To Coustellet / Gordes loop

October 1, 2024

To Coustellet

We haven’t left Orgon yet so there’s still time to share this good reference I found last night describing Orgon and its history. There’s enough else to talk about today though that I’ll let it speak for itself.

Our ride begins just as I’d hoped for, with blue skies and the sun in the east brightly illuminating the cliffs and the remains of the ruined castle as we bike north toward the bridge across the Durance.

As I hoped, we get a better view of the ruined castle as we leave town this morning.

The castle ruins are from the 17th century castle built by the Duke of Guise. It superceded the original castle from centuries earlier, which was used as a prison in the 13th century during the Crusades against the Albigensians.

This newer castle was ordered dismantled by Cardinal Richelieu, and its stone was used for building materials in the village.

Shortly before we reach the bridge we return to the EV8 and its cycle path and enjoy easy riding the rest of the way to our day’s destination Coustellet, an effortless eleven miles away. There’s nothing to tempt us about Coustellet itself other than its hotel, which lets us break up the ride to Apt. our traverse of Cavaillon goes much more smoothly than it did two years ago because this time we stay on the main EV8 route through the small city which is well marked, safe, and easy to follow. Last time we were here we were in need of lunch so we took the spur to the city center, an option we don’t especially recommend.

Crossing the Durance at Cavaillon we get a fair view of Mont Ventoux.

East of Cavaillon on the bike path/EV8. They aren’t purple at this time of year, but the lavender fields in Autumn have their own distinct beauty.

As is our standard practice now, we stop for lunch when we reach Coustellet before proceeding to our nearby hotel. In a good break for us the hotel advertises that we can check in as early as one. When we get there though we find that the Booking information is incorrect and we can’t check in until two; but in another good break the hotel has an attached cafe so we sit in the shade of an umbrella and refresh ourselves with ice cream: two scoops of pistachio for Rachael, and a heaping mix of chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut for myself. Its as good a place to digest lunch as any, and more comfortable than our shoebox room once we get access to it.

We have plenty of day left and enough energy to do something else with it, so around four we each go our separate ways to explore the surroundings.

Sound track: Never Make a Promise, by Smooth Jazz All Stars

Rachael’s hike

Rachael has had some disappointments with her hikes lately (well, not that lately, because until quite recently she hasn’t really been hiking at all); so when I return later I’m elated to hear her speak so enthusiastically about the one I’d mapped out for her - an out and back into the hills north of town to a place described as a viewpoint.

Everything about it is good, and the views from the top to the Luberon Range and down to the deep canyon dropping below her lookout receive rave reviews - although she’s sorry that the photos don’t quite capture what a great spot it is. And in other excellent news, her foot doesn’t bother or hinder her at all. Her stretching exercises definitely seem to be helping.

Climbing away from the vineyards at the base of the valley.

It’s steeper and deeper than it looks here. At the bottom is La Sorgue, nearly a thousand feet below.

The view south to the Luberons Range. That sprawl in the foreground must be Coustallet.

Sound track: For Free, by Joni Mitchell

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Gordes loop

As I’ve mentioned several times in the past, the walls of our condo in Portland were lined with framed enlarged photographs from several of our earliest European bike tours. We’ve still kept them all and they’re stuffed away in our storage unit somewhere, waiting for the day that we settle down again.

One of those photographs was of Gordes, the perched village in the Luberons that we biked past on a memorable day in our first tour of Europe, the day we ‘did the Luberons’, biking all the way from Pertuis in the south to Carpentras in the north and biking through or past Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Ménerbes, the Beaumettes, Gordes and the Senanque Abbey. Much too fast to do this wonderful region justice of course, but that’s how we travelled back then.

Although we didn’t plan our stay with this in mind, Gordes is less than fifteen miles from our hotel. Close enough for an afternoon ride as long as I’m mindful of the time. I map out a route for myself that fits the time box I’ve got and minimizes the work by staying below Gordes itself. I’ll just bike below it, hopefully close enough to get a good look at it from a perspective I haven’t seen before.

In a coincidence, when I look up this day from our first European tour I’m surprised to see we were here on exactly the same day of the month as today: October 1st, 31 years ago. I like that for some reason.

The ride begins with me biking straight north for a few miles until I come to the village of Cabrieres d’Avigon. It’s a stony place that reminds me of what I remember the area around Gordes being so I stop for a few shots.

From there I turn east following a marked bike route that takes me past stone walls and vineyards and apple orchards and several scenic surprises I hadn’t known of. Along the way I pass the distinctive stone walls and bouries that again match my memory of our first visit long ago. I really like it that returning 31 years later I still feel the same character.

These are the walls I remember from our first climb to Gordes. I don’t remember seeing ones quite like this anywhere else.

Another characteristic of the area. It’s nice that this well-maintained one is time dated.

Here’s a sight I didn’t know was on my route: the Moulin de la Badelle, now a B&B.

And here’s another surprise: the church at Saint Pantaléon, originally a chapel from the 12th century.

Against the east wall of the church is a necropolis with tombs carved into the stone.

The church of Saint Pantaléon and its necropolis.

Tile-roofed houses behind the church and necropolis, presumably associated with it.

I’m surprised too to get such a nice view of colorful Roussillon, only a few miles east of Gordes. There is so much worth seeing in this small region! Really, you need more than just a day.

By the time I finally make it to the small lanes beneath Gordes I’m starting to run out of day. It would be nice too see a bit of sun on the village of course but it’s still thrilling to me to see it just above me on the ridge and to watch the perspective slowly change as I bike past it for the next mile or two. After that though it’s time to head home again. I’ve still got ten miles to go, but fortunately it’s largely downhill and on empty roads most of the way. Still though, I’ve cut it a bit close and cars have their headlights on by the time I make it back to the hotel.

Gordes 31 years later: October 1st, 2024.

Red: to Coustoullet; blue: Gordes loop.

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Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 3,917 miles (6,304 km)

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