To Vence

November 23, 2022

With barely a week left in the tour there’s just time to fit in one last significant change to our itinerary. Ever since the very beginning of the tour we had the plan in mind to end it by overshooting Nice for a stay in Menton before doubling back for the flight home. There have been changes along the way, but Menton was always in the picture. For months we had a booking for five nights in an apartment there; then at some point we cancelled that reservation, thought again, and settled on a different idea - we’d bike to Menton, overshoot even that with a couple of days biking east into Italy to ride the delightful San Remo bikeway again, and then double back to Menton and finally Nice.

Well, actuall that’s not true. Nine months is a long time, and I’ve forgotten that when we started this trip we booked only a one way flight to Barcelona, not being sure how long the tour would last and where it would end. We’ve never been on a tour this long and weren’t certain we’d end up wanting to travel the whole time. We didn’t decide to fly home from Nice until we were over two months into the tour, on the outskirts of Paris. We finally decided on Nice when we concluded that we thought we were good for the entire tour and found an unbeatable fare from there on December 1st, my 76th birthday.

No, that’s still not right! Looking over our various obsoleted itinerary planning documents and email confirmations, I remember now that we had always planned on termination in Nice on December 1st, but just didn’t book the flight yet. I know that because of the cancelled booking request placed on March 9th for a four night stay at Hotel de la Fontaine in Nice, from 11/27-30. That was the first lodging we booked, because we needed to find a hotel that would receive and hold our suitcases for nine months after we shipped them forward from Barcelona.

Remember those suitcases? Once UPS confirmed that they were indeed lost in shipment and offered us about €80 compensation for them and their contents, we cancelled the booking while we mulled over how to get our bikes home. Several alternatives were considered, offers of assistance from friends were received and weighed, and in the end we finally decided on flying home from Nice because we were seduced by a cheap flight. The idea of that five nights in Menton came later, while we were still settling on our strategy for getting the bikes home.

In any case - we’re not going to Menton after all. We’re going to Vence.

Leaving Nice. Overcast this morning, but still beautiful.

Biking and skating west along the promenade. We’ll be back in five days to prepare for the flight home.

On the way out of town we stitch in an errand run to stop at SPOC: a bike store in Saint-Laurent-sur-Var, a small commercial suburb of Nice just across the mouth of the Var. We’re stopping here as one small step in preparing for the flight. Along with the suitcases we of course lost all of their contents, most of which are relevant to the flight: a large duffel bag, a large rucksack, clean clothes for the flight, packing materials to protect the bikes in flight, and a few disassembly tools. the essential one we’re after today is a spanner to remove the pedals so they’ll fit in the suitcases. (What suitcases, I’m sure you’re burning to know next. Just wait.)

SPOC (presumably pronounced Spoke?) is a great bike shop. I get a warm feeling when I enter the store and see a large display of bicycle tools covering almost an entire wall. I walk out with one much larger and heavier than the one I lost, but the weight won’t matter (except for the rides to and from Nice) because it will stay in the suitcase when we’re on tour. And larger is better because I’ll have more leverage and can manage removing the pedals without cursing the bike mechanics for forgetting that I’m an old man with poor upper body strength because I’m undisciplined and don’t really like exercise, and tightening the pedals so tight that I’m always wondering if I’ll be able to loosen them this time.

Should do the trick. Now, if we can just rustle up some suitcases.

So why Vence instead of Menton? This idea hatched in the two days biking from Saint-Maxime to Nice, staring at those stunning views of the Maritime Alps rising above the horizon. We’ll likely to get better mountain views from the heights around Vence on the west side of the Var than we will in Menton, so close up against the base of them. And besides, we’ve stayed in Menton three times now and have biked the Middle Corniche between there and Nice twice (and I did it a third time 25 years ago when Rachael was sleeping off the jet lag after we flew in). Time for something new.

Vence is only about 15 miles from Nice by the most direct route, but it’s too nice a day for that. We’re taking a circuitous approach, biking up the west side of the Var and overshooting Vence before doubling back and angling up the valley wall.

