Millau to La Malène

October 11, 2023

A Top Ten Ride

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Cycle touring doesn’t really get any better than today. It was a planned short day so that we could really savour the adventure. We had seen other Cycleblazer’s pictures and the real thing wowed us.

We felt very relaxed this morning and that was a good thing. We enjoyed breakfast, checked out, did one last spin around Millau and then went straight back to the hotel for a forgotten water bottle.

The rest of the story is best told in pictures. It was a spectacular ride. Big open vistas at the start and then the Gorges du Tarn. It was a beautiful ride from the start, but the gorge was absolutely spectacular.

Yesterday when we arrived at the hotel there were so many of these enjoying a perfect day. We couldn’t figure out where they land.

Wide open at the start and just beautiful.

Zoomed in picture of the top of the hill

Is it a rocky outcropping or an old castle? Seems it is both.

A mention has to be made about the weather. It has been outstanding and we have a few more days of this to enjoy before we may need to add a layer. We feel very fortunate to be seeing such gorgeous (I snuck that pun in) scenery in perfect conditions for it. We stopped for our picnic in Le Rozier and then the beauty kicked up a notch or ten.

It was us and a lovely elderly woman who had an ancient house hanging off the cliff with a beautiful terrace. We had a chat in fractured French and it was delightful. To be fair, her French was excellent. Mine was not, but she was very encouraging.

More tunnels. The perfect kind. Short, sweet and beautiful.

Another great couple we met in La Croze, Katherine and Laurent. He told us it can be very busy in the summer. We hardly saw a car today.

When I was standing here two French (I assume) military jets went over. The sound was like no other and scared the living daylights out of me. And you should have seen them. Those incredibly high tech jets. No pictures. They move at the speed of sound.

More climbers. We could hear them but they were hard to spot.

We have ended our day in La Malène in a castle like property. We enjoyed a beer on the patio before we even had a shower. We have a 7 PM dinner reservation and look forward to it. This is a remarkable corner of the world.

The man who checked us in was the receptionist, bar tender, server, bicycle parking attendant and just terrific. A hard worker with a great attitude. Dinner has now been enjoyed and was one of the best meals of the trip.

Today was such a beautiful day to be on a bike in such a beautiful part of the world. We are feeling very grateful to be here, doing this. Especially now, when it is basically car free and so blissfully quiet. As Keith said, it was a top ten day.

Today's ride: 44 km (27 miles)
Total: 916 km (569 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	10
Comment on this entry	Comment	5

Janice BranhamWow. This was an amazing ride. Thanks for taking us along.
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1 year ago

Jacquie GaudetI can’t wait to ride here. Had to postpone from this year (I should have been there about now) but next year for sure!
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Jacquie GaudetI have been thinking of you as we ride this area and noting the abundance of campgrounds around, and they all look great, but most seem to be closed now. Probably shut down October 1? That is just a guess.
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Janice BranhamIt is a stunning landscape for sure. If we had time we would do a boat trip or canoe down the river, but our weather is going to change soon and we want to see the rest in the sunshine.
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1 year ago

Scott FenwickTotally agree with the CN, rates as a top ten ride on a sunny day. Ours was early May of 2022. Thanks for sharing yours!
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1 year ago