GPS) estimate time of arrival just kept going up as at times we stood still on the autoroute. We had been warned about the horrible traffic jams in the south of France during summer and so it was. We left Bagneres-de-Bigorre at 9am and by the time we had reached Carcassonne, it had already taken an hour longer than we had managed to do the same journey a week before. In France most accommodation has a Saturday change over to eliminate odd empty days mid-week. This however causes every holidaymaker to be on the road on the same day. We had estimated the trip to take 6 hours and we took 9.5 hours. Thank goodness for air conditioning and the kids also were angels considering. At times the traffic would just stop for no apparent reason, then after crawling for km's start going again, most of the time it was a mystery. Now to bore you my best/worst traffic jam. We queued at a toll gate and while waiting I counted 20 gates. Now imagine 3 lanes of clogged traffic spreading out and finding one of the 20 gates, then paying half their holiday savings to go through to the other side, then have this sea of cars all try to filter back into 3 lanes of traffic. It was the most crazy scene I have ever seen. We must have sat there edging forward for about 30 minutes achieving the huge distance of 100 metres. Once we finally made it to Provence and I got first sight of Saint Saturnin Les Apt all was forgotten - I was in love. It is a beautiful provincial town that sits on the slope of a hill. On top of the hill is a ruined chateau and chapel. We arrived at about 6.30pm when most of the locals had moved outside to take advantage of the cool evening breeze that had come in. Some of them laughing at us as we drove past several times trying to find our holiday house, as Victoria attempted to direct us down one way streets the wrong way, and streets that were actually stairs (gotta love sat navs). We finally found our house and we had pretty much driven past it several times as it is only two doors from the main square. Joelle the manager of the gite greeted us and gave us a quick tour. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. The 17th century town house has been renovated about a year ago and it is simply stunning and oozes character. Absolutely nothing is straight, not a single floor, wall, door or windows, and not one stair the same height. After climbing about three floors with a room off each half level you come to the top living area with a stunning view over the roof tops of the village and over the valley to the Luberon mountains. I am in heaven.


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The last Pyrenean ride

Friday, August 10th
One last ride today before handing back the bike and heading off to Provence tomorrow. I got up before the sun this morning to ensure I was back in good time to help with the packing and cleaning the gite before our departure.

It was good to get going early as the roads were empty, getting to Bagneres-de-Luchon just after 7am. I started the ride up to the ski station of Supergbagneres as the sun was rising and the light was slowing filling the valley. Along with the empty quiet roads, this made for very serene surroundings in which to ride. The road was excellent with many great vistas, and with 5km to go I left the trees behind and could see the very impressive hotel at the top. The climb kicked up steeply towards the end, reminding you why it has it's HC rating.


The quietness on the climb today gave me time and head space to reflect happily upon the last three weeks and all the riding I had done,16 cols over 10 rides, sometimes through cool clouds and sometimes in the scorching sun. The Pyrenees had exceeded all my expectations with the cols providing me with the physical challenge I was chasing, while not being so impossibly difficult that I was unable to achieve my goals. I now have an even stronger appreciation and admiration for the professionals, past and present, and their accomplishments during each Tour. The countryside had also been spectacular, with unforgettable views and lanscapes that is even better in reality than those helicopter shots you see during the Tour. My favourite ride is hard to choose, however it may be the first one I did which was the climb up the Col du Soulor then on to the Col d'Absique. As well as being special for being the first cols I had the privilege of riding, the views were outstanding and the road was amazing, with steep cliffs and tunnels through the mountain. The chaos at the top of the Col du Tourmalet was also very memorable, and with it the feeling of having completed my own personal Tour goal. Today's climb up to Superbagneres was also beautiful and it was a great way to say goodbye to the Pyrenees. I will definitely leave the Pyrenees with fond lifelong memories.


