Day 11 - Avignon and All That
Wednesday 9th September 2015
We have breakfast from our Lidl supplies and pack up the camp. We are getting pretty slick at set up and tear down now.
Although there is no one around the camping lady appears as if by magic when we stop at the still-locked office. It costs just €12 euros, cheapest so far.
The sun is out as we head west towards Avignon. We are crossing a huge plain planted with a million vines, the heart of the Languedoc-Rousillon growing region.
Avignon is another walled city, but much larger than Carcassonne. We ride into the centre through the huge medieval walls. It is filled with traffic threading through the narrow streets. A real tourist attraction.
It would be nice to stop and look around but it is hot and busy and not the place for touring bikers. So we head back out on the north side and see the famous Pont d'Avignon right in front of us.
The next section is fast dual carriageway until we get out of the urban sprawl. We stop for coffee at a pleasant village before continuing on into the mountains.
We ride along a fabulous mountain road through tunnels and gorges, the road often clinging to the side of sheer rock crags and swooping down narrow gorges. It is beautiful.
The next section is fast. After climbing up a series of hairpins we emerge on a high plateau which is covered in fields of cultivated lavender. I had no idea that the world needs quite so much lavender but it is obviously big business round here.
Then we hit the mountains and gorges again. We. Are getting close to the famous Canyon de Verdon (Verdon Gorge), a major tourist attraction in France.
Campsites abound and we check in at the delightful Camping Saint-Jean. We set up camp by the river and get on the wifi. It is clean and neat, the lady is friendly and helpful. We order baguette and croissants for the morning and Mick discovers the camp shop has his favourite 8.6%. It costs €17 all-in and is the best camp site we have stayed in on the tour.
Vines stretching to the horizon |
We have breakfast from our Lidl supplies and pack up the camp. We are getting pretty slick at set up and tear down now.
Although there is no one around the camping lady appears as if by magic when we stop at the still-locked office. It costs just €12 euros, cheapest so far.
The sun is out as we head west towards Avignon. We are crossing a huge plain planted with a million vines, the heart of the Languedoc-Rousillon growing region.
Avignon is another walled city, but much larger than Carcassonne. We ride into the centre through the huge medieval walls. It is filled with traffic threading through the narrow streets. A real tourist attraction.
Balcony roads and tunnels |
It would be nice to stop and look around but it is hot and busy and not the place for touring bikers. So we head back out on the north side and see the famous Pont d'Avignon right in front of us.
The next section is fast dual carriageway until we get out of the urban sprawl. We stop for coffee at a pleasant village before continuing on into the mountains.
Hell of a road |
Pit stop |
We ride along a fabulous mountain road through tunnels and gorges, the road often clinging to the side of sheer rock crags and swooping down narrow gorges. It is beautiful.
The next section is fast. After climbing up a series of hairpins we emerge on a high plateau which is covered in fields of cultivated lavender. I had no idea that the world needs quite so much lavender but it is obviously big business round here.
Then we hit the mountains and gorges again. We. Are getting close to the famous Canyon de Verdon (Verdon Gorge), a major tourist attraction in France.
Breathtaking |
Campsites abound and we check in at the delightful Camping Saint-Jean. We set up camp by the river and get on the wifi. It is clean and neat, the lady is friendly and helpful. We order baguette and croissants for the morning and Mick discovers the camp shop has his favourite 8.6%. It costs €17 all-in and is the best camp site we have stayed in on the tour.
Evening sun on the cliff face |
The
setting sun illuminates the cliff above the campsite. It's looking good
for the morning and our ride through the Verdon Gorge.
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