A loop in Beaujolais

May 12, 2022

We slept with our window open last night which was very pleasant at first but may have been unwise. At 5:30 the crows woke up, and within a minute so did Team Anderson. We gave it about ten minutes before we couldn’t take it any longer and closed the window, but by then it was too late to have any hope of getting back to sleep.

The crows are awesome, and our accommodations are comfortable at the Best Western here - especially agreeable for the fact that they have an espresso machine in the common area downstairs so that we can go down and help ourselves as long as we’re awake early anyway. Other than this though we can’t claim to be especially enamored by Villefranche-Sur-Saone; and if we pass through here again someday we’d probably study the map and find a different stopover.

As long as we’re here though we’re glad we stayed two nights so that we could enjoy today’s loop ride through Beaujolais, a small administrative region best known for its apparently distinctive wines. Neither half of the team is in any way a wine connoisseur- one half doesn’t drink, and the other half can’t taste or smell - but we’re both definitely fans of cycling through the wine country here with all of its charms.

With a dense network of small roads to choose from I have no difficulty picking out a route for the day. It looks challenging with some substantial climbing and two minor passes involved so I review it first with Rachael to get her buy-in. She gives it the once over, sees that there’s no 20% pushers or gravel stretches to be endured, and nods in agreement. We’re out the door before nine, getting an early start to get the climbing miles in before the day heats up and hopefully getting back before the slight bit of rain in the forecast arrives. Within a mile we’re out of town, biking west and gradually climbing.

Saint Pancrace Church, Denice. Notice also the wall of golden-stone buildings on the right. This is the predominant look here, with many buildings and walls constructed from what looks like golden sandstone.

The doorway of Saint Pancrace Church is worth a second glance as we climb through the village.

The ride begins with a pair of short rollers, the first two of the eleven climbs that register on the climbing page of our Garmins. It’s a day with few flat miles to the profile, but there’s nothing severe. It’s mostly up for the first dozen miles, but the gradient is modest as we climb toward the first of three saddles. After the first five miles we’re climbing above a creek through the woods at a steady 4-5% until we near the summit when suddenly the views open up for us.

Chateau de Montmelas ahead. This is the best look we’ll get of it though. Soon we’ll be in the woods and climbing, circling around the ridge behind it.

The horse chestnuts have passed their blooming period, but the locusts are filling the void.

Just below the summit of the first climb we break out of the trees and get this view back.

I find Rachael waiting at the top of the first and longest climb. There’s another fine view here, with a panel identifying the prominent features in the distance. We stop for a quick look and then drop through the first of two deep V’s - drop four hundred feet, climb out to a low pass, then repeat. After that it’s fairly steeply downhill for the next four miles, dropping 1,200’ and riding the brakes on a road that’s too steep, narrow and twisted to fully enjoy. It’s a relief when we finally bottom out and start rolling through the vineyards.

The view from the first summit. The information panel says that the Jura Mountains are visible to the far right, but it’s too hazy for that this morning.

It’s beautiful through the highest part of the ride, with the roadside lined with scotch broom.

These bikers were picnicking at the last summit and offered to take our photos together. We declined, but appreciated them coming along later to add some action to this shot.

We stop for lunch in Quincié-en-Beaujolais, a small wine village where Rachael is excited to find an excellent boulangerie. She comes out with an amande rocher cone, but talks excitedly about the quiches and other enticements we could have had for lunch instead. She encourages me to take a photo of it but I get distracted by a common wood pigeon on the opposite side of the square, and forget.

The remaining miles back to town are a beautiful ride, rolling through Beaujolais’ famous vineyards and villages. It’s a modest roller coaster the whole way - nothing taxing, but on a day where we approach 4,000’ of climbing we’re happy enough when we come to the final coast into town.

In Odenas, passing beneath the seventh banner honoring something or other - first honoring 10 years, then 20, then 30, and so on. If this keeps up much longer they’ll have to lengthen Main Street.

Mont Brouilly prominently rises above the vineyards of Beaujolais.

Chateau des Tours claims to have been producing wine since the twelfth century.

Looking down on Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières.

Video sound track: Sunflower, by Milt Jackson

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Ride stats today: 38 miles, 3,900’; for the tour: 1,714 miles, 87,200’

Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 1,714 miles (2,758 km)

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