Done!

Grabbed another day off as our people will be only just arriving at the coast and we don't want to arrive too soon before they have a chance to get themselves settled.
Went for a look around St Maximin then and back to the site for lunch and into the pool.

Slept Monday night without the fly sheet to keep a bit cooler and then up and away.
Bought still warm bread at the first village and ate it with jam by the village fountain. We'd bought stickies for breakfast already so we saved those for lunch.
Passed the original stopping town of Rocbaron and climbed past and over the col. We detoured to Cuers to take in a scenic road and added a few kms on to the day.
Stopped at Pierrefeu on the recommendation of a couple of Dutch girls at the last site. Unfortunately we didn't share their opinion. The site was a bit run down with poorish facilities and fairly dear at 23€.
The pool was ok and the bar did food so we had sausages and chips which we took back to the plot eat. That and a Pastis for 12€ for both of us, which was good.
We decided to ride again the next day and do the final leg rather than wait for Thursday as we originally planned.
We got away by 8.30 rode into Pierrefeu to buy breakfast and lunch and then back past the site to hit the route.

The main road was a gentle descent to the coast and the coastal cycle track, but that seemed to be a bit dull and maybe busy. So we decided to finish with a proper ride so took a route that would take us over the Maures hills. We didn't go over the highest bit but it was a good climb up and over to join the coast at La Londe.
From there a surprisingly hilly cycle path took us to the last bit of road to our destination.
Had fun trying to get a photo of the two of us at the gates, with me running across the road to set the self timer between cars. I should have used the remote.
Booked onto the site and got our security bracelets, found our friends and family and popped some corks.
So a couple of weeks or so here then on to Narbonne.
I'll let this all settle for a bit then try to get a bit of perspective about the trip so far, but it's clear that it has been worthwhile in so many ways.

And we're not done yet.

Last up, downhill from here. Honest.

Longest stay of the journey so far. Arrived Wednesday and left on Sunday.

Met and chatted to a couple of English teachers on a walking holiday who gave us some info about the area which we made good use of and then a couple of very experienced cycle tourists from the Black Country (another teacher) on their way from Geneva to Marseilles. They had beautiful hand made custom titanium bikes with all the extras and intend to cycle the world in a couple of years. Interesting to share experiences with them.
Walked on Thursday, combined cycle tour and shopping on Friday and a vineyard self guided tour on Saturday, all very, very pleasant.
Forecast for temperatures in the 100's for Sunday and quite a way to go. So an early start.
Up at 6 and away by 7.30, no tea just a swig of orange juice and a small pain au choc.
62km and 560m of climbing. Probably didn't reach 100 deg but it was well into the 90's and it made the last couple of hours fairly hard work.
Crossed a col south of Rians where there was a ceremony about to start. The road was closed but the dignitary waved us through to an ovation from the crowd as we passed the summit.
Turned out to be a liberation day celebration which was in full swing as we reached the town.
Arrived in St Maximin la Ste Baume at 1pm.
I was very overheated so we quickly grabbed some food, Sue's hunger outranked my heat, and then into the pool. Felt much better after.
The nights are very hot and sticky, I would sleep outside except we are still both suffering from nasty insect bites. It seems you don't get immune to them.

Just one stop and two days riding to go if everything stays on plan Although our original route has been very much altered over the past few weeks our destination towns have stayed pretty much as planned.

Site Full

Left Apt as soon as the bread arrived and set off into the Luberon hills. Cool and pleasant and not too steep, or we're getting used to climbing.
Stopped after 50 mins for breakfast and to ring ahead to campsites. All were either complet or didn't answer. At this point we decided that moving on a public holiday wasn't such a great idea.
With no choice but to carry on, we did.
A spectacular road runs between Apt and Aix with no alternative route for the first 20k. Traffic though wasn't to bad except for one idiotic Belgian who decided to overtake us round a corner on a narrow bit of road whilst passing an oncoming car. You may have heard me shout from home.
Resolved eventually to head for one of the sites we had no reply from and then either keep going till we found space or look for somewhere to wild camp for the night.
This meant us finally abandoning going to Aix, but could save us a day's riding and I don't think we fancied struggling through a city in this heqt..
Reached Tour d'Aigues at 12.25 to be greeted by the friendliest warden of a super site...and just in time to sprint back up hill for cold drinks.
We'll rest up here at 10€ a night till the weekend when sites should start to be a little easier to get on. Then head for St Maximin.

Aptitude Test

I don't want to gloat or anything, but we're sat in a Bistro in Saignon, a very pretty Provençal hill top village, between salad and ice-cream with the sun trying to find the gaps in the shade to fry my head.
We left Pernes after visiting the cycle museum and market and left with even fonder feelings towards the town.
The climb over the Col de Murs was as hard as expected but we were encouraged by a multitude of French Sunday cyclists sharing the climb.

