Pont-en-Royans to Novarey

May 27, 2025

I was sad to be moving on because I hadn’t made it up to see Combe Laval again and we had to say au revoir to the group. However, we won’t miss the Hotel du Musée de l’Eau.

The hotel had a number of quirks, some due to the architectural design and others due, we suspect, to its current management. All the staff we dealt with were unfailingly polite and helpful.

When we first arrived, we were told no rooms were ready before 4. Unusual in a large hotel, since the cleaning crew(s) move from room to room, but I guess that’s their rule. When we asked about leaving our bikes, a fellow was requested to take us to the bike room. He first took us to an unmarked storage room off the parking lot, but access was awkward with bikes and there wasn’t much room inside between the ladders and other tools. He then offered to take us around to the other room, which turned out to be a larger garage area off the lower parking lot. We wheeled our bikes in, shut the door, and changed into street clothes using our best efforts not to touch the floor or walls, contact with any of which left the contact point covered in dust (concrete or plaster dust, we weren’t sure). Just as we emerged, the fellow returned to install a keypad lock on the door. He’d earlier said we would need to get a key from reception, but showed us where the code was written on the box for us to copy. The following day, we heard from fellow CBs that the receptionist didn’t know the code and they should get it from their friends! I note that I saw a manual on the “Accueil Vélo” program behind the desk. They are trying, but I suspect the single domestic-style power bar pointed out to us will be insufficient for charging e-bikes.

The next quirk we noticed was something it seemed we weren’t the first to mention—and mention it we did. The bathroom lights are controlled by a sensor and there is no switch. This was verified at reception. You can’t manually turn them off! So when someone gets up in the night for the usual reason, they get blinded as they enter and anyone else in thd room hoping to sleep through this is subjected to a light turning on as the bathroom door opens (twice). Whose idiotic idea was that? We ourselves travel with headlamps for these nighttime forays and I use mine on its red light setting. On the other hand, this hotel had the best shower we’ve encountered in a while.

We opted for the hotel breakfast, as they are usually decent, though expensive (this one was 14€ each), but don’t require searching around. It was okay our first morning, Saturday, as there were very few guests, but the next three mornings were very busy. Busy as in a long line for the one coffee machine and it was a guessing game as to what they would be completely out of: bowls, plates, muesli, plain yogurt… Then there was the layout: plates, napkins, cutlery, bread, pastries on one table, bowls (if available), cereals, and jams on another, and on the other side of the room was yogurt (in a little fridge, the single coffee machine, juice dispensing machine, kettle, egg-boiling bath, cold cuts, cheeses, and fruit. This meant many people walking back and forth between stations when they weren’t waiting their turn at the coffee machine.

Today’s ride breaks quite neatly into two almost-equal halves. The first half, from Pont-en-Royans to Saint-Gervais, was up and down through fields, nut orchards, and villages. After our snack break across the Isère in Saint-Gervais, the route was on the dyke. We had been following cycle route V63 since connecting to it at Saint-Romans 9 km into our ride, but this path on the dyke soon lost its appeal to us. It was cool and shady, yes, but buggy and without views thanks to the trees. And it was flat. Flat is easier on the legs but, in our experience, much harder on the backside.

Right after crossing l’Isère, there’s a very stiff climb. At the top, there’s this pleasant view across the river, complete with hilltop ruins.

The path popped out of the trees for a short stretch so we could get a view. Even without the view, we wouldn’t want to be on that motorway.

We passed one rest/service area with a couple of picnic tables and an ebike/device charging station.

There was also a viewing platform that afforded this view. I noticed the hydro towers on the horizon.

We arrived in Novarey a couple of hours before check-in time. We thought we’d ride over to the centre of the village to see if there were any dining options tonight or somewhere to get a drink and a snack, having missed lunch today, but despite its beautiful setting, there’s no there there. Meanwhile, I’d sent an early-check-in request to our host and heard back that we could come anytime as the apartment was ready.

The place is lovely, especially at only 75€ plus 7.50 each for breakfast. It has a little kitchenette so you could prepare your own if you’d come prepared. It’s called Les Champs Dorées.

When it was time, we made sure we had lights on our bikes and rode to Sassenage for dinner. It was just over 4 km each way, partly with bike lane, partly without. We were pretty hungry so chose La Ferme à Dédé, apparently a Sassenage institution, with two more locations in Grenoble. The food was reasonable and the portions very generous.

Al’s burger doesn’t look nearly as big in the photo as it was.

I had a gratin des ravioles, sauce aux noix. It came in a gratin dish with a spoon to serve. Perhaps a hint there was enough for two?

It came with a yummy salad, also in a serving dish.

Neither of us had room for dessert!

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Today's ride: 70 km (43 miles)
Total: 290 km (180 miles)

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