To Puget-Theniers: Col de St Barnabe / Clue de St Auban

June 7, 2015

The forecast for the day is for scattered thunderstorms, beginning early afternoon. Accordingly we got an early start, hitting up the first bakery open in town. We were on the road by about 8:30, headed for the only real climb of the day - a gradual 2000' lift to Col de Ste Barnabe. This was a pretty easy climb, as far as 2000' ascents go. It was pleasant taking it so early in the morning while it was still so cool. The most remarkable aspect was the traffic load on the bottom half, which ascends a small road up the slope above Lake Chaudanne, a small reservoir on the Verdon. In about half an hour, here is a complete traffic tally of our encounters on the road:
Trucks: 0
Cars: 0
Motorcycles: 0
Bunnies: 1

Crossing the Verdon on our way out of Castellane. Amazing to realize that about 15 miles west of here the river is 2000' down into a canyon.

Lake Chaudanne: A small reservoir expounded by a hydroelectric dam on the Verdon, a bit upriver from Castellane.

Looking back on Lake Chaudanne on the Verdon from Col de Ste Barnabe.

Our high point for the day. After this we had miles of beautiful, gradual coasting.

After the pass, most of the rest of the day's ride was generally downhill. This was one of the easiest days of the tour. We enjoyed two long stretches that were a delight - fairly low gradients, fairly straight road, almost no traffic - we were really able to let go a bit and make good time. Along the way though, we passed through the astonishing Clue de Saint Auban. This is yet another remarkable bit of road that slices through a ridge on an incredibly narrow passage. Besides the dramatic road irself, we also stopped to enjoy a team of cannoneer frolicking in the stream bed below.

Here are videos of the descent through the clue and the canyoneers.

From the Clue de Saint Auban we had several miles of gradual ascent up the easy side of Col St Raphael, followed by an exhilarating steep drop down the other side to the Var far below. We arrived in early afternoon - in time for ham and cheese omelette a on the town square, and then a nap. The threatened thunderstorm finally materialized about three, but the drama stayed in the nearby hills and never really hit our town.

The zigzag descent from Ste Barnabe Pass.

Dropping from Ste Barnabe Pass to Soleilhas.

We came in from the gentle south side, and it didn't seem like much of a pass. Ahead though is a steep 1800' drop to the Var.

A bit before dinner we roused ourselves enough for a wander through the village, and then settled in to the small restaurant next door to our hotel. There hasn't been enough talk of food yet in this journal, so I should report that this was one of the finest meals of the trip so far. Especially wonderful was to enjoy it outdoors in perfect conditions, enjoying contemplating the surrounding hills and the swifts weaving their paths across the sky. I really loved this experience - it brought to mind so many others like it we've enjoyed over the years.

So what have we here? On the left, poelle Saint Jacque (scallops); on the right, faux filet gorgonzola with scalloped potatoes. Before, salade Nicoise; after, poire charlotte. All wonderful. French lesson for the day, courtesy of our server: filet is pronounced 'fee-yay'.

Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 681 miles (1,096 km)

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