End of the Lure.

Cold Sweats.

Sometimes I run.

Chewing the Fat.

Provence Verte.

A long valley drag to some cracking views, a stunning but dicey journey though the Gorges and a dash through the Provence furnace.
Did I mention how hot it is? 34C where I’m staying this afternoon which is draining to say the least. My motivation to start early and not mess about too much is to avoid having to ride much after midday.
The morning was pleasantly mild (still short sleeves & shorts from the off - my base layer and gilet are forming permanent creases at the bottom of my bag) but an ‘exceptional’ closure of the first bakery I was aiming for nearly ruined my day. Fortunately I found the bakery in the next village had opened earlier than advertised on Google Maps so I could press on knowing my stomach was lined with viennoiserie. Croissant & Almond Croissant combo here- none of that oozing nonsense they love in Italy. A steady climb to finish the up-valley start led to the first lake of the day (Lac de Castillon). Picturesque all the way. After Castellane I was in the Gorges of Verdon which are remarkable but clearly a popular tourist attraction, especially going by the number of Dutch drivers, one in particular taking a descent at 30kph and braking at anything resembling a corner which did no good for my brake pads following behind. Every corner offered a photo op but the view over Lac de Saint-Croix was pretty special. Just a shame that every corner also offered the danger of some chump from the opposite direction trying to pull of a stupid overtaking manoeuvre.
A reasonably climby day but with nothing particularly steep - I’m getting far too used to these long 4-5% ascents that anything above has me worried, but it’s a pleasant way to gain altitude whilst managing the an at ‘holiday pace’. The mostly downstream run-in was accompanied by the now familiar mid-30C temperatures which I was glad to be soon out of.
Up next: some more Provence and another big lump of a climb whilst my heading turns north.

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Samuel Thompson | Acier,cc

10. Touët-sur-Var -> Manosque.

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End of the Lure.

Cold Sweats.

Sometimes I run.

Chewing the Fat.

Provence Verte.

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