Chance for S. France Ride

[gavroche]

When everything you ride up would be called a mountain in the UK, your perception (and terminology) tends to get recalibrated. I'll grant you that they are quite big hills though.

The Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Central have always been called mountains.

 

[briantrumpet]

The Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Central have always been called mountains.

I'll grant you that, but now I've got used to riding up them, I just call them (big) hills. After all, rarely do the roads actually go over the mountains themselves (with the exception of Mont Ventoux), they tend to take the easiest way through them (cols).

 

[Simon_m]

Hi,

I am a relatively new cyclist, do between 100-180 miles a week. I am going on holiday to South of France in July and wondered if people would recommend a bit of touring.

My concerns are:

Too hot - will wilt very quickly
Not experienced enough/too hilly

I know that sounds a bit daft, but i understand that the hills around there are incomparable to the Uk.

Just wondered thoughts. Cheers.

Hey there, I was down in Aix a few weeks ago for a long weekend. Those was my first rides for over 6months. When do you think you will be going? It does get hot quickly and very hot too, plus you can get the strong winds as well. Best to get out in the mornings around 7am if you can if you are wanting to do a ride for about 4hrs. Remember sun cream behind your ears. A lot of the South is hilly, but depends on what you call hilly. There are lots of lovely routes and the scenery is breathtaking, thus taking away some of the pain from your legs as you look out over fields of grapes or lavender.

You can see the elevation on my routes:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1099385537

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1106986915

and where i got lost. As you might see, I was coming back from not being out on the bike for a long time, so the heart rate was well off, as was my speed. Hopefully this will help

oh here are some older ones from different areas:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/343911114

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/343802707

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/342911866

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/341206283

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/339342379

 

[novemberdelta]

Hey there, I was down in Aix a few weeks ago for a long weekend. Those was my first rides for over 6months. When do you think you will be going? It does get hot quickly and very hot too, plus you can get the strong winds as well. Best to get out in the mornings around 7am if you can if you are wanting to do a ride for about 4hrs. Remember sun cream behind your ears. A lot of the South is hilly, but depends on what you call hilly. There are lots of lovely routes and the scenery is breathtaking, thus taking away some of the pain from your legs as you look out over fields of grapes or lavender.

You can see the elevation on my routes:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1099385537

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1106986915

and where i got lost. As you might see, I was coming back from not being out on the bike for a long time, so the heart rate was well off, as was my speed. Hopefully this will help

oh here are some older ones from different areas:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/343911114

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/343802707

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/342911866

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/341206283

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/339342379

Thanks for that, the tracks you put up look pretty reasonable for me. I definitely intend getting up and going out early, probably before 7am! I will be there in the first week of July. After the comments here i have booked on an organised run, so I will see how I do but I definitely don't want to miss out on the scenery and some of the classic climbs like Madone and Turini.

 

[Simon_m]

No worries. do you know where abouts in France you are going? Everywhere in France is gorgeous lol not sure if it will be chilly early in the mornings. Well-Jell

 

[novemberdelta]

No worries. do you know where abouts in France you are going? Everywhere in France is gorgeous lol not sure if it will be chilly early in the mornings. Well-Jell

I'm going to Menton mate.

 

[Simon_m]

yikes! hilly lol