Euro Tour Day 24

Breakfast of museli and yoghart, washed down with coffee was taken at 07:30 and we got rolling just after 08:00.

Like usual I did struggle getting the directions right, but we did manage to find our way out of town through the Monday morning traffic, which was as intence as any big town. I am sure whether Manosque is a town or a city, but it is pretty big! 

Once out of town, we got directed onto minor back roads, which all were good quality tar. There were a number of steep short uphills, but nothing too long. The app made sure we stayed away for the high traffic roads, winding up and down some beautiful minor roads. 

At 09:45 we passed through the first real town since leaving Manosque. We though about stopping for coffee but decided against it as it was still too early. After going up another little hill, we joined some larger roads until we got close to the La Durance river. The approach was through quite an impressive gorge and then, with a very busy D96 running mainly parrellel with the A51 down to Aix en Provence. The roads were running either side of the river. There were also a number of big canals in this area.

We were now seriously looking for a coffee shop, but even though we cycled through some towns, we had no success. We were taken around a "koppie" on a cycle path and when we joined up with the main road again, we found our coffee shop. The only problem was that they did not sell cappuccinos or lattees but only espressos so we had to settle for that. It actually was pretty good espresso and it went down well with the extra vanilla pudding from yesterday, which we brought along. 

This area is very well endowed with cycle paths and although the D96 carried heavy traffic, the cycle path made using it a pleasure. After just more than three hours and 45 km we went through Saint Europe and found a shop next to the road which had some nice things to eat, so we stopped for a lunch break. When we left, Danie had a small encounter at a pedestian crossing with a lady which took too long to stop and toppled over. Nothing serious except for some expleatives, a damaged ego and some uncessary scratches on his bicycle!

We were now cycling through Aix en Provence and saw some real big "mansions" on the hill to our right. This definately is a very affluent area. Over the hill and down the otherside. We were now entering "urban city limits" and were constantly cycling through buildt up areas with either houses or small industries lining the road. 

We got to a round about and after some hesitation went down a deadend street. It turned to be deadend for vehicles but not for bicycles. After this the worst part of the day's ride hit us. We later found out from our hosts that that was an area they would not have advised us to cicycle through. It was like cycling down Voortrekker Road from Bellville station to the Grand Parade! There were loads of traffic, little shops all along the road and we and the traffic were moving at the same speed. Lots if traffic lights also, so progress was not too fast. We also had to negotiate some road works.

Eventually we made it through all this without any hikups and entered a better part of town. In the meantime the tempteture was rising and Danie is not good at that so he was starting to overheat. The cherry on the cake was the second last kilometer to our destination which was a kilometer long steep climb. We made it to the top and arrived at 18 allee du Oavilion at just after 15:15. Another successful day completed! 

Stats for the day: 

95.82 km; riding time 7:14; meters climbed 1,190