A preview of the day ahead.
In Bédarrides I pick up various breads and pastries for breakfast and lunch from a supermarket and notice that the butcher is open and people are out in the bar tabac for a chat and a coffee; it is Sunday. I am feeling some fatigue from yesterday's longer day though I slept very well. At Monteux it is still only 10am so the Sunday Market is still going. Despite having bought cold rations I can't resist a hot snack and have sausage and potato cake; the texture of the cake is like shop bought onion bhaji only with potato, flour, salt and pepper seasoning which provides the salt hit I needed.
I know from the guidebook that Mont Ventoux should have revealed itself by now so I start keeping watch. Then, shortly after Mazan a now familiar mound shows itself between the scudding white clouds.
The clouds skudded quicker than I could reach for my phone. Maybe the cloud will lift later.
The end of my first tour stage today is Villes-sur-Auzon and it makes for a good lunch stop. The morning has been about getting from Chateauneuf-du-Pape to the entrance to the Gorge de la Nesque so nothing much to report. As much as yesterday felt great that initial climb took it out of me and this morning has been a struggle. I look for reassurance and my satnav tells me I have done alot of gentle climbing; I can barely hold the phone up or keep my eyes open.
An hour lunch break, two coffees and plenty to eat and the gorge is a delight. There is a sheer drop to my right as I crane my neck to see eagles soaring overhead.
OK. I made up the eagle bit when I wrote the last paragraph but 1 km further on I see this sign. Aigle translates, unsurprisingly, to eagle.
The Gorge de la Nesque didn't disappoint and even though it was Sunday it was a cyclist's road with a few motorbikes and some occasional cars; much quieter than touristy Ardèche. My one hour lunch gave me the rest and strength to really enjoy the route and it wasn't until I was close to Sault where the road kicks up that I felt tired.
Coming out of the gorge there is a small descent to lavender fields which is the signal that I have arrived in Provence then that kick up into Sault itself. I am staying above an art gallery on the main street. Quirky but comfortable.
On the Gorge de la Nesque I came across someone walking their bike heading towards me. I stop to see if they need any help. They had simply punctured but didn't speak English or French. I laid out my toolkit and handed him the hex key he would need to remove his thru-bolt holding the lightweight bike while he got the wheel off. This done he struggled to get the tire off so I took over, first creating some slack then the tire came off the rim. He had found the point of puncture so I pulled the offended peice of inner tube out and effected a repair checking the offending peice of thorn or grit wasn't still there. I let him wrestle his tire on though again helped create the slack required to get the tire on the rim. What was telling was that every cyclist that passed looked over to check we were OK and even one van gave a questioning thumbs up sign to see if we needed help. I was glad to help someone and the break helped me enjoy the gorge more. I hope my repair saw him back to Bedoin where he was headed and where he would be reunited with his friend who had the repair kit.
And Ventoux itself. I am not sure how to feel. From Sault it is the tiny pimple with the tower on top on the left behind the hills in the foreground.
