September 15, 2024
Pont en Royans
A Hike in the Sunshine
What a wonderful day we had. We began with an even more leisurely breakfast than usual, secure in the knowledge that we were here for another day. Three cheers for rest days!
Over breakfast we discussed routing going forward and have made what we hope turn out to be good decisions. That was time well spent. One good laugh, Keith was astonished at how cheap hotels were in Valence. Fortunately he realized he was checking hotels in South America before he booked anything. Once happy with our routing we did a wander about town, which was remarkably lively. I had thought it would be as quiet as only French towns can be on a Sunday, but this is a popular spot.
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Then more exploration in this stunning part of France. We decided to hike up to the Belévèdere des 3 Cháteaux. It was a great decision. The sun was out, the temperature was still cool, but we warmed up quickly as the 2.5 km up to the Belévèdere was steep. It started with what felt like hundreds of steps. Then on to a steep trail that was exposed in a few places. For one short stretch it was almost like climbing a ladder. There were so many butterflies which gives me some hope for the planet. When we got to the top it was magnificent. I love hiking.
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https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49133-Vanessa-atalanta/browse_photos?place_id=6753
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https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/147298-Lasiommata-megera/browse_photos
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https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/123629-Lasiommata-maera/browse_photos
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Maybe a wall brown.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/147298-Lasiommata-megera
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https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/55641-Polyommatus-icarus
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After that initial ascent we continued to the next peak for more views. The scenery was just fantastic. We hiked for three hours but only managed 9 km. It was pretty slow going both up and down. We stopped at one point for a picnic lunch and it was an opportunity to reflect on our good fortune.
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Then onto the valley floor where we paralleled the river and the road for a bit. The scenery was still terrific.
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We were back at the hotel about 4 PM, and we discussed hopping on the bikes and heading down the road for a hour or so, just to see more of this part of the world. Truth in reporting, we had a beer and a good nap instead. That was pretty magnificent too! Our excuse was the wind, which had piped right up, and the number of motorcycles out on a sunny Sunday.
A wonderful dinner and we are ready to ride tomorrow, which also promises to be a beautiful day. Windy though, just to keep things interesting.
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