September 28, 2022
Frejus to Antibes.
From Sensational Esterel to closed camping hell.
Frejus to Antibes.
From Sensational Esterel to closed camping hell.
67 kilometres
After farewelling our hosts Franceline and Alain, we head for St Raphael. We should perhaps have found it easier going around the shoreline but instead follow the inland road before dropping down to the sea at St Raphael. About where the Cathedral is. From here, the route follows the coast around and shares with the road with cars. There’s a shoulder here and there and the gradient is quite manageable.
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There’s no other word for some parts of the Esterel than amazing. Firstly there are the red cliffs and rocks, which take on a rich timbre depending on the intensity of the sun and the time of day. Then there are the hundred little bays, yet another of which is revealed as we round one of the road’s many bends. Down into these bays run staircases cut into the rocks, some hundreds of steps down. like some crazy Esher drawing.
Of course, the constant is the sea, deep blue and ever enticing. Out on the horizon are sailing craft with many coloured sails. We stopped overnight in our VW Kombi, somewhere here back in 1979. A honeymooning Italian couple parked near us were very taken by our blond, curly haired son and intimated that they would love to produce something just like him. There’s little time for musing though as each turn and climb requires concentration. Traffic is very considerate, but at some points piles up. We come across other touring cyclists but there are many roadies in Lycra, out for the day.
When we reach Theoule- sur Mer we buy some lunch but ride all the way down to Cannes beach front before stopping. The sea here is a beautiful teal blue and there’s kilometres of it, the water with whitecaps whipped up by the wind. It’s a beautiful bord dela mer and a variety of languages can be heard.
From Cannes, Antibes is a short distance, and it is here that we decide to find a campground for the night. Easier said than done! The hunt for a campground seems endless because each we find is closed.
Eventually halfway to Nice, at about 6:00pm we find one due to close tomorrow. It’s not cheap at 24euros .There are trees and somewhere to prepare dinner however. This we do before crawling into our humble abode.
One thing I won’t miss about France is the noise. Campgrounds have surround sound and this one is no exception - trucks and cars on the nearby road, motorbikes, trains on the nearby line, aeroplanes landing and taking off at nearby Nice Airport and last but not least the barking seals at nearby marine land. All contribute to the cacophony from the world outside. Not that it keeps us awake for long- after a day like ours not much can keep us from sleep.
Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 1,564 km (971 miles)
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Questioning the date at top, it only 3 Oct 22 here in Oz.
2 years ago
2 years ago