To the sea - 2 & 3 Avril

Antibes - Thursday, 2 Avril 

Way above Villefranche - 3 Avril (we climbed up from sea level at Nice and then down to and up again from Monaco, then down and then up again...)

We think this is in Nice

Above Nice (out of sequence--)

Menton, France - 3 Avril (and Italy is just off to the east, off the photo frame)

In Menton - 3 Avril

Way back in the day, like 80 or so years ago, my grandmother (this is Paul writing) would travel to the south of France for trap shooting. In addition to shooting birds--they used live pigeons at the time--she would also shoot photos,  some of which she later developed in large, twelve by sixteen inch, format. 

About 20 years ago Alaine selected a couple of these photos for framing as a surprise Christmas gift for me. The one below is a quickie photo I took before we left of one of those framed originals that we have on our dining room wall--

About two years ago, while doing some research on my grandmother, I came across a list of place and event names that I recognized as matching up with the large photos, and the mystery of where this scene was-- was no longer a mystery. The photo is of Menton, France. Thanks to hints in the photo, and the fact that Menton is not that big, and with the wonder of Google street view, I soon found the somewhat harborside corner. And I never thought that, a couple years later, I would stand in the same spot.

Granted, the romance of the time is somewhat lost-- the city having chosen to fill in the harbor at that corner and moving the waterfront further south. But still, the roof lines and the shapes and the concept of this place where my grandmother spent some time-- it's still there.

Gorges du Verdon-1 Avril

When the day includes three (or four) climbs of a couple (or few) thousand feet you end up being more than a little wiped  out at the end of the day. But when the first third of the ride involves sweeping Grand Canyon like views, but your in southeast France, you're pleasantly distracted by oohs, ahhs, ooh-la-las and wows of scenery. Yes, the end of the day was hard, but what a journey getting there.

Above Aguines. 

We're on the southern route--that's the northern route on the far side. 

And more northern route. 

Higher still. 

Going down for the first time 

Navigating the canyon is easier if you have wings. 

Lunch stop, Comps-sur-Artuby, behind ud Only 30km to go (and one more climb).

Words about Warm Showers

It wasn't until our magazine days that Alaine and I had ever heard of Warm Showers, a volunteer-run organization for touring cyclists, developed  by cyclists.

We signed up to host a couple years ago (but no one has yet to stay with us--too many hosts in Bellingham). And it wasn't until last year that we actually stayed as a WS guest for our fist time with a world traveling couple in Steamboat Springs, CO. 

It's similar to couch surfing, but where cyclists, or just good folks who value travel by bike, connect to seek or offer (or both) offer sleeping space--be it a garden for a tent or a floor or a bed-- and maybe a shared meal, access to tools, sometimes even a clothes washer-- but always stories of life and travel, and a "warm shower." 

We've experienced most all of the above with every host we've met, yet so much more!

As we move on to Italy, where Warm Shower hosts are few and far apart along the route we've selected, the bonds and interactions we have had in France are that much more significant. We will miss these new found friends and truly truly hope to see them on the other side of the  world. 

Philippe in Paris

Frederic in Dijon 

Pauline in Beaune

Rebecca and Angelo  in Jalogny-- no photo!

Audrey and Laurent in Lyon 

Karin in Avignon 

Florence and Wenzel with their son Silvere in Cabrieres

Helene and Frederic in Manosque.

Jean-Philippe in Antibes 

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...