From just before Montélimar, I start out towards the mythical cycling mountain of the Provence. The weather is dry, but overcast and I make decent progress and when the river breaks through the last hills, I leave the Rhone and head eastwards.
Coming from the northern side, at only 50m elevation above the sea, the mountain is hidden behind low hills and trees for long time, until it finally shows it’s summit in the distance. Looking more like a hill from afar, the scale can only be understood as one comes closer and finally arrives at the foot of the mountain. In my case, that’s Malaucene, but I pass by a bit on the northern side, as I intent to do a gravel route, not the main road. 16 years ago, I went up from the classic road route on other side, from Bedoin. I ride up a small valley with fruit orchards and I’ve groves and the road ends in a hiking trail.
I start walking and hope for the best and after 20 minutes the trail becomes mostly rideable. The trail ends at 1000 m elevation and from here it’s wide forest roads. I’m pumped, but perhaps that’s also du to the 120 km approach. The light rain forecast for the early afternoon has thankfully not arrived yet. At the ski village of Mont Serein I go onto the main road, mostly empty except for a few cyclists coming down. The last 6 kilometres up to the summit get cloudier by the minute and at the top I barely see the base of the famous tower. I put on warm clothes, take a quick bite, strap on my lights and as I start down the first raindrops start falling. I stop again to put on my rain jacket and as I continue, it starts pouring hard. The road becomes a river and with it my plans to ride down some nice gravel go down the drain. I overtake many tenuous road riders who seem less confident in their tires or brakes.
As I arrive in Bedoin it’s clear that the rain will continue for a while, so I check into the local campground, pitch my tent and go for a Pizza. I guess I’ll need to come back again for those trails.
148 km, 1950 m elevation