chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
I'm down in the South of France at the minute on a family holiday and as usual I managed to sneak the bike down on the back of the camper van. We're staying to the South of Hyrese and to the North East are some enticing looking hills. A route was mapped out and we set off into lovely Autumn weather of 25 degrees and sunshine.
The first kilometres are really not nice, there is no cycle ways and the French drivers are giving no quarter. After a while though we turn with relief onto a beautiful segregated track.
After a while a turn away from the coast and start to climb. First we hit a lovely village in the hills.
Then the road continues to climb steadily towards Col Babou. After several kilometres I turn from the road and with relief at last head onto rough gravel roads into the hills.
The Scenery is amazing and despite the relatively low altitude it's tough going. I top out at just shy of 600m and follow a maze of gravel roads. Its tough chunky gravel that's a real bone shaker on my rigid gravel bike, a classic example of underbikeing.
I'm heading back now but the route continues to be hard and unforgiving as we head downhill.
I then see a sign for a Stone age monument and can't resist. A short five minute walk takes me to a small knoll where an old Neanderthal burial mound is preserved.
After this the last downhill kilometres await on rough gravel before a scary road section finishes a lovely ride. 79km covered with 1000m of height gain.
The first kilometres are really not nice, there is no cycle ways and the French drivers are giving no quarter. After a while though we turn with relief onto a beautiful segregated track.
After a while a turn away from the coast and start to climb. First we hit a lovely village in the hills.
Then the road continues to climb steadily towards Col Babou. After several kilometres I turn from the road and with relief at last head onto rough gravel roads into the hills.
The Scenery is amazing and despite the relatively low altitude it's tough going. I top out at just shy of 600m and follow a maze of gravel roads. Its tough chunky gravel that's a real bone shaker on my rigid gravel bike, a classic example of underbikeing.
I'm heading back now but the route continues to be hard and unforgiving as we head downhill.
I then see a sign for a Stone age monument and can't resist. A short five minute walk takes me to a small knoll where an old Neanderthal burial mound is preserved.
After this the last downhill kilometres await on rough gravel before a scary road section finishes a lovely ride. 79km covered with 1000m of height gain.
