September 6, 1997
To Ispagnac
Our major decision for the day was which route to take to Florac. We could choose between the high route: Le Corniche Cevennes, which follows a ridge through a series of passes, presumably with continuously splendid panoramic views; or the quieter low route which follows tributaries of the Gard and Tarn. We chose the low road, and were appreciative throughout the day as we enjoyed close up views of small villages and farms and an almost total absence of traffic. We encountered only one significant climb - a steady, ten km ascent of a low pass (962 meters) between the two major watersheds. We were in coo, lush country for much of the day, with dense shestnut forests as the primary vegetation.
We took a picnic break in St Andre, lunching on purchases from the bakery as we sat on a bench over the river, enjoying watching the children playing on the shore and the carp fighting the current beneath our feet. In Florac, we loitered awhile as we decided whether to stop for the day before finally electing to continue on to Ispagnac once we were informed that hotels were available there. After pausing to cool ourseves with ice cream cones we continued on to Ispagnac - a lovely, characteristically French village - the prettiest place we've stayed thus far on this trip by my way of thinking. We had a lovely room with a view over the valley and neighboring hills. After showering, we walked down by the river a bit and then settled in to a a pizzeria on a quiet sidestreet. This was the most satisfying day of the tour so far.
Today's ride: 56 miles (90 km)
Total: 276 miles (444 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 0 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |