The predicted rain didn’t happen, and the expected sumptuous breakfast was disappointing. No matter. It was Saturday and there’d be food along the way, especially in the morning.
The goal today was to get to St.Mitre Les Remparts which was about 70kms to the south.
My hotel was on the south side of the old city, so I was on my way and out of Avignon very quickly, and into the countryside. After a while the climb started and it was pretty gentle but the view from the top was breathtaking – to the south.
The top was close to Les Baux-de-Provence which is a community perched on a rocky outcrop. It’s famous as being the place that bauxite was named after.
The descent was meant to be fun. Unfortunately, it was into a strong wind but after Les Baux, it was quiet riding through flattening countryside. Then it was flat as a pancake and into the wind.
In these conditions, time slows down and boredom and fatigue seem to be accentuated. It drags on and on. But as soon as the landscape changes, everything snaps back to normal and my enthusiasm level rises.
Nearing the area of St. Mitre, the scenery became urban and I followed local bike paths until I was fairly close. The paths ended inexplicably and my GPS sent me down a steepish hill. It was annoying, as I knew that every metre down, had to be regained very soon.
Those lost metres were regained in a very short space of time as the GPS sent me up a goat track at 45 degrees. It wasn’t what I needed after 70kms, but I knew the end was very close.
A few days off in St. Mitre-les-Remparts.
I spent the next couple of days hanging out with Yves and Danielle (the most wonderful hosts) and Peter, Marlene and half of their family. I really enjoyed seeing some familiar faces.
A Train trip north to Clermont-Ferrand
However, I had to leave and head back north to Paris, as Minou was arriving in a week. I opted for a train into Marseille (the Blue Coast Railway), then a train to Clermont-Ferrand. The Blue Coast part was stunning with lots of rocky outcrops and villages beside the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
The next bit wasn’t so much fun. While getting the tickets, I witnessed some terrible abuse of SNCF staff by disgruntled passengers. There was shouting, ranting, tears and frustration, but the staff handled it all well. One of them even brought out the procedures book and got the angry customer to read it to him out loud. I saw similar anger later that day when trains were delayed due to strike action. I also saw lots of calm acceptance as people waited for the train to get moving.
In the end, they held my connecting train to meet the one I was on, which was a nice touch and meant that I wouldn’t be sleeping in a station. I only arrived in my hotel room at 12pm.