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Swimming

Thursday 9th August part 2

Today the kids and I spent the morning in Bagneres de Luchon again. After already spending a morning here I decided to treat the kids to the swimming pool. In typical French style it didn't open till 11am so a walk down the high street was needed first. Whilst walking to the pool I had to warn Heather that the pool was outdoors and not heated. She is spoilt with usually swimming in nice warm pools at home and couldn't understand why it was outdoors and not heated. Anyway after changing into our swimmers, rash shirts and hats we headed to the pool. Going through the stream of water to remove any dirt and grass gave us all what we were in for. It was freezing. Heather got straight in and acted like a fish as she does. Callum put half a toe in and got back out again. I thought I'm not going through all this to take your toe for a swim. With a little persuasion everyone was in and wet. We lasted about 15 minutes before Callum went blue and Heathers teeth started chattering. The effort was worth it as they did have fun, it was just brief fun. We then met up with Neil for our picnic lunch in a lovely park then headed home out of the valley for the last time. Tomorrow packing.


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Chateau de Mauevin

Wednesday 8th August


I'm a little behind with my blog so I apologise for the out of order dates. Wednesday with Neil having a rest from the bike we headed for chateau de Mauvezin. It's a very small castle on a hill that you can see from quite a distance. Hence when you are on top of the only tower and walls the views of the Pyrenees are amazing. It was once again a spectacularly clear sunny day so the view went on forever. The castle was basically a square with one tower. Houses were built around the inside of the wall and when the castle was being invaded all the occupants retreated to the tower. Defensively it was very well built. They had a display of some of the weapons that were used in attacking and defending the castle, they were 1/3 the actual size and very cool. They also had a display of devises they used for punishment. After our explore and putting Heather in the stockades we enjoyed a picnic with a million dollar view in the grounds of the castle. A relaxing morning and Neil survived the stairs.



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Two extra cols

Thursday, August 9th
I rode to Spain today. With an open day I decided to ride the HC climb of Port de Bales simply because this was the last major Pyrenean climb that the Tour went over this year that I had not done, and I choose the Category 1 Col de Portillon because it started where the Port de Bales ride ended and so I could say, "I rode to Spain today.". I had not planned these rides before arriving here so was riding a bit blind but both climbs were very good.

The Port de Bales was a complete contrast to the Tourmalet ride earlier this week. There were no "wow factor" views as most of the climb was through steep valleys with forest that blocked out any view. It was very quiet with few cars so I was able to enjoy the ride and the tranquil atmosphere, and the shade offered by the trees as today was a hot one. The last 8km of this 19km climb gets steep and I quickly learnt why this climb has a HC rating. At the top I reached the more popular and more open side for the descent into the town of Bagneres-de-Luchon. With less tree cover the views into the valley below were more impressive and the descent was long and fun.

After becoming geographically challenged through Luchon, I eventually found the road I needed for the Col de Portillon, a category 1 10km climb up to the Spanish border. The climb itself was steep in places but doable, however by the time I got there today it was well over 35C in the middle of a scorcher of a Pyrenean day. Back home I would never dream of riding when it is this hot but perhaps foolishly I persisted today. No views to speak off and I can't truthfully describe the climb as enjoyable, but it was another col ticked off, and I did get to visit Spain (looked identical to France from where I was standing).

It was great to squeeze in two extra cols today and make the most of the time here in the Pyrenees. Tomorrow I need to return to Bagneres-de-Luchon to give the bike back, but not before doing my ride of this leg of the trip up to the ski station of Superbagneres. Nicola and the kids have already been up there in the gondola. For me however it will be an early morning 19km HC climb before I can see the stunning views they enjoyed. Looking forward to it.



