Anyone done Avignon?

[User]

 

[velovoice]

Yes, @Flying Dodo and I took our Bickerton and Brompton (respectively) to Avignon by Eurostar in June last year. Had a wonderful time! A few ride reports on my blog (search on Provence tag or on the Cycling Holidays page). Any particular questions, let us know. We'd go again in a heartbeat.

 

[gavroche]

You can't use the bridge, half of it is missing.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

It's a great area for cycling, although I've never ridden a Brompton. Immediately round Avignon the terrain is rolling, no great hills. If you venture further afield, the Luberon is great (with a well signposted cycle route, but it gets quite hilly). Round Uzes is lovely. Basically Avignon is in a river valley, the further you go out, the hillier it gets. Depending on how long you've got and how far you want to cycle, you could do worse than follow the river to Arles, then up to Nimes and take in Pont du Gard. Loads of history, good food, wine, lucky you.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Unless you're going north or south, then it's fairly flat, but with lots of towns perched on top of hilly outcrops.

Usual quiet little roads for cycling on, cicadas chirping away in the summer heat, vineyards, fields of lavender, that sort of stuff.

 

[TheDoctor]

Right-ho, been there done this.
I did the Luberon route (mostly) as far round as Apt, where I got a bus to Sault in order to do Ventoux.
Followed that up with riding the Gorge de Nesque to Isle sur la Sorgue, then back to Avignon.
This was all pretty straightforward on my M6R. Yes, it's a bit lumpy, but not ridiculously so.
I can lend you a map(if I can find it) if you like. You got a T-Bag for your Brommie?

 

[slowmotion]

Find Carpentras on a map. Draw a 25km radius circle with a compass, the city as its pivot. Ignore the semicircle to the south of Carpentras. Just bimble about in the bit to the north. BTW, visit Gigondas. Have fun.

 

[velovoice]

My absolute favourite part of our itinerary was Vaison-la-Romaine. All around Gordes (on the northern edge of the Luberon) was gorgeous too.

Climbing Col des trois Termes on a loaded 3-speed Brompton was not what I'd call fun though.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

My absolute favourite part of our itinerary was Vaison-la-Romaine. All around Gordes (on the northern edge of the Luberon) was gorgeous too.

Climbing Col des trois Termes on a loaded 3-speed Brompton was not what I'd call fun though.

yeah but the clue is in the place name.

Nothing worth adding reg, the others have it covered.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Eurostar and hotel booked. I'm just going to get Boudicca's chainring changed to a 44.

Boo-dick-er or Bow-de-see-er?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

For a man of his education? It has to be dick every time.

Buddug. pron Bithig, as any fule kno.

 

[srw]

Buddug. pron Bithig, as any fule kno.

The ancient Britons were generally illiterate, so the main references are in Roman literature.

Wikipedia has an interesting summary.

 

[TheDoctor]

Eurostar and hotel booked. I'm just going to get Boudicca's chainring changed to a 44.

*envies*

 

[velovoice]

yeah but the clue is in the place name.

Nothing worth adding reg, the others have it covered.

Pretty much everything I mention is within 30km of Avignon so not entirely irrelevant.

 

[TheDoctor]

I would urge you to give the Nesque Gorge a ride. It's absolutely stunning.
Of course, once you've ridden up the gorge, you're close to the easiest way up Ventoux...