Côtes du Rhône
The nondescript modern hotel surprised us again with a most excellent breakfast to set us up for our morning ride to the Avis car hire office in Orange. It was certainly a varied route - a fine suspension bridge over the Ardèche, quiet back lanes through vineyards and apple orchards, past a nuclear power station on a modern road that was as smooth as the proverbial billiard table, and then across the Rhône on a huge dam near Caderousse.
We had assumed that the Avis office would be near the centre of Orange, so it was a little disconcerting when Mr Google directed us to a little petrol station au milieu de nulle part about 4 km south of the town. I went in and asked for directions, only to receive some mild teasing for not having noticed the small Avis flag that was indeed flying outside. This was a first for me, a car hire office where nobody spoke English, but the car was waiting for us and after the usual formalities Les was ready to drive off with the bike in the boot. More importantly, my panniers were also in the car.
By now it was very hot, although the Avis lady assured us that this was nothing compared to the 45 C earlier in the summer, so I was glad to have a lighter load as I followed a cycle route through the vineyards and over a few small hills to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a lunch of salade gourmande au foie gras in the centre of town. I was tempted by the local produce at €8 a glass, but thought better of it as I still had almost 40 km to ride.
That afternoon passed in something of a blur – I was still suffering in the heat and this was one of the less interesting stages of the ride, including a rather tiresome passage through Carpentras with its busy roads and numerous traffic lights. Things could only get better and after Mazan they did – the traffic thinned out, the scenery improved with a few gentle hills and the stage finished in a very attractive little Provençale town with our B&B (recommended and pictured in the France en Vélo book) in an old house right in the centre.
Meanwhile Les had spent the afternoon visiting the 1900 m summit of Mont Ventoux, something of a holy grail for road cyclists, though maybe not if your bike is stowed away in the boot of a hire car...
Distance today 89 km
Total distance 593 km
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