Reillanne to Manosque

June 7, 2023

Last of The Luberon

A profile of our day, though we will skip the observatory.

A wonderful day’s cycling. We start early, a little unsure of what the Eurovelo 8 trail to Manosque will be like. Up at the shops above the Place du Liberation, we buy a baguette and deux chausson aux pommes. We meet a Dutch couple getting ready to leave and Ann gives them advice on the route from Komoot. We will continue to come across them all the way to Forcalquier.

It’s a misty morning and we pass by green fields and a few livestock- mainly sheep and goats. The trail climbs a little at first, then as the hills close in, it’s a twisting path that’s mainly flat following the Largue river. You might say we’re on the Largue.

The woods close in and it’s a quiet and peaceful ride apart from bird calls.

Then the trail emerges from following the bubbling Largue to a more open landscape. There’s a brief period on the road which has the Via Domitia sign. You do wonder what this road was actually like in Roman times- how many travellers was one likely to encounter ? Not too many on bikes though. Maintenance must have been an issue, though with slaves….

Built in 121 BC., the Via Domitia connects the Italian peninsula to Hispania, the Iberian peninsula, bypassing the Mediterranean basin.

There are now towns appearing on hills around us and we continue following the EV8. We resist the temptation to climb up to the St Michel observatory, but can see its white spherical shape on the hillside in the distance, along with other observatory posts.

We now approach Forcalquier- having reached this point more quickly than we expected. There’s a bit of a steepish climb, which is less of a killer than the profile in the tourist booklet has led us to expect, and soon we’re in the main place where we have an early lunch in the shade. The sky has cleared by now and there’s heat in the air.

Notre-Dame-du-Bourguet - very stark and simple interior.

Commemorating Margaret of Provence, born in Forcalquier, and married at age 13 to King Louis 1X of France.

Lunch over, we explore a little, then find the EV8 sign and start a gradual descent. There are still a few climbs, but most are short. We are cycling along ridges on our downward trajectory. There are two gigantic rocks in the distance that look as though they are guarding a pass, which they may be. We skirt around them and at Volx are right under one of them.

Clearly branded sheep. Possibly providing milk for cheese. Their guard dog made sure we didn’t hang about.

There’s a steepish downhill descent to Volx and a stop for water.

It seems Manosque is very close, but in fact, we have to do a bit of ducking and diving, even along a large canal, before we reach the old part of the city, and take time to find the incredibly elusive La Rue Potier where awaits our apartment. We eventually locate the street, meet our host, and find we have an apartment with a view and all the mod cons.

After recuperating, we manage to make it to Monoprix just before closing time. Have to say, the novelty of French supermarkets, or any supermarkets for that matter, has definitely worn off. Still, with a stout Normandy cheese, a bottle of local Providence red, and a crisp baguette or two, it would be churlish to complain.

Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 1,682 km (1,045 miles)

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