Channel to Mediterranean

A number of members will have followed (with just a touch of envy!) Stuart Haycox’s epic trip through France via Strava. Here’s his full report.

Crossing the channel on the Portsmouth > St Malo ferry we left the medieval fortifications, initially hugging the Brittany coastline before waving goodbye to the Atlantic at Mont Saint-Michel for the long ride South. We had an enjoyable (flat) few days through Rennes, Angers and the Loire Valley with its Châteaux and vineyards. As we passed through Aubusson the landscape dramatically changed giving way to pine forests and a very much more Alpine feel. It was at the Spa town of Le Mont-Dore where I got to enjoy my first ever col (and descent) and the realisation that I’d actually passed several chairlifts and cycled to a ski resort! It got even better the next day when the weather closed our route over Col de la Coix Saint-Robert meaning an enforced rest day in the spa… what else could I do? The Swedish sauna was magnificent 🙂

Onwards we progressed through t he Central Massif’s ‘wolf country’, a National Forest and Gorges de L’ Ardèche when every turn of the road came a declaration of “that’s got to be the best view of the trip” until we rounded the next corner, although a brief encounter with a mountain goat meant it did nearly end in tears! After a cheeky climb out of Pont d’Arc the high spirits and laughter soon died away as we got our first view of the Beast of Provence in the distance, our destination for the evening and challenge for the next day. When I originally booked the tour, I’d have been more than happy to have climbed Ventoux the once and headed to the pub to celebrate but after reading Andy Poulton’s update earlier in the year and hearing about Nick, Stuart, Mike & Daryl’s past adventures on the mountain I realised I needed to attempt all three sides too.

The first climb from Malaucène fuelled on croissants and nervous excitement was epic and after what only felt like a few minutes the trees suddenly parted and all I could see was the famous weather tower directly in front of me bathed in a magnificent sunshine, I’d made it, I’d climbed Ventoux! After a quick photo and a very cold descent down to Bédoin (-2oc at the summit) I had a quick Mars bar and headed back up, easy I thought until the turning at Saint-Estève and wow the pain began! Those 10km of relentless climb were brutal but eventually abated and the trip up the iconic lunar landscape from Chalet Reynard was a dream come true and swiftly followed by a really enjoyable final assent from Sault. My biggest ever day on a bike and hero’s welcome later in the bar!

The rest of the tour breezed past with even more perfect landscapes, some great climbs and magnificent gorges on the way to Nice where, after 14 days of cycling, we arrived at the Mediterranean coast in the cold and wet …oh well, you can’t have it all!

Thanks everybody for all the inspiration, advice, encouragement and comments along the way – it was a great trip!