31 March 2015

Aiguines, France -- adieu March (31 Mars)

Our good friend Craig, who is from North Carolina but is the one who spurs us to climb our home mountains (well, Rainier and Baker, so far) wrote to us today and asked, "Does anybody live in Europe? Most of your pics make it appear as if you have the continent to yourselves." 

Sais vrais- it's true! Or it sure feels like we have France to ourselves many days. Sure, not when cycling through or visiting cities like Paris or Lyon or even Manosque, but much of our time each day so far, we are all alone on the road, thanks to Paul's research to find us cycleways or off roads or side streets that cut through fields and pastures and farmland and quiet villages. Also true, we try to avoid pics of cars racing past us or too many tourists...but, really, it's early season. And while on some of the great weather days we've had so far, we've seen some training riders, only once have we seen any other touring cyclists. And then within moments, we were alone again.

I know it will change soon, now that March, still considered "winter" by many people, is behind us. (Boy do they look at Paul with raised eyebrows!) We'll turn south again today after riding along the Gorges du Verdon -- the "Grand Canyon" of France to reach the French Mediterranean by April 2nd. There we're sure to find year-round sun seekers and more tourers (and tourists in general), but for now we are really enjoying the sense that we do have "the continent" or at least much of France, to ourselves. 

And so it went for our ride from Manosque to Aguines today. Somehow, mostly because we couldn't find any campground that listed an opening date before mid April in our searches back in the winter, we had the foresight to book a room at the town's hotel. It too could have been closed when we got here if we hadn't reserved and stayed in communication. When we arrived, pretty tuckered from the wind and heat and our final push, we were told we were the first guests of the year. Sure, we were a little let down--after the 6 mile climb shortly after leaving Manosque, then another climb after crossing the Plateau du Valensole with howling winds--gusts up to 40 mph (60km per hour?!)--then another 6-mile climb from the lake--that the village was shuttered and the one dining/drinking establishment in town (the hotel) had a slim selection of beer in bottles and only rosé wine by the glass (thankfully, at least southern French rosé is crisp and dry). But who could complain when the setting came with the sound of a stiff brush against stone as a woman worked on her business' front space, the church bells rang hourl, and the town square fountain just outside our hotel and below our room's open shutters gurgled constantly on.

So... our day in pics:

Lavender, still cold from winter.


Tet another town square fountain 





You can't see the whitecaps on Lac de Sainte-Croix, but they were there!

The western outflow of Le Verdon Rive from the Gorges du Verdon



A huge treat at a flatish spot on our way up to the village of Aiguines 




Chateau d'Aiguines


Nearly to the top... My braids we Pippy Longstocking-ish all day with the wind





From our petit room


The morning after--Aiguines from above as we continued our climb...





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