SPE25004 Provence - the origin of savoir-vivre
“Being born in Aix is a misfortune. You can't live anywhere else” – these are the words of Cezanne, the city's famous son. Perhaps he is right, because the city really does have a special flair. Lively, full of students, rich in culture, with wide boulevards for strolling, shopping, and relaxing, this special light, and huge plane trees everywhere – it's a place you want to stay for a while. We had a guided city tour this morning, which was very interesting. The bikes are ready. This afternoon, we will introduce our guests to the highlights of the next few days and then go out for French food. Life is good!
The sky is bright blue, everyone is in good spirits, but a little excited. How do you start an e-bike day? With a good French breakfast, of course, and a proper briefing. And then... helmets on and off we go. First, we had to find our way out of Aix, which we managed to do without any problems. A few kilometers further on, we came across the first sight of the day – the Roquefavour aqueduct. At our first coffee stop, the group was overwhelmed by the selection on offer in the French bakeries. We bought lunch here, which we enjoyed at the Etang de Berre. Phil meets a few surfers from Switzerland with very special surfboards – without motors, but still special. We master a stretch of busy road and then come across a beautiful route through olive groves. We have to stop for coffee before checking into our pretty hotel, Castillon des Baux. Pool, beer, wonderful views – life is good.
Where are we? The city lies directly on the Rhone, has a 2000-year-old amphitheater, the largest in France, where bullfights are still held today, has the most important Romanesque church in Provence, is the European rice capital, and is home to the glittering tower by Frank Gehry, who built the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, etc., etc. etc. Of course—it's Arles! We actually have a day off—but no one can miss this. If you want, you can take a short trip to the Camargue to get some flamingos and wild horses in front of your lens. And on the way home, there's a detour to Montmajour, the important Benedictine abbey.
Bright blue skies, the mistral wind blowing, it's cold. Nevertheless, our New Zealand guests are cycling in shorts. Les Baux is the first highlight of the day, high up in the Alpilles. Then we fly down towards St. Remy and Glanum. Careful not to brake too hard! A beautiful cycle path takes us to Tarascon, with its castle and the beast – the Tarasc. We eat our lunch right by the Rhone. Through vineyards and along the Rhone, we reach Avignon. Our hotel is in Villeneuve-les-Avignon, on the other side of the Rhone. When we arrived at our gite hotel, everyone knew how the walking assistance works. Well done, you fearless cyclists! Thank you for a great day!
Today is our rest day, which means we'll sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast. The bikes will remain untouched today. Some take our shuttle and spend some time at the famous Pont du Gard, while the rest of the group experiences the morning bustle of Avignon. Here and there, we bump into each other by chance in the old town and chat about the historical sites we've visited or let the "la douce vie" pass by. Tomorrow we'll be back on the bikes... We're ready.
Leaving Avignon was easier than getting into Avignon. We cycled for miles along the massive city wall before turning inland. Our first destination was Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Castel Gandolfo of France. Of course, with all the pomp and circumstance of the papal palace, with its 50-meter-long banquet halls and international guests from the Middle Ages, a good wine is a must. And that wine was planted and pressed in Châteauneuf. Naturally, we visited the wine museum and tasted some of the fine wines. This was followed by a wonderful route through the vineyards, with Mont Ventoux always in sight. Frequent lane changes, underpasses, overpasses, and small turnoffs the bike paths made navigation not so easy, but no one got lost. At the train station in Sarrians, there was a surprise, and a few meters further on, a wonderful stop at a train station that now houses a great restaurant. Then it got serious! The athletic climb to Gordes was easily mastered thanks to “E.” The Romanesque abbey of Senanque was the last highlight of the day. At the Hotel Carcarille—a wonderful place—Holger surprised us with an ice-cold Bootbeer. Simply a wonderful day!
After yesterday's long day, we're taking it a little easier today. Our hotel is wonderful, we sleep in, enjoy a delicious breakfast, and set off at 10 a.m. The ochre cliffs of Roussillion and the lavender museum are on the agenda. Then we're heading back up to Gordes—we just have to go back there, it was so beautiful.
Today we cross the Luberon. This mountain range, which rises to over 1,100 meters, has been specially protected as the “Luberon Nature Park” since 1977. Fortunately, there is a small gap between the Petit Luberon in the west and the Grand Luberon in the east – and that's where we wind our way through. Charming little villages line the way; you could stop every five minutes to take a photo. We pick out the most beautiful ones—Lacoste, Bonnieur, Lourmarin. Then we cross the Durance and are soon back in Aix-en-Provence. A wonderful tour comes to an end, the circle is closed. Thank you all for your good humor, your cooperation, your consideration, and the pleasant company. Perhaps we will see each other again. Ursula and Holger