More often than not, when Mont Ventoux is as clear as you see it in the photo below -- taken from Avignon -- it means the Mistral winds are howling. And this time is no exception.
Cycling Day 1: Teresa from California and Nikki from Australia, two friends who booked their cycling trip together, made up the smallest group I've ever guided. Together we set out from Avignon by bike, battling a fierce headwind into the Provençal countryside.
By the time we hit Tavel -- a town famous for its rosé, the winds are hitting us from the side, providing the beautiful blue Provençal sky but less than stellar cycling conditions. To console ourselves we carry a bottle of prized-winning Tavel up to the picnic spot where we enjoy...
...way too much food. And after years of doing this I still never learn. Lunch for 3 resembles a feast for ten. But we take our time, listen to the rave music emanating from somewhere in the nearby hills, and somewhat synchronized with the chants of the remaining few cicadas singing their last hoorahs from the branches of pine trees.
The last few kilometers to Uzes along a plane-tree lined boulevard, ending a 50km day of pedaling...
The centre of Uzes, its narrow, cobbled streets lined with centuries-old, and noble grey stone homes. Though an extraordinary town, Uzès is cleaned and restored to a state of perfection that seems almost unnatural, as if each house had just been recently built, as if the town itself was a museum... but I suppose it's better to have THAT extreme than its opposite...
Our hotel: Le général d'Entraigues, a magnificent 17th century building in the heart of the old town, its swimming pool on a terrace overlooking the city, its breakfast feast the best I've ever had in Provence...
Cycling day 2: a loop from Uzès. I manage to veer from the planned itinerary from the start, and onto a mountain bike track in the forest. Beautiful but not necessarily appropriate for our hybrid bikes...
We pass several perched towns in the countryside, praying for the moment that our path returns eastward, so that the &#!!@ Mistral winds can be of help, pushing us towards St. Quentin (no Teresa, not the prison) for a well-deserved lunch.
Cycling day 3: leaving Uzès, Teresa is caught flagrant délit with her iPhone (should I mention here that Nikki is in the bike store doing some shopping?)
We reach the imposing Pont du Gard, a Roman bridge, the tallest ever built during the Empire. I take the girls away from the tourist masses and up a path leading above the bridge, enjoying the site/sight in all its splendour.
The Mistral is at its worst today, particularly angry, and we tuck in behind a cemetery wall, facing southeast, to enjoy a potato salad...
And dessert!
Luckily we're heading southeast, and with the Mistral behind us, the kilometers zip by, and we cross the Rhône River with ease...
Before reaching our destination, at the foot of the Alpilles mountains, we cross vast fields of fruit trees and alongside a picturesque canal outside the town of Tarascon.
The 60km are worth the effort: we reach the Mazets des Roches hotel, nestled at the foot of the Alpilles. Wow. The busy tourist season ends at the beginning of September, and we have the hotel practically to ourselves. The meals are as spectacular as the setting. Below is my interpretation of a starfish in the pool... (do I really get paid for this?! Yes, I do)
Our lunch plates at the hotel, prepared on slate boards, under the shade of mature trees...
Cycling day 4: NO MORE MISTRAL!!! A 650ft climb takes us to the perched village of Les Baux de Provence, where we dismount and walk through a labyrinth of medieval streets.
And enjoy a coffee:
Cycling away from the village, climbing even higher, the views open to unveil Les Baux at its most stunning:
Hiking day 1? Ok, it's really not a hiking tour, but being at the foot of the Alpilles mountains we couldn't miss out on some of its beautiful trails, could we? I take the girls on a short hike into the hills, among the fragrant plants and brush, and we enjoy the views of the plains below:
Cycling day 5: in the afternoon, after a beautiful lunch and swim at the Mazets des Roches, we head into the flatlands, cruising on seldom-used roads and among sunflower fields. The ride is short and quick, taking us to the Roman city of Arles.
Arles seen from the coliseum:
Cycling day 6: south of Arles, in the Camargue delta, the scenery changes abruptly. We exchange rolling hills and perched villages for flatlands as far as the eyes can see: vast empty spaces with few buildings, and a never-ending horizon of marches and salt-rich soils.
Below a few flamingoes search for food in the marsh:
The Vaccarès marsh, offering a cool breeze on a hot day...
Back in Arles, at the Coliseum, after the last day's ride:
The Saturday market in Arles, just before parting ways with Nikki and Teresa...
Having left Teresa and Nikki, and walking back to the train station, I run into a hoard of tourist groups arriving from river boats and into town. They are led by microphone-wielding guides whose monotone stories and factory-like-ushering-of-crowds-through-town comforted me in my tour this week: more intimate, a true exchange, friendship, and a more authentic glimpse at my beloved Provence.
Thanks for the great week Nikki and Teresa!
After more than 50km, Teresa is still more than able -- while cycling -- to share some thoughts about her holiday:
