May 19, 2023
Manosque to Cucuron
We rose early after a solid night's sleep recovering from yesterday's big, wet climb. The weather forecast showed a window with little or no rain from 8am to 3pm, which should have given us plenty of time to get to Cucuron and stay dry.
Now we were on the southern flank of the Luberon and off the EuroVelo so the cycling route was all on roads. Rides with GPS seemed to be leading us, more or less, along the signed, Luberon Loop cycle route, so to protect the phone from the occasional rain, the navigator stopped paying attention to the GPS and followed the signs. However, on looking back at the route, we surmised that the local tourism association may influence the signed route as it took us higher and further, right into the villages, while Rides would often skirt the town on a more efficient route. Thus, our first break of the day was off-course, in the hilltop village of Pierrevert where an appealing boulangerie with a few tables out front lured us in for a delayed breakfast amandine croissant and coffees.
For the rest of the morning we made good time, riding up and down gentle hills, through vineyards and villages. Here the farms are smaller, the land is more rugged and overall less prosperous than the fashionable north side, but we liked that it seemed more genuine, less touristy and with fewer travellers on the roads. Our riding conversation kept coming back to eating and how much we appreciate the flavours of good, local, ingredients and fresh made food here in France.
With a loaf of organic bread in our panniers and the rain still holding off, we stopped at a mini grocery store to pick up a local chèvre cheese and a cucumber and started looking for a suitable picnic spot. Then, riding through Pepyin d'Aigues, we came upon the perfect village cafe: the Cafe du Luberon with its red chequered tables set under a wide plane tree beside the fountain. When we saw the all-fish special du midi, we had to stay. The food was delicious, the setting was marvellous and the time flew by so when we got up from the table at 2:45pm, we were full, happy and seriously behind schedule.
Right at 3:00, the very light drizzle turned to rain and we stopped under a tree to put on the rain gear (which we now keep on top of a specific pannier on days like this). As I struggled to get on my pants without taking off my shoes, Ann started chatting with a lady passing by. She told us she lived in the village and that it never rains like this in May! Five minutes later, we were still there hoping the rain would let up when she came back and offered us shelter at her home. For the next hour we sat by the fire and drank coffee while 88 year-old Janine told us all about growing up and old in the village, her kids and grandchildren and how she makes cherry jam. When the rain stopped she encouraged me to go pick some cherries, then insisted we take a jar of her jam, and bid us adieu. Warm, energized and reassured of the goodness of people, we headed back out.
Soon it was raining again so by the time we got to the campground we were wet. This was the most simple campground yet, with a couple dozen sites, lots of trees and the reception/service block fashioned from (slightly) refurbished farm outbuildings. It was raining hard when I went back to finish the registration, only to find that madame had kindly moved a table and some chairs to where the tractors used to park so we could have a dry place to eat! Our planned picnic lunch became supper and, grateful for a good tent that stayed dry, the serendipity of touring and the kindness of strangers, we slept well.
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Today's ride: 42 km (26 miles)
Total: 1,091 km (678 miles)
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