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Tourmalet pilgrimage by car

Tuesday 7th part 2
Well what a day! To say Neil was watching the weather this last week was an understatement. From about Saturday he spent every spare moment looking at the sky and commenting on whether the clouds were moving and how thick they were (the fact it rained all weekend did not help). I only regret that I did not see his face when he opened the curtains on Tuesday morning to see the sun shining and sky blue. He certainly picked the perfect day. After a lightning quick breakfast we headed for the drop off point at the top of the Col d'Aspin. On arrival conditions were perfect with only a few cars in the car park. Then we heard the bells, cow bells that is. Most of these mountain roads travel through farmland and there doesn't seem to be any fences. On top of the Aspin the cows come down from the higher pasture and spend the day beside the road. It's a really odd thing. Today we arrived as the cows were waking up and moving down to their day spot, however they moved onto the road and car park and stopped. Neil was leaving and had no intention of waiting for cows, however the kids and I got stuck. I had crossed the road to take a photo of Neil under a sign only to turn around to hear Callum's squeals from the car as a cow had just looked in his window. On closer inspection the car was surrounded. I managed to get in but we weren't going anywhere as there were cows on all four sides with no room to move. I found it hilarious but the kids were not so sure. Starting the car did not help either so we waited for our window of opportunity and squeezed our way through the cow peloton. Once free we made our way down the hill and towards Col du Tourmalet which we could see clearly from the Aspin and it looked very grand, dominating the skyline.
Knowing Neil wouldn't be arriving at the final destination for a few hours we drove slowly and took in the scenery. I pulled over every so often to capture the moment with a photo. Passing the spot where we spent the day on the Tourmalet in 2004 was funny. I explained to Heather and Callum what Neil and I had done but they just didn't get it so onwards and upwards we went. There was a constant stream of cyclists from all walks of life. Some looked like they were just not going to make it to the top and others like they could do it again if they wanted. We made it to the ski station of La Mongie in time to have a little explore. From La Mongie you could take a gondola to the very top where a observatory is, and you would be literally on top of the Pyrenees. I had every intention of doing this however when researching I had found out the height you travel over a valley and I chickened out. It was a little disappointing but I just couldn't get the nerve to sit in a tin box swaying that high above the Pyrenees. Instead we climbed back in the car avoiding the donkeys in the car park (yes France is full of roaming animals in car parks) and completed the final 4km to the summit. It's quite an interesting place as below La Mongie it is forest, valleys and endless green scenery. Above La Mongie its barren (except for the odd ski lift), rocky with limited grass. We crawled our way to the top dodging the cyclists and cars coming in the other way on the skinny road, only to be met by every man, dog, cyclist, motorcyclist all crowded around the sign and monument at the top making sure their moment was captured. It was chaos. We found a parking spot and headed back down the hill on foot to watch Neil coming up. We turned the corner and there he was! He'd made amazing time, so we cheered on his last few pedals strokes and ran to congratulate him. It was an awesome effort and achievement. We then joined the masses for our mandatory photo and headed for refreshments and lunch. The last part of the journey was to drive down the other side of the Col du Tourmalet which was ridiculously steep and crazy skinny. Calling it a two way road was being very creative and not putting barriers on the side next to the sheer drop was frightening but we made it without driving off the side (thank goodness). The kids didn't get a lot out of the day but somehow I think they understood that it meant something to Mum and Dad as they were really good while they were stuck in the car looking at mountains. It was an amazing day being a cycling geek and seeing where the limit is tested on the best cyclists in the world.

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The big one - Col d'Aspin & Col du Tourmalet

Tuesday, 7th August

Having waited patiently (my version, with patience is not being one of my virtues) for the last few days for the clouds to disappear, and having tracked the weather forecast and watched the skies continuously, I opened the curtains this morning to see nothing but blue sky. The big ride was on! The support crew dropped me off on the top of the Col d'Aspin so I could do the 12km descent down the Arreau side to start the actual ride. As I did so they headed back towards and up the Tourmalet to meet me (much) later at the top.I rode the other side of the Col d'Aspin yesterday so it was nice to see the other side today. It was a little tougher but very scenic with amazing views down to Arreau. Having been on the summit many times now there was no need to loiter, so it was quickly down the hill and along the valley to the base of the Col du Tourmalet. The climb starts in the small town of Saint Marie de Campan and here I had another lump-in-the-throat / emotional moment making the famous left turn to start the ascent that so many professionals and legends of the Tour have done before me. I also quickly passed the farmhouse Nicola and I sheltered in as spectators during the 2004 tour and had a grin to myself. The climb was packed with tourists and cyclists making this by far the busiest road I have ridden on so far. The climb up to the ski station of La Mongie, where Ivan Basso beat Lance Armstrong in the 2004 edition we watched, was tough but consistent so I could get a rhythm going and grind up the hill.