It did feel as if all my muscles had been replaced with jelly. I think we allowed ourselves to get a bit dehydrated on the ride from St Martin.
Rang ahead and secured a place at the municipal in Apt.
Arrived at lunchtime after a hard and hot 42k. I could barely stay awake let alone put the tent up.
7€ a night with a great atmosphere (very like music festival complete with strolling minstrels ) with loads of tourers both cycle and walkers. Turns out we're on a cycle route that runs E towards Sisteron.
Because of our general state of knackerdness and the cheapness of the site we decided to stay here a couple of days.
We now have some English neighbours, two of whom are on a climbing holiday and the other is on a two week bike tour of the area on her own. We also chatted to a French lad from Marseille who has given advice about our route to Narbonne. "Don't go to Marseille" he said "There's nothing there for tourists".
So we're here in Saignon, still waiting for pudding, but who's rushing? Tomorrow we start to cross the Luberon mountains, we'll probably give Aix a miss and head towards Pertuis depending on camp sites.
2 hours later, ice-cream and coffee arrive. Just remains now to roll back down the very big hill we climbed to get here.

Only we decided to make a loop, so we carried on up and over through small villages, harvested lavender fields, and views towards what may or may not have been Mont Blanc (right direction, big and white but surely too far. ) then down and back along the cycle track. So much for a day off the bikes.

One too many (early) Mornings

And a thousand miles behind.
Fabulous stay at St Martin. Lovely little town. Moules/frites for dinner, for the first time this trip, by the river at a lively bar with live lounge jazz.

Up early to walk into Aigueze across the river. Bought pastries for breakfast and sat and ate them on the cliff tops.
Reached the village to find there was another bloody market going on. In France it seems you're only ever 500m from a market at any time.
Armed with olives, fougasse, and rose we retired to lunch.
After some sleeping and a mild dust up with the campsite warden ( me, being assertive in French, another first ) we went to the municipal beach and had a cooling swim in the Ardeche.
Away at 9 on Friday morning. Breakfast on the banks of the Rhone.
A long hot, windy but mostly flat 82 km saw us to Pernes les Fontaines, all day riding in the shadow of Ventoux. So strange to be somewhere familiar and if anything even better in the summer. Pleased we rang ahead as the site was showing complet signs when we arrived.
1000 miles now have passed under our wheels. Strangely the further we have come the less remarkable it feels to us. But still, bloody hell, a thousand miles!
Col de Murs tomorrow, or the day after. Shortest, but not the easiest way to Apt. But more interesting than the main road and hopefully quieter.
Suggested a quick trip up Ventoux as we're so close (without bags). I don't think a lady should speak like that, I didn't know she knew words like that.

So, pool, shower, Intermarche, tent up, food, write this and zzzz.

Oh it seems that there's a market here in the morning.

Early Start

Awake at 6 and rolled out of the site at 7.40.
A few flat kms and then into the biggest climb of the day. Being early didn't make it any less steep (10% for most of the way) but it did mean not having to worry about the traffic and it was quite cool.
Breakfast at the belvedere at the top of the climb.
It was quite emotional at the top of the second climb when Mt Ventoux came into sight for the first time. When I was on the the summit in March to be able to do this tour was still a dream.
The rest of the gorge was a series of ups and downs and fairly uneventful (although Sue claimed I tried to lose her on one section. I didn't know her chain had come off.) but it was very scenic.
We chatted to a young German who was aiming to reach Madrid in less than 4 weeks from home. 150k a day but he said he had no time to look at anything. I think I prefer our way, but we have the luxury of time.
We decided to stop short of our original target as St Martin looked attractive and the campsite seemed ok, had space( but full by 4 ) and wasn't too dear at 13.50€.
Ride was done by noon, 39k and 590m of climbing.
Bought cheese and melon from the market as it was closing and some wine from the boulangerie and then fell asleep...again.

The Madness of This Gorge

I didn't know there were so many canoes in the whole world.
We decided to stay another day after our patch of dirt was turned into a patch of mud by another storm yesterday morning.

Went for the day to Pont d'Arc and paid our 4€ to sit in the beach, on our chairs of course, look at the scenery and watch the world. The world consisted of crowds of other people filling every inch of the beach and of hundreds of canoes filling every inch of water. So much for a wild and free adventure. It's a shame as 30k away on the river Chassezac there was beautiful scenery and almost deserted water with just the occasional canoe, and underused hire companies.

Early start tomorrow to try get down the gorge before the heat and the stupidly busy traffic starts.
Despite the crowds and the iffy pitch it's been a really nice stay. We're not sure if we will be able to find cheaper campsites in the Vaucluse but we'll try as these prices are wrecking our budget.