Day 11 - Day Ride to Gorges du Nan - Gorging in France ...Then Basquing in the Pyrenees - 2023

April 28, 2023

Day 11 - Day Ride to Gorges du Nan

Our Last Feast in the Vecors

If you lived here or visited often, and had ridden these roads say 63 times, this would just be another normal day. We haven’t, and although it’s our third day of riding in the Vercors and it becoming a bit familiar, it was still stunning.

We’re following another Team Anderson / Jacquie Gaudet route up to Malleval en Vercors and then right back down again through the Gorges du Nan. Ho Hum.

There’s no lengthy lead up or description for today. It was pretty straightforward; after breakfast we had our first stop after 50 m at the boulangerie to get our daily sandwich and cookies. We then started climbing immediately up the no-numbered white roads on the north side of the Bourne gorge before topping out 20 km’s and 1000 m higher just above Malleval. Easy Peasy.

It was another beautiful morning and the scenery was as stunning as always. Once again we had the entire area to ourselves. We saw one ‘white van’ probably carrying a trades person to a job, one postal van and two cyclists …. And it was a Friday before a long weekend (Monday is May Day, if you think France is shut on most Sunday’s … wait till 1st May!).

I think we hit our max elevation of the tour so far at 1280 m, but since it wasn’t a col there was no sign to commemorate the moment. We found a tree and prominent rock to stand in.

We then had a really fun and fast 5 km downhill run into Malleval where we had our lunch, by ourselves, on the side of the road, marvelling at our good fortune to be here.

After Malleval the road steepened and we were in the Gorges du Nan, or so we thought. K and I were remarking how this gorge was different but no less interesting than the others we’ve been in so far, then we came across the sign marking the beginning of the Gorges du Nan. Okay, now we get the real thing. It was a little bit of a mini replay of yesterday with amazing balcony roads built in the most improbable location, followed by a high speed scream down to the Isére valley for a final 20 km leisurely ride back to Pont en Royans.

Just another day at the office. We really like our work though! Let’s see the pic’s.

Straight up, straight down. Keeping things simple.

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Deja Vu all over again. Heading out from Hotel de l’eau

Another picture perfect day of riding ahead,

The first km or so was back up the Bourne gorge

After gaining about 200 m elevation this is the view to the south and the south west end of the Bourne gorge

Same view after 400 m of elevation, also later in the morning and the photo quality is fading (or is that hazing) with the rising sun.

And here come K. This was close to the end of the steeper initial sections of the climb where we had to make our way out of the Bourne gorge.

The final push up the initial climb. One small balcony road section up ahead, Another ‘amuse bouche’ for the main event coming up.

Our final look back to Pont en Royans. It’s tucked into the narrow slot in the gorge, just out of sight.

You can just make out the road just below the cliff band

Triple header for this shot, now from after 600 m of climbing

To me, this looks like an Easter Island statue writ large. Look close and you can spot K

After all that, we once again popped out into broad alpine valleys for the final, gentler, climb

After 20 km’s of climbing, our high point at 1280 m. No col sign so we had to make up our own,

A really fun and fast 5 km downhill to Malleval en Vercors for a roadside lunch. A COMPLETE lack of any other vehicles. We had this place to ourselves

The view from our lunchtime roadside stop. You can see the demarcation of spring in the trees. Still a few weeks away in the higher country.

Malleval was a centre for le Resistance during WWII. This monument is by a local sculptor in honour of all of the local population that fought and perished

And now for the main course … its the Gorges du Nan

Thank you for the overhead wire netting!

Oops! Here’s the start of the real thing!

Another deja vu all over again but still spectacular.

And we even had to share the road with a few other vehicles!

But by and large, we had it you ourselves. Spectacular. So close to the towns below, linearly, but so far above them.

63 repeat rides to go before this will ever get boring

Running out of words before the road runs out !!!

Finally out of the balcony section and we still have a long way to drop to get to the valley bottom!

… But we made it. Believe it or not, that is the gorge we came down. Hard to fathom from here.

More than a week into France and no chicken pic’s!!! We’ll fix that.

After a leisurely 20 km’s or so along the relatively flat Isére valley we are getting back to Pont en Royans. A new approach and a new perspective

There are only a few bars/cafe’s open in Pont en Royans. This is the first, and only, one we’ve been to. Near our hotel and and nice little patio across the street from the bar for our post ride debriefs.

Beautiful fresh ‘new season’ ivy growing along the rock wall that shelters, and provides afternoon heat to the bar / cafe patio.

SOTD Bombay Diner by Jesse Cook. Jesse’s a Canadian Rumba / Latin guitar virtuoso having a go at a more Indian influenced piece here. Well and truly a tangle of cultures.

When I first heard and saw the Gorges of Nan, I couldn’t get the image out of my head (still can’t) of a hot, steamy, soft slightly charred and fragrant nan bread emerging from a tandoori oven. No matter that it’s the name of a French river, my image persists, as does Jesse’s tune. Cultural mash up meeting! And it’s a great tune that fits the day, slightly spicy but more mellow than the days before. Enjoy.

Here’s to another great day, our last in the Vercors. We earned our full size bevies today!

Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 386 km (240 miles)

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Lisa BaptieOk, totally missed signing up to Cycleblaze in a timely fashion, but finally did it today 😑
Amazing scenery, thank you so much for sharing. It has definitely spurred my excitement about a trip to the area. I really appreciate your entries, it’s nice to get a little bit of “Lyle” humour!!
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1 year ago

Lyle McLeodTo Lisa BaptieThanks for following along Lisa!
This trip has been one amazing area after another. Such different landscapes and terrain.
Any one of the area’s you and your family would love.
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1 year ago