Riding up the Var is a delightful experience - a smooth, recently surfaced or resurfaced paved trail most of the way. We don’t have the mountain views for the most part because the hills to the east block the views - but what’s really fantastic is the string of beautiful hill villages crowning knolls, perched on balconies or plastered against cliffs.

Biking north up the west bank of the Var. It’s on-road and a bit busy for about a short distance but we soon come to this well-surfaced path.

And in another couple days of miles we’re on this, a fantastic path along the river that we’ll ride for the next ten miles. It’s an excellent ride the whole way, finally ending at the confluence of the Var and Esteron.

Looking up at Gattières, the first of the hill villages we’ll bike beneath.

Well, make a liar out of me. Here’s a pretty good view of the mountains, looking up the river. To the left is the sprawl below Carros, completely covering the flattened base of the valley.

Looking up at Carros. Like all of these perched villages, Carros has a history going back thousands of years. Little is known of its history before about the 12th century though, when the castle was built.

Crossing an overpass across the valley highway. If I remember correctly, we don’t cross an intersection for the entire length of this trail.

Along the Var. We’re approaching the confluence of the Esteron, coming in behind that ridge on the left while the Var bends eastward. The bike path will end just at the confluence, and then we’ll double back and start climbing the backside of that ridge.

Pretty decent mountain view here, too. This village is Roquette-sur-Var, rising above the opposite bank.

Roquette-sur-Var is worth a second look as we draw closer to it.

Nearing the confluence with the Esteron. Note the white smear of the village on the upper right.

Gillette, perched on a narrow ledge high above the river.

A cheerful marker at the end of the bike path. I couldn’t find any information about this path, other than that it’s labeled on the map as an extension of V65, the coastal bike path. It feels quite new.

Well I guess the separated bike path doesn’t make it quite to the Esteron yet, but we’ve still got a lane at least. That’s the Charles Albert bridge ahead, just past the point where the Esteron flows in.

Video sound track:

From the Esteron it’s another thirteen miles back to Nice. The first five are a relaxed climb to Carros on a narrow, empty road that’s nearly a singletrack. Beyond Carros we’re on a striped two lane the rest of the way, accompanied by just a bit more traffic than we’d like. It’s heavily used as a cycling route though and we see dozens of them whizzing by going the other direction. Cars are respectful, there’s an on and off bike lane on the shoulder, and it feels safe enough if not on a par with the idyllic conditions we’ve just left behind. On the other hand, it’s gorgeous as we’re high enough up to get closer views of Carros and Gattières.

One thing though is that it’s decidedly chilly. We’re in the shade nearly the whole rest of the way to Vence, and we’re both ready for the hotel when we arrive.

We’re staying in Hotel Victoire, a modest place facing right on the market square. We’re the only guests tonight, and will be tomorrow also before a few weekenders trickle in. I could say something here about Vence itself - but we’ll be here for five nights so there’s plenty of time still.

As we climb away from the Esteron we get a closer look at Gillette.

Looking down on the confluence of the Esteron and Var.

I’m not positive here but I think that’s Carros again, one of the villages we admired from below.

Yup, pretty sure that’s Carros. We biked right beneath its walls a mile or so back, so you’d think I’d know.

Gattières, another of the villages we saw earlier. Nice to see them from multiple angles.

The Var, and the sea. Nice is just around the corner to the left.

Another puzzle. Somewhere between Saint-Jeannet and Vence.

Heart

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Ride stats today: 34 miles, 1,900’; for the tour: 2,046 miles, 111,100’

Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 2,046 miles (3,293 km)

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Suzanne Gibson"What suitcases, I’m sure you’re burning to know next. Just wait." That's been a pretty long cliff hanger by now!
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1 year ago

Rachael AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonScott is packing the bikes now! How wonderful of you to ship the suitcases to us. We are forever in your debt! We look forward to seeing both of you again!
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1 year ago

Suzanne GibsonTo Rachael AndersonCan't wait!
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1 year ago