Ventoux Cycle Day3: 81 Kms Heading South to the Luberon

1 AUGUST 2013

Time to leave the Mt Ventoux area and explore further south in Provence, before heading back to Avignon. As I headed south I was arriving in an area called the Luberon, bordered in the south by a range of mountains, a very fertile land of lavender and sunflower fields, vineyards, and fruit orchards. This is where many of the famous hilltop villages of Provence are, and I visited many of them.

I left the bed and breakfast of Christian and Christine at 10 am. Another day of clear blue sky, and light wind. Unlike yesterday, I was carrying my backpack, which probably weighed 10Kgs, so it made cycling a bit tougher especially on the climbs, but fortunately it was quite comfortable. I headed south following quiet but quite straight back roads through Mazan (somehow got lost) and Venasque. From Venasque (Km 25) there was a pretty steep climb of 350 vertical metres over the Plateau de Vaucluse, to be rewarded by a lovely 11 kms descent down to the Abbaye de Sénanque. At the top of the descent, it indicated a no entry sign after 10 kilometres which I ignored, and when I got to the Abbaye, the road became a one way road against me. I figured I should just ride on, so I climbed the hill from the Abbaye against the flow for the next 4kms, being careful staying out of the way of the on-coming vehicles. Then I had arrived at Gordes (Km 45).

Moving south to the Luberon
Stats of the Day: 80.52Kms ; 3 hours 58 minutes moving time ; average speed 20.3Kms/hour ; vertical metres climbed 1352.

Sunflower fields

Abbaye de Sénanque, near Gordes

Gordes, a stunning town, a tourist hotspot, with quite a few visitors arriving by coach, including a coach load of Chinese people, so I felt quite at home

Provence postcard view : the Town of Gordes, Luberon mountains in the distance

I then continued south with the Luberon mountains right ahead, crossed the D900 main road, and after another climb was in Ménerbes, one of the famous 'golden triangle' villages of Provence. I climbed up into the village and went to the tourist office, who took great pleasure in telling me that everything was full, and then offering no advice about where i could stay.

Hilltop Town of Ménerbes

Provence - Known for its Rosé wine

Ménerbes

So I then turned westwards, thinking that I should head towards the next big town of Cavaillon, where there would be accommodation, as a last resort. I followed the road D3 thinking I would find something in one of the villages. After a refueling stop at Oppède, where nothing was doing, I arrived at Robion to find the tourist office and an extremely helpful girl, who spent quite a time ringing round for me. Eventually one of her voicemail messages was returned and I was set up. I was instructed to go into the centre of town and wait for Hélène at the Café de la Poste, in the main square. And what a delightful main square it was, with lots of seating outside the Café, which was obviously the centre of social life in the town. After being collected by Helène, and depositing bike and baggage, and showering, I returned there for meal and 'une bière' in the nice warm evening.