We'll, I'm getting seriously behind. The days are just too full - we've been getting back to the room just before sundown nearly every night for a week, and I'm just not getting the time in to keep current. The good news//bad news is that this incredible journey is nearly done - we fly home Friday - and once we're home I'll have the time to catch up and close this out. For now, I'll prioritize getting the photos in. You'll have to let them pique your imagination until I fill in some details.
Briefly though, today was extraordinary, probably the most scenic day of the tour. The Navacelles Cirque has to be seen to believed. Today at least, I'm of the mind that this must be the premier Natural site in France; if not, then certainly very high on a short list. The riding was brilliant, featuring the best descent of the tour, barreling down from Navacelles to Ganges along the spectacular Vis Gorge. And we could not have hoped for a better day to be here - the autumn colors on the Causse and in the cirque were indescribable.
We'll begin the day as we ended it yesterday, admiring this beautiful child on the Best Bridge of the Tour. I'd forgotten that I took this photo of her turning my way after the previous one, until I unloaded it this morning.
6:30 AM, still over an hour before dawn, and suddenly there's quiet commotion beneath our window. When we get up an hour later, we find that Ganges has been transformed overnight - Sunday is the morning for their flea market. Then, a bit shocked at the realization, I see that I'm standing stark naked in front of an open window, staring out at a street full of people.
The flea market, Ganges. Our room is on the first floor, center of the balcony. You could imagine it's still a bit dark and I'm there looking out, exposed to the world; but I don't recommend it. Not a pretty sight.
The Church of Saint Pierre, Ganges. It's new, built in the 1800's to replace the earlier one destroyed in 1591 in the Wars of religion. A yet older one existed before that, dating back to probably the sixth century. Ganges is an old, important market town, know in Roman days. It's name is a variant of its original Roman name, d'Aganticum.
The war memorial, Ganges. As far as I can recall this is the only war memorial I've seen commemorating the survivors, the widows and their children. Moving in a different way, and leads you to think again about a scene you see in every town in the country.
Another scene from the flea market. It's a pretty modest market, but Ganges also has an important, well regarded market on Friday's. I imagine it takes over the town much like the huge, sprawling one in Pezenas does.
A mural commemorating Ganges' silk stocking industry. Ganges, with its abundant water supplies, was reknowned for producing the country's finest silk stockings.
Lucie Aubrac, a noteable leader of the French Resistance in the Second World War, recipient of the Legion of Honor for her war heroism. The library on the left is named for her, so perhaps she had a connection to this pace - she operated in Sourhern France during the war.
Today's ride begins here, crossing the Vis River over the Pont Vieux in Ganges. It's another fine old medieval structure. I see that the judges may have pronounced a Best Bridge winner too soon, before all the contestants were given consideration.
A wier on the Vis River. I had never heard of this short river before planning this tour, but it runs a spectacular course, rising in the Cevennes and emptying into the Herault at Ganges.
The last few days have pleased me, with the reddening Ivy breaking out in full force. It's something I hoped to see on this trip, a refresher for a memory I've held for twenty-five years from our first tour in France.
This is really lush, wild country. I believe we are passed by only a single car on this hour-long climb. The mottling on the pavement is chestnut burrs - they aren't predominant here, but a few chestnut trees are scattered in the mix.
Surprise! No pavement! The road rises another six hundred feet in its final mile, all on this rough, clayish, fortunately bone dry road. We bike when we can, but mostly push the remaining distance.
There were two of these structures next to each other, painting a Neolithic scene. I don't recognize them. They're hollow, open to the sky, windowed. Some sort of residential structure, or maybe an oven? Anybody?
At the top, looking across the Causse de Blandas. Rachael is hoping that her phone camera can capture some of the astonishing color in the hills. I'm just hoping the roof doesn't collapse under her, and do my best to urge her down.
At the base of the cirque, in the tiny village of Navacelles (what a place to live!). Freshening up for the long climb out. Ice cream, Bierce pression - everybody's happy.
Yet one more pass through the causse. Brilliant at end of day. We're starting to get a bit anxious about our time though, hoping we haven't miscalculated. It gets dark early in the gorges.
The poster for the second annual Ganges 1900 festival. Pretty daring, but appropriate - back in the day, Ganges was the premier location in France for manufacturing silk stockings
The third staging of Ganges 1900. Sorry, you missed it - as did we. It was held for ten consecutive years on the first weekend of September. 2016 was the final run.