By the time I got to La Mongie my legs were screaming but I had still had 4km to go. There were no way that I was going to stop so I kept the pedals turning. As I got to the final turn before the summit I saw the support crew cheering me on which was awesome and inspired me to do a final effort to get to the top. It was a very emotional moment reaching the summit and seeing the famous statue of Octave Lapize, the rider to ride over the Tourmalet when the Tour went over the first time in 1910 (and as he did so shouted at the race organisers that they were assassins). When the family caught up with me it was great to share the achievement with them and Nicola took pictures of the kids and I to capture the moment for prosperity. What a memorable and special day.
Tomorrow, given my legs are struggling to get me up the gite staircase right now, a rest day is needed. Heather has requested a visit to a chateau (she is her mother's daughter after all) which works for me just so long as there are no stairs.

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Impromptu Col d'Aspin

Monday 6th August



After the long day in the car yesterday, and with cloudy and overcast conditions today, I decided to do a ride from home to give the kids a break from the car while keeping the legs in form ahead of the Aspin & Tourmalet ride later this week. Riding from home when you are staying here is a grin-inducing experience because I set off and was almost immediately riding familiar Tour roads through the towns of Campan and Saint Marie de Campan at the base of the Tourmalet. With lots of grinning going on, and with the legs feeling good, I decided to push on and ride up the easier side of the Col d'Aspin, going up the same way the Tour went over this year. It was a cool morning so there was no risk of overheating and with an average gradient of 5% it made for a quick and enjoyable climb. The roads were still wet from yesterday and last night's rain so the descend was very cautious, however it was not long before I was home. It was a very enjoyable unplanned morning ride and a great start to the day. Fingers crossed tomorrow is Tourmalet day (do you get the impression I am looking forward to this ride?).

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Carcasonne

Sunday 5th August



The decision to go to Carcassonne for the day meant an early morning 2 hour 45 minute drive. We had hoped to find accommodation on Friday night which would allow to continue on to Provence the following day (Carcassonne being roughly half way between here and Provence). No luck so a day trip it was. We got up before the sun and bribed the kids with prize money for the one who could eat their breakfast first to ensure we were on the road before 7am. This was quite an achievement as the previous night we were all kept awake by a Pyrenean electrical storm and there was still thunder and lightning as we headed off. The drive wasn't as bad as we thought as we could fly down the autoroute at 130km/hr before most of France had woken up for their first coffee. We caught first site of the medieval city at about 9:30 am from the autoroute and the kids got excited and began to understand why Mum and Dad had woken them up so early (ironically even with a 250km drive behind us we were there before the shops and the castle were open).



Carcassonne is an amazing place. It is a medieval city surrounded by two walls with turrets (with one section of the city wall dating back to the 4th century) with a stunning city within the walls, which includes a castle and very grand church. All the streets were cobble stones and the buildings were all tightly packed together with sun soaked courtyards and alleyways leading to quiet hideaways. Restaurants and hotels now filled many of these places and I could imagine spending an afternoon people watching while enjoying a glass of something local. We wandered the streets, visited the castle and dodged the thousands of tourists all doing the same as us. It was about 1.30pm when the kids had reached their limit! By this time the wind had picked up too and every time you turned a corner a gust would get you (with the city being up on a hill). The tourists were also beginning to pour in by the bus load and it was hot so we made the decision to head home. This was a good decision as there were queues of cars waiting for someone to leave the car park so the population of tourists was only going to increase. I am very appreciative of the effort the family made so I could see Carcasonne, something I have wanted since passing it in 2004 when last in France. I have now added to my bucket list to return to Carcassonne when the kids are independent (not with us) so we can stay in a hotel within the walls and enjoy the city at our leisure.



We made it home in good time to cook dinner and to find out that it hadn't stopped raining in Bagneres de Bigorre all day. I love it how the mountains create their own weather. Neil is watching it like a hawk at the moment trying to work out the optimal time to complete his last rides. The thunder and lightning are not reassuring him that tomorrow will be a ride day. We will see.


