Cevennes / Ardeche

alpinerider

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Recently returned from eight day trip Cevennes / Ardeche
Thought I would post to let you know if you havn,t been what a great place it is
Normally I would head straight for the Alps somewhere but as it was this time of year thought better off it.
Blast down from Calais to somewhere an hour south Clermont Ferrand found me in under the Millau bridge around lunch time on day two.
Stayed in Les Vignes at nice place , Le maison tranquille . Very nice with Jess & Lynn the English owners looking after you. Incidently its for sale if any of you fance that sort of thing. Pretty much captive in the venings as not much else there in the village.
Couple of nights I was the only guest and that was the theme for pretty much the whole of my holiday, I virtually had the place to myself. No camper vans , cars or vans with Kayaks hanging off them at all and I swear on a couple of outings I rode forty five mins without seeing another veichle.
Wont go into detail regarding routes ect as other than the obligotory trip West to get photo under the Millau bridge most of my riding was done to the East of Mende using the Michelin Map Ardeche Haute Loire # 331.
Longest day ride out was over to the Ardeche Gorge N88 D 239 / D24 / D4 /D290 and return pretty much all the way back on the D901 , 220 mile plus and I recall only 10KM of road ( D239 ) south off the N102 which was not in 100% perfect condition, the rest was !
Unbelievable riding and over the four days I would be hard presed to pick a favourite stretch of road as all superb in their own waybut possibly the D906 Portes - Villaforte.
Make sure if you go that you visit both the Tarn and Ardech gorges, they are not the same , Tarn is rode at river level and Ardeche around the top of the Gorge.
Biggest dissapointment was the Cascade du Rhuins ? Walked quite a way in sweltering heat down a rocky path to take a photo of a mediocre waterfall from a decked out platform, nearly died on walk back up dressind in full bike gear.
Took detour en route back home to watch my brother cycle up Alpe,dHuez staying in the campsite ( In Chalet cabin )right at the foot La Piscine. and other than that found nice pass I had never done before Col d,Ornon solude before setting off home
Stayed in Family place just outside Troye at 35 Euro b& B rather than the F1 type of thing and was let on Tunnel three hours early than booked on way home
Eight days
2850 miles
1190 KTM ( sore arse by the time arrived home)
Superb
Highly recommend ,could easily spend a lot longer there

Tony
 
Shame there's no piccies...
Sounded like a cracking trip though..

:thumb
 
It's a great area.

I stayed a couple of nights in Meyrueis - charming small town in the Jonte valley with a choice of hotels along the riverside. River Jonte joins the Tarn at Le Rozier. I was in the Hotel de l'Europe. The dorade I had in the Hotel Sully restaurant was one of the best fish dishes I have eaten.

Library image:
800px-Jonte_%C3%A0_Meyrueis.JPG
 
Recently returned from eight day trip Cevennes / Ardeche
Thought I would post to let you know if you havn,t been what a great place it is
Normally I would head straight for the Alps somewhere but as it was this time of year thought better off it.
Blast down from Calais to somewhere an hour south Clermont Ferrand found me in under the Millau bridge around lunch time on day two.
Stayed in Les Vignes at nice place , Le maison tranquille . Very nice with Jess & Lynn the English owners looking after you. Incidently its for sale if any of you fance that sort of thing. Pretty much captive in the venings as not much else there in the village.
Couple of nights I was the only guest and that was the theme for pretty much the whole of my holiday, I virtually had the place to myself. No camper vans , cars or vans with Kayaks hanging off them at all and I swear on a couple of outings I rode forty five mins without seeing another veichle.
Wont go into detail regarding routes ect as other than the obligotory trip West to get photo under the Millau bridge most of my riding was done to the East of Mende using the Michelin Map Ardeche Haute Loire # 331.
Longest day ride out was over to the Ardeche Gorge N88 D 239 / D24 / D4 /D290 and return pretty much all the way back on the D901 , 220 mile plus and I recall only 10KM of road ( D239 ) south off the N102 which was not in 100% perfect condition, the rest was !
Unbelievable riding and over the four days I would be hard presed to pick a favourite stretch of road as all superb in their own waybut possibly the D906 Portes - Villaforte.
Make sure if you go that you visit both the Tarn and Ardech gorges, they are not the same , Tarn is rode at river level and Ardeche around the top of the Gorge.
Biggest dissapointment was the Cascade du Rhuins ? Walked quite a way in sweltering heat down a rocky path to take a photo of a mediocre waterfall from a decked out platform, nearly died on walk back up dressind in full bike gear.
Took detour en route back home to watch my brother cycle up Alpe,dHuez staying in the campsite ( In Chalet cabin )right at the foot La Piscine. and other than that found nice pass I had never done before Col d,Ornon solude before setting off home
Stayed in Family place just outside Troye at 35 Euro b& B rather than the F1 type of thing and was let on Tunnel three hours early than booked on way home
Eight days
2850 miles
1190 KTM ( sore arse by the time arrived home)
Superb
Highly recommend ,could easily spend a lot longer there

Tony
Photos :)
 

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Many thanks for this.... heading that way for week in September. :thumby:
 


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