September 28, 1993
To Comps-sur-Artuby
This was a very fine day, one of the best of the tour by my book but probably with a bit more climbing than Rachael would have preferred (Ed: it looks like it was about 5,800'). At day's end we are up around a thousand meters above sea level, after about a half-dozen medium and one very long climb. The countryside has become progressively more attractive as we move north, and by day's end it is stunning.
We were greeted at breakfast by a nearly singsong Bon Jour from our host - a man with a very ebullient, sunny personality. Happily, he mirror's the day's weather which is likewise sunny - although as we discover when we leave the room, it is very cold with a brisk, biting west wind.
After five more miles of city we left the coast at last at Frejus, on a fairly quiet secondary route toward Bagnols-en-Foret. The traffic level quickly tapered off, leaving us cycling through quiet forests which gradually transitioned from evergreen to oak as we moved inland. By the time we turned off onto an even smaller road at Saint-Paul-en-Foret, there was virtually no traffic at all.
We enjoyed a pleasant repast at Claviers, a tiny village perched on a saddle between two knolls, sitting on a ledge overlooking Bargemon, another montane village about five miles away, nestled against a ridge on the other side of a stream valley. After our break we dropped to the stream, climbed back up to Bargemon, and then continued climbing - and climbing, to a pass at 900+ meters having fine views all around. The next 15k or so beyond this crossed a fairly barren upland plateau - barren, except for the occasional tank or other military vehicle, since this is a military reservation.
Off the reservation again, we were delighted to be delayed by a thousand or so sheep slowly working their way across the road, tended by several Alsatian hounds - one of which snarled menacingly our way when we ventured too near its flock.
Beyond this, a beautiful grey/pink range loomed to the north; and our route veered to the west along its base to Comps-sur-Artuby, our day's destination. The last 10k of the day were through beautiful alpine pasture. Riding was very cold, biking directly into an icy headwind. We were both well pleased to arrive and warm up at the hotel. Shortly thereafter we scouted the town for a meal and ended up with carrots, grapes, bread, vache cheese and chocolate. We climbed the knoll behind the town to a lovely lokout and enjoyed our first course before the frigid winds chased us back to our room for the night.
Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 1,621 km (1,007 miles)
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