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Art de la Rue Festival

Saturday 4th part 2
Yesterday was at home catch up day as it was raining and we all needed to relax. In the afternoon however we stretched our legs and went for a quick walk around town and discovered it was French dog walking hour. Every man, women, child and dog was out walking. And when the French walk their dog they seem to do it as a family. I rarely noticed one person, they were all out in groups. Very interesting.




Today Neil went off for his ride at some ridiculous hour while the kids and I arose at a more leisurely pace (as leisurely as you can with 2 kids waking you up to ask the time and telling you they are hungry). After some school work for Heather we headed into town where there was a Arts de la Rue (Street Art) festival on. The programme showed a marching band at 11am so we looked for that. They had started when we arrived so found them easily enough and they were great. Seven guys playing brass, a banjo and a couple of percussion instruments. They had everyones toe tapping. Once they had finished their set they marched off to their next destination and we followed them dancing away behind them. It was a lot of fun. When they arrived at their next destination in the middle of the old town we left them and the crowd to it and explored the array of market stalls that had taken over the town. When everyone had had enough we bought our baguette and headed for home where Neil had returned from his ride. It was an enjoyable morning with the kids, watching them bob away to the music. The afternoon was spent at home planning our day trip to Carcassonne tomorrow.


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Col de Marie Blanque

Saturday 4th August



First the bad news - I didn't get to do the "queen" stage today so no Aspin/Tourmalet double. The weather today was overcast with low clouds so I decided to wait until the clearer days forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday. This suits the support crew better too as they are meeting me at the top of the Tourmalet so the views will be more enjoyable.

Now the good news - An early start this morning saw me tip-toeing out the door before dawn to drive over towards Pau to do the Col de Marie Blanque. Taking full advantage of the French disdain for mornings, I had the road completely to myself and arrived at Arudy quickly. The sun came up but it was not very obvious as the clouds were very low. This time my ride planning worked perfectly. I had devised a loop where I parked the car and rode around the col to get to the start of the steeper side, having spotted a road with green edges surrounded by "bois" (woods/forest) on the map. As hoped for the ride was very scenic through gruffalo country (deep, dark wood) then through some typically French farms. After about 24km of riding I got to the start of the climb, however the first few kilometres were very laid back then the final 5km were brutal, starting a 9% and working their way upwards from there. It was a good challenging climb and with nothing to see at the top due to clouds it was onwards down the longer cruisier side for a pleasant descent back into the valley where the car was parked. Good fun on an overcast day.

Tomorrow we are off to Carcassonne, a large medieval fortress town, Nicola has been wanting to see it. I've been there before when I was a teenager so I'll keep the kids amused while she explores.


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Arreau and market day

Thursday 2nd August, part 2



Even though the weather man is struggling to get it right, the weather in the Pyrenees is spectacular. We started our day driving through the clouds up the Col d'Aspin. At one point we had a cow jogging down the road in front of us. All day long the clouds were moving around the peaks of the mountains, undecided on whether to rain or not. On our return home they we're still hovering on the peaks, and the cows had made it to the top of the Col d'Aspin and were resting in the sun, and the Col du Tourmalet was popping it's head through the clouds in the distance looking spectacular.
Today the kids and I returned to Arreau, while Neil rode another col. We had already spent half a day exploring Arreau so technically we'd done it, however on our previous visit I'd enquired about when market day was and was informed it was Thursday, so when Neil was planning his Pla d'Adet ride a small request was made that it occurred on a Thursday. I was delighted when we arrived in town that it wasn't just a small farmers market but one that took over the entire town. We waved goodbye to Neil and headed off to see what the delights Arreau's market held for us. We were not disappointed.


