A few weeks ago, when I was back in the UK and Andy was in France he did a ride that he was particularly excited about. He told me about it and yes it sounded lovely, until he said it was about 110km and had nearly 1500 metres of climbing. At that point I was … More Beyond the Véloroute #14… Sault and back the long way round… On a bit of a mission
I had yesterday planned out in my mind and very lovely it was going to be too…. An early start, with my silver-buying head on, to go to the Deballage (Unwrapping) at Avignon. This is a regular event run for professionals only to buy from dealers and I had finally got the necessary paperwork to … More When the day doesn’t go as planned……
Bizarrely we sense and feel the changing seasons more in Provence than we do in Devon. Back in Exeter the proximity to the sea seems to soften the edges of summer as it shifts into autumn and likewise, autumn into winter. That’s not the case here and today it was almost as if someone had … More The sweet shift of summer towards autumn….
After a great day in Portobello Road, we arrived in Paris to a dramatic downpour, with the roads and pavements turning into rivers as we walked to our hotel in Montmartre. Hardly the balmy, sunlit stroll along the Parisian streets that we had hoped for…. More a saturating dash, ending with us wringing the water … More Day 2 & 3.. 24 hours in Paris…. Footsore, but what a day!
I honestly thought we’d tried all possible options to get back to Provence, but it appears now that we may have found another route that is a bit bonkers, but seems (so far) to have been quite fun. This time we have incorporated a couple of market visits into the trip, which has not only … More Back to Provence…. Day 1… Exeter to Paris via Portobello Road Market
A few years ago, if Andy had suggested watching the sunrise from the summit of Mont Ventoux, I would have worked out how long it would take us to drive there, set an alarm and enjoyed the drive across and up the mountain. But that was a few years ago and things change. So a … More Chasing the dawn on Mont Ventoux
Sometimes the best laid plans have to be cast aside and that was the case last Tuesday. After taking the dog for an early-morning walk and getting everything ready for a cycle out to Roussillon for breakfast, we started to get the bikes out, only to hear the rumble of thunder coming from the valley … More Market Day in Banon
Last week Andy and I were sitting at Menerbes overlooking the view when two people on electric bikes pulled up beside us and were trying to identify the villages on the hills opposite. We got chatting and they explained that they had just hired the bikes and one said how wonderful it was and that … More Beyond the Veloroute #13 – Incredible Roads, 2 Cols and Wow just Wow!
When you think of flowers in Provence your mind tends to think about fields ablaze with poppies or the purple flashes of the lavender fields and the vibrant markets are home to stalls piled high with locally-produced fruit and veg or selling honey, created by bees that visit all these flowers……. So often we have … More Bee-Friendly Provence & a French Lesson in an Organic Garden
It’s been a long time since I last posted about a cycle ride in the area, that’s not because we haven’t been cycling, in fact the opposite is true. This area is so good for cycling and even though we thought we had been along most of the main routes, we continue to find new … More Beyond the Veloroute #12 – Over the top to Cucuron
Vaucluse Dreamer 