8PR2202 Provence - The origin of savoir-vivre

Wir sind unterwegs! Nach ein paar letzten Fahrrad-Einstellungen ließen wir Aix-en-Provence hinter uns, um die herrliche Region westlich zu entdecken.  Anfangs bekamen wir noch ein paar Tropfen ab, aber kurz nach unserem ersten Stop am sehr beeindruckenden Aqueduc de Roquefavour wurde der Himmel blau. Am Etang de Berre, dem größten Binnensee Frankreichs, genossen wir ein herrliches Mittagessen direkt am Strand. Von hier aus klettern wir langsam aber stetig empor, bis wir den Fuß der Alpillen erreichen.

We are on our way! After a few final bike adjustments we left Aix-en-Provence to explore the beautiful region to the west. We started out with a few drops of rain, but soon after our first stop at the very impressive Aqueduc du Roquefavour the rain dissapeared. We reached the Etang de Berre, the largest interior lake of France, and had lunch at a wonderful restaurant right on the beach. From here we slowly but continously climbed up towards the first mountains of the Alpilles.

Rasttag - aber natürlich rastet niemand in dieser wunderschönen Region Frankreichs. Die ganze Gruppe hat sich für die lange Route entschieden - wir werden also sowohl die römische Arena in Arles besuchen, als auch der Camargue einen Besuch abstatten. 2000 Jahre alte römische Geschichte, schwarze Stiere, weiße Pferde und rosa Flamingos - der Tag wird definitiv nicht langweilig!

Rest day - but of course in this wonderful pat of France nobody wants to rest. The whole group decided to do the whole trip - which means that we will visit not only the Roman amphitheatre in Arles, but also the Camargue area. 2000 years old Roman history, black bulls, white horses and pink flamingos - the day will not be boring!

After our hotel had told us about this secret, in the morning we first rode to Le Lagon Bleu. The small blue lagoon surprised us with its beautifully shimmering turquoise water. After visiting the old town and the castle of Les Baux-de-Provence, we continued to Glanum, the excavation site of a former Roman city. All the culture and the crossing of the small Alpilles mountain range had made us hungry. So we fortified ourselves with delicious French cuisine in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This was a good idea, as we still had a lot to explore. We visited the castle of Tarascon. From the roof terrace we had a wonderful view over Tarascon and the town of Beaucaire on the opposite side of the Rhone. We continued along the river to our destination for the day, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.

We didn't get bored on the second rest day either. The Pont du Gard, a 2000-year-old Roman aqueduct, was on the agenda, followed by a paddle tour on the river Gordon. In the evening, we visited the city centre of Avignon and were able to look back on another impressive day.

Wir hätten zwar noch ein paar Tage bleiben können, aber da es in der Provence so viel zu sehen gibt, fahren wir heute weiter nach Gordes. Natürlich müssen wir vorher in Chateauneuf-du-Pape die Weingüter des Papstes besichtigen, und eine kleine Weinprobe kann auch nie schaden...

Anschließend geht es auf einem wunderbaren Radweg weiter Richtung Süden, bis sich vor uns die Berge der Vaucluse aufbauen. Nach einem Besuch der Abtei von Senanque geht es dann schließlich abwärts nach Gordes.

We could have stayed a few days longer, but as there is so much to see within the Provence, we continue towards Gordes. Of course we have to visit the wineyards of the pope in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. And while we're here, maybe a little wine tasting...

Afterwards we follow a wonderful cycle path towards the south, until the Vaucluse mountains rise ahead of us. After a visit of the Senanque Abbey we roll downhill towards Gordes.

40 Kilometer - angesichts der über 300 Kilometer, die wir bisher gefahren sind, ist die Rasttagsrunde kaum der Rede wert. Aber die Schönheit von Gordes und seiner Umgebung macht jeden dieser 40 Kilometer zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis. Wir nutzen den Tag um uns über Lavendel und Olivenöl zu informieren, die Ockerfelsen von Roussillon zu fotografieren und um schließlich den Tag in Gordes ausklingen zu lassen.

25 miles - considering the roughly 200 miles that we have ridden so far, the rest day loop is hardly worth mentioning. But the beauty of Gordes and its surroundings make each of these 25 miles quite memorable. We used the day to inform ouselves about Lavender and Olive oil and to take pictures of Roussillon's ochre rock formations. A visit to Gordes old town was a perfect end to a great day.

At the end of the rest day, we had the famous Edelweiss picnic. The beautiful spot high above Gordes offered culinary delights and an impressive view of the Provence landscape.

On the last stage of our Provence tour, we again experienced a beautiful early summer day. The sun shone all day and a light wind provided optimal temperatures for cycling. After our morning start in Gordes, the ride to Aix-en-Provence again offered numerous highlights.