The day started clear and crisp.
Even though temperatures were due to rise to 28 degrees C, at 0800 it was only about 11 degrees,as the hotel sits at about 2700 feet asl.
Brekky was taken on the terrace
Today’s ride would be one that I put together last week, simply by Googling the best balcony roads and gorges in the Vercors.
A natural loop ended up like this :
This would take in
1 Gorges de la Bourne
2 Les Grands Goulets
3 Col de la Machine/Combe Laval
4 Route de Presles
5 Gorge du Nan
6 St Gervais back to the hotel
Only about 80 miles but would take me a good few hours, just pottering and lots of stops.
Setting off from the hotel and in less than half a mile you turn a corner and the valley opens up :
The Gorges de la Bourne were only minutes away.
I rode up and then back down again.Very pretty but not many places to stop and better things were to come.
Climbing out of the gorges and heading to Saint-Julien-en-Vercors :
Then I headed through Les Grands Goulets and up over the Col de Carri to the Col de La Machine and the Combe Laval.
Had a crap €4 coffee at the hotel at the top and then onwards.....
After that it was down through Saint-Laurent-en-Royans with a quick petrol and provisions stop then onwards to the Route des Presles
At this point Mr Garmin took me up what soon became a goat track
As I’m not Million Dollar Bogan , I powered up Google maps and did a u turn.
I’m sure the track would have continued and I would have carried on if I had my ATAS or Husky.
Soon got back on course and climbed up the Montée de Faz.
Then it was down to Malleval-en-Vercors to ride the Gorges du Nan from south to north, the opposite of yesterday
The route from Saint Gervais to Rencurel used to have a cracking balcony road but it’s closed.Instead you now route through a pitch black tunnel which is narrow and reminds me of those I rode in South America a couple of years back.
It’s a cracking ride though and some beautiful vistas
So back to the hotel and time for a swim
Ominous signs for tomorrow,the weather is turning !!!
A cracking day out.
Photos don’t do it justice.You have to be here to appreciate the tranquility and beauty.
The towns and villages are all individual and beautiful.
The Combe Laval was actually quite busy.Mainly bikes and all Dutch and German.Not seen another British bike all week.
Will-i-Eng is right though. I would say the Gorges du Nan is the most impressive and I didn’t see another soul up there.It’s also probably better doing it from south to north as I did today.
The bike continues to impress.
Started off the day a bit nippy but the jacket soon got stuffed in a pannier.Just glorious pottering along at around 30mph, the silky smooth motor humming along.
A great day.
More tomorrow but nothing planned yet.
