Entrevaux to Villars-Colmar: Mountain Weather Ahead

June 5, 2017

We awoke to another day of sunshine and the birds chirping up a storm like usual. It was warm enough to have our petit dèjeuner on the patio outside with another french couple. The breakfast table looked out over the goat's pasture. Two of the goats had just been born a month ago.

Baby goats came running when their names were called.

Our plan for today is to ride about 50k over the Colle St. Michel to Villars-Colmar. The weather in this region has a distinct daily pattern: warm days make for humid air which rises and causes heavy black clouds to build up rather quickly. Then, thunder and lightning crack across the sky and the clouds dump their load in a heavy downpour. Finally the sun comes out again. Whether or not you get soaked depends on which valley gets the eye of the storm. Yesterday, it came down on us but we only had about 8k to go to our destination. What would today bring?

Chutes across the road outside Entrevaux to carry water from the hillsides to the river.

It was a glorious gentle ascent all morning for us. When we passed through sunny Annot, their annual 3 day fete was taking place. It was lively with people dressed in Napoleonic costumes, fougasse being chowed on and cannon fire going off every few minutes.

Fougasse for the masses being cut apart with scissors.

The infamous game of boules is a great way to pass an afternoon.

We stopped for coffee, then had to pull ourselves away to begin our ascent of the Colle St. Michel. It was a long gentle grade to the 1430m summit, with views across the valley of a small village, Meailles. There were few cars or motos on our route. We noticed the rail tracks far below which carry a regular local train and a small tourist steam train from Nice. At the summit, we took a break for a drink and snack.

View across to Meailles, with the train tracks below.

The ride down from the summit took us past some fascinating geologic formations. There were huge layers of rock, all at odd angles to the road, some with huge buckles in them. If I knew anything about geology, this would be a much more eloquent description, but alas I am geologically illiterate. We eventually made it down to the valley and continued heading north along the banks of the Verdon River.

View of the next valley taken from our long cruise downhill.

Soon, we were ascending the next valley and the clouds became thicker and darker by the minute. We took cover under a viaduct that was carrying a gushing torrent of water overhead from the mountain above as the rain began to pelt on us.

Shelter #1, an elaborate chute over the road was doing its job dumping water into the nearby Verdon river.

Shelter #2, a carport on the way to our chambre d'hote.

When the rain subsided somewhat, we carried on to our destination at the tiny village of Villars-Colmar and discovered that our chambre d'hote was in the highest location in the entire village. Ok, I confess it was my choice but didn't realize its elevation at the time I booked it. The bonus was that it has a spa in it so we wasted no time in getting into the jetted hot tub on arrival. The clouds enveloped us and the rain carried on for quite some time. Our fingers were crossed it would be sunny in the morning for the big day ahead of us.

Today's ride: 58 km (36 miles)
Total: 764 km (474 miles)

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