Occitania by bike: a wild trip to the gates of Provence
Fields of lavender from Provence to the oak and chestnut forests of Cevennes, this three-day trip in the heart of nature promises to be an epicurean break. Certainly, the sometimes rugged reliefs of the Cévennes natural park will sometimes give you a hard time, but in return, you will enjoy the scent of heather and forests, incredible views on the ridge roads and refreshing swims in the rivers.
If the cycling infrastructure is not there, the small roads are not very busy and are well worth the detour. They plunge you into medieval hamlets, picturesque villages and century-old farmhouses. The weather is generally mild, with mild to hot weather in summer. In autumn, beware of episodes from the Cévennes: these thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain causing flooding, and are incompatible with the pleasure of cycling.
⋙ Cycling tour in Provence: in the footsteps of Giono in Valensole and Manosque
Day 1: route from Pierrelatte to Barjac (47 km)
Leave Pierrelatte by crossing the Rhône towards Bourg-Saint-Andéol, where you will find supplies. Then head towards Saint-Remèze, where a first climb will offer you a beautiful view of the Rhone. Once on the plateau, the road takes you to the edge of the Laoul forest, with its dolmens and its Chalon chapel. You descend from the plateau towards Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, a small Ardèche village which is very lively in summer. Lower down, the Ardèche flows to the famous Pont d’Arc, this arch cut in the rock spanning the river. A departmental road crosses fields and forests and runs along stone farmhouses and pine trees of all shapes to Vagnas, before taking you to one of the most beautiful villages in the Gard, Barjac, the perfect place for a stopover.
Day 2: route from Barjac to Vialas (53 km)
Before leaving Barjac, fill up with fresh water in one of the village fountains. A quiet little road, through fields and meadows, takes the direction of Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières before branching off towards Saint-Ambroix. You cross streams and rivers, and then you reach the superb valley of the Cèze. Go along it taking the direction of Bessèges then reach the Cévennes village of Peyremale. From there you should climb along a narrow winding road and it gets really pretty! The smells of pines carry you, and the small stone walls that line the route tell you that you are in the mountains. The road goes down a little, goes up, and dances in laces until Vialas.
Day 3: Vialas to Florac (40 km)
The last stage is the shortest, but it is the one where the difference in height is the most important. From Vialas, you climb again along a road bordered by a small stone wall which crosses hamlets lonely. From time to time, the view opens onto the hills or you cross a stream by a pretty stone bridge. The ascent is about ten kilometres, take your time! The landscapes are absolutely beautiful, hilly, wooded, green or orange in the fall. At the top, the Col de la Croix-de-Berthel offers you a well-deserved reward: a beautiful and long descent to Pont-de-Montvert!
In this pretty village, you can take a break for lunch on one of the many café and restaurant terraces with Mont Lozere in background. Here, you are on the famous Stevenson path, and you will come across many hikers, on foot, by bike, and perhaps even with a donkey… After a short climb to leave the village, you will descend again to your arrival point: Florac. The route we recommend follows the Tarn gorges. On the other side of the river, you will see the Château de Miral (13th century). The last stretch of road is busy, finally you will arrive at Florac, which is home to the headquarters of the Cévennes National Park.
Discover the panoramas of the Ardèche gorges road
Canyons and meanders, plateaus, caves, theArdeche and its rapids: the tourist route of the Ardèche gorges begins in Saint-Martin d’Ardèche (which you can reach from Bourg-Saint-Andéol) and takes you for 29 km of incredible panoramas to Vallon-Pont-d ‘Bow. Take the time to stop at the lookouts to observe the local flora and fauna. You will come across vultures, peregrine falcons, otters and beavers.
⋙ France: 7 stories of explorers on bicycles on side roads
➤ Article published in the magazine GEO Special Edition La France à vélo, June-July 2022.
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