There was fresh fruit and vegetables, dried meat products, clothes, art, yummy baked goods and berets. It was all there. We did a lap picking up the odd bits and pieces, such as the mandatory pot of jam for Neil, our fruit and vegies for the week, daily baguette for lunch, all while sampling the odd bit of saucisson (dried salami) on the way. The kids were then treated to a fun fair ride that was doing a roaring trade in this small rural town. Heather had learnt from the previous visit that the operator holds out this weird fluffy purple thing and if you catch it you are rewarded with a free ride. With Heather's enormous competitive streak and determination she did just that, whoever was not pleased when I said take to it later. We then unloaded our purchases into the car and went back for more. It was wonderful just wandering among the locals and seeing and smelling all the fantastic local fresh produce on offer. After testing the kids with round two they had another fun fair ride where Heather once again caught the fluffy purple thing. We then headed for the car which was timed perfectly with Neil's return from his ride. We had our now traditional brie and baguette lunch, then I wanted to show Neil the market so the kids got dragged around for a third time. They were not fussed they got another fun fair ride (we told Heather that she caught the purple fluffy thing that there would be no fourth ride). By this time it was beyond most French folks siesta time and the market was beginning to pack up so it was time to head home. It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning, soaking up the French culture of market day.


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Plat d'Aspet

Thursday, 2nd August



No rain or hail, nor the thunderstorm predicted by the weather forecast, just some clouds around enhancing the amazing panoramas to drive and ride through. This morning we drove over the Col d'Aspin once again to get to the town of Arreau. Today's ride was the HC ride climb up to the ski station [in winter] and mountain bike park [in summer] of Pla-d'Adet. After a rest day yesterday I wanted a leg warm-up before hitting the actual climb so started in Arreau. After 12km I got to the climb and it started in no-nonsense fashion with 2km at 9%, then the next km at 10%, and so on pretty much until the final 2km where it calmed down a bit until the top. At the start the heat wasn't much fun, however when I got into the clouds things cooled down and the ride became very enjoyable. It was a great climb passing through a couple of pretty alpine villages on the way up and when the clouds opened up the views to the valley floor below were great. It was not until I started descending that the clouds fully lifted and I discovered that Plat d'Adet was fully visible from the valley floor! It looked very imposing and impressive perched right on top and at the edge of the cliffs - very cool.

The legs get a rest again tomorrow in preparation for the "queen stage" of the Pyrenean stage of the trip. This is the "if-I-could-have-done-one" ride and is of course the ride over the Col d'Aspin (category 1, 12km climb) then onwards up the Col du Tourmalet (HC, 22km mother of all climbs). It will be difficult, and it will hurt, and I can't wait. Tres excitant!



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Grottes de Betharram

Wednesday 1st August



Today was family day. Neil had a rest from the bike after 3 days of riding. With the weather forecast as dry with clouds increasing, we had planned to go back to the funicular railway in Lourdes to see the views from the top of the mountain it climbs. Instead we woke up and much to our amazement the cloud had already increased and were at street level and it was raining (which was not forecast at all). No use going to top of a hill to look at clouds so instead we decided to go underground and explore one of the many caves around here. The one we chose was Grottes de Betharram as it had extra attractions for the kids such as a boat and train in the cave system. Once again it was a very organised tourist attraction where first we were loaded into a bus and taken to the entrance of the cave which was up the hill and around a few bends. Then our bus load of people were ushered through the pay gate and organised into a neat line while our guide opened a door and revealed the first enormous cave. At various spots he talked about different formations which were highlighted by lights so we knew generally what he was talking about. It was an amazing cave where you could see how it was first formed by the river markings on the ceiling. After exploring the main cavity of the cave we went down onto another level weaving our way through crevices and over streams. It was then down to another level where our boat awaited. It was a double ended dragon boat on a wider deeper part of one of the rivers within the caves. It gently guided us across a stretch of water where we recommenced climbing some more stairs and exploring through crevices with the odd openings showcasing years of work by Mother Nature. Just as the kids' patience was just about done, a train appeared much to their excitement. We all jumped aboard and it took us back to the outside world and the original car park on the other side of the mountain where we began. It was an incredible cave and an enjoyable underground adventure that lasted about 1.5 hours. Looking at the hill that we had just been under it was hard to imagine how anyone found the cave that had turned into this amazing tourist attraction. Tomorrow rain, hail or shine Neil is riding the HC Plat d'Adet while Heather, Callum and I spend another morning in Arreau. Thursday is market day so we shall see what is on offer.


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