May 10, 2022
To Meymac
Today’s ride crossed the Parc naturel régional de Millevaches en Limousin, which I interpret as the park of a thousand cows in Limousin, or perhaps a thousand Limousin cattle. Though I saw plenty of cows, the section of the park through which I traveled was remote and wooded, a series of tree-line ridges with an occasional farm with sheep or cattle grazing in small hillside pastures. It is the kind of terrain I love, reminding me a bit rural New England, where small roads twist through woods and suddenly open to views of open meadows on distant slopes. It's not the most spectacular scenery, but it is familiar and fits like a well-worn flannel shirt.
It was an idyllic ride, across one ridge after another, alone with sheep, cattle, occasional wildlife and a multitude of birds. The climbs were often long, but were not too steep, with gradients of 4-5% topping out at 13%. And the descents ranged from delightful to thrilling to scary. What more could you want!
It was to be a long and challenging day so just before nine I pointed Vivien George downhill and left Masserat without taking a proper look about town, just a single photo on my way to the next ridge. It was a pleasant ride to Meilhards along D20, through mostly rolling farm and pastureland. And Meilhards itself seemed like a quite friendly town, with a cheery “Bonjour” from everyone I passed.
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Shortly after Meilhards, I entered the Parc naturel régional de Millevaches en Limousin, again without fanfare or a sign of welcome. The road to Chamberet climbed up through open pastures and wound through the forested slopes and meadows along the ridge. Along the way, I was greeted by sheep and cattle, but few cars. There was a wonderful downhill swoop to the commune of Chamberet, where I enjoyed a coffee and croissant whilst basking in the sun. An old man in a sporty chapeau seemed to take a curious interest in me, willing to offer lots of advice that I failed to understand. Refreshed and invigorated, I was ready to tackle the next ridge – a bit higher and steeper.
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I’d been a bit nervous about the climb past Chamberet - 4.6 mi with a gain of over 1000 ft. My fears were unfounded however as I found this section to be one of my favorite of the day. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely within my wheelhouse – something that gave me confidence and satisfaction. Each curve in the road offered a new viewpoint - to look back on where I’d been and/or to appreciate the park environs. It all seemed more like a State or National park in the US – a largely unpopulated expanse of meadows and forest. After reaching the top of the climb, the road continued undulating before taking me on a fabulous descent through the woods. I was elated, but a bit tired and ready to eat. Finding only an old building to support Vivien George, I sat in the grass and enjoyed some bread and cheese while reliving the wonderful morning I’d just experienced.
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I stayed on the smaller roads for next seven miles to Bugeat, a small town where I’d considered an overnight. Today, however, the town seemed in need of the multiple ongoing construction projects scattered throughout the town. I stopped for an Orangina and ice cream, sitting on the small outside terrace with the proprietor and other customers as they were tearing down a building across the street – a friendly but not relaxing break.
After Bugeat I took to the highway, in this case the larger D979, which I followed the remaining miles to Meymac. It was the most direct route as well as the least difficult, smoothing out the remaining ~1500 ft gain in elevation before dropping down to Meymac. Traffic was light and there was a hint of a shoulder, so I felt safe but a bit bored as the road offered few views or interesting sights. I was therefore delighted to see an elevation marker on the opposite side of the road, one denoting that I’d reached 970 meters, the highest elevation on the departmental roads of Corréze. Not exactly a Col marker, but it’ll do. The descent into Meymac was steep and quick, made a little more harrowing by my least favorite companion – crosswinds.
I found my hotel at the very bottom of the town, arriving about 45 minutes before the 5 pm check-in. When the proprietor arrived, he informed me that all the restaurants in town were closed, except one down at the lake, about 3 km distant. I opted to walk to the nearby bakery where I picked up a green salad, ham baguette, and a piece of flan – I was so hungry that I deemed it to be was one of the best meals of the trip! I went to sleep that night a satisfied and happy biker.
Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 698 miles (1,123 km)
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