In continuing with my fanciful idea of telling you where we’re going in the next section of the tour, here’s the plan going in for our journey up the Rhone.  I must say though that I’ve got a pretty weak level of confidence in this forecast.  Much will depend on how the weather holds for us for the next two weeks.  For example, the plan includes a two night stay in Saint Martin d’Ardeche, with an out and back ride up the Ardeche Gorge on our layover day.  We biked the Ardeche on our first trip to Europe 30 years ago and it was one of the highlights of the tour.  I’ve wanted to see it again ever since, but if it’s raining it won’t be much fun.  So we’ll see.

The plan also includes three or four nights in the Vercors, a fantastic cycling region we’ve seen before; and maybe four nights in Annecy.  Of the weather really breaks in our favor though I’d love to squeeze in a few nights in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne for a day ride up to the snow line and a slalom down the astonishing Lacets de Montvernier; but we’ll just have to see how it goes.

For the record, the plan for this phase looked quite different just a week ago, before the broken derailleur disrupted the schedule.  We had planned a loop east through northern Provence and the Drome, with stays in Roussillon and Montbrun-Les-Bains, but those days went to Uzès and a detour to Lunel instead.  C’est La Vie.

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Keith ClassenWith the exception of the first part your proposed route is identical to the one we took on out last tour from Avignon to Lake Annecy. We really enjoyed it and you will too. Your caption under your route says Rhine by the way. Glad the bike issue has been resolved and the missing Garmin made its appearance. Smooth sailing!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Keith ClassenWell I did say Up the Rhine, perhaps. Or perhaps not.
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2 years ago

Rich FrasierScott, have you ever heard of La Dolce Via? It's kind of on your way. Not to complicate your life or anything. :)
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierIs this the bike path from Le Pouzin to Privas? On Google Maps it’s labeled as Voie Douce de la Peyre, but it think it might be the same thing or a part of it at least. Yes, I had seen that. Our tentative plan includes a two night stay in Le Pouzin and an OAB up this thing. It looks like a great day ride.
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2 years ago

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