Florac to Meyrueis

October 13, 2023

A Five Star Descent

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What a day! Just a super time was had once again. This is a remarkable part of the world to cycle tour and our weather came through for us again. It was just the perfect temperature for a ride with a climb.

We are following in the footsteps of Rich and Robin Frasier, even staying in the same hotels, but unlike them we did not start early in the morning. The day promised to be warm, but it was decidedly cold when we went down for breakfast. That is all the excuse we needed to linger over café au lait and make our exit at about 10:30. We were delayed when we met the owners of the two other bikes in the velo garage, twin brothers who are on a two week tour. They are really travelling light. Much smarter than us. Interestingly, Florac, of all the places we have been this tour, was perhaps the least inspiring, but the hotel was packed. It is a mystery to us. The other guests seemed a fit bunch, so we suspect there were many hikers in the group.

Looking out our window. One of the reasons we suspect hikers.

Mathieu and Anthony. Not sure of the spelling. What a couple of delightful young people who are pretty darn smart to have discovered bike touring at 25.

I was expecting what I call an A to B ride. Into every cycle tour a few of those must fall. It can’t be all incredible scenery all of the time, but today we had another day of gorgeous vistas. It was absolutely fantastic, right from the hotel door.

These beauties were right around the corner from the hotel.

Then came one of those moments in bike touring. We had done a bit of climbing, and then descending. The CN is a faster descender than I am. I came to a fork in the road (Robert Frost anyone?) and Keith was long gone. To give him credit, that is unusual at an intersection, but he had clearly been seduced by continuing to descend and was out of sight. I could see the sign to Meyrueis pointing right and slightly uphill, and the left was a great downhill. What to do? So I phoned. He was very clear, go left, down the “main” road. He was waiting at the bridge over the river. I questioned this, given the sign to Meyrueis said go the other way, but my exact words were “Are you sure?”. I should have mentioned the sign. He was and said just come down the main road. I did tell him it didn’t look like the main road to me, but he was so sure. Down I went. Great descent by the way.

He said he would wait by the bridge, and he did, taking this lovely photo.

I pointed way up the hill and said the other way had looked more like the main road to me. And that dear readers, is when the CN realized he had gone the wrong way and we were both doomed to climb back up the hill. He got ‘the look’. Back up we went!

Just a little extra warm up for the quads.

This sign is pointing right, up the hill. Keith confessed that he was having so much fun descending he didn’t even see it.

No more navigational mishaps after that. The ride to Vébron was beautiful and basically flat riding. The climb really started at Vébron. It was a beautiful ride.

It was another day when the road was basically a bike lane there were so few vehicles.

We wondered what this structure is and how long it had been there.

How on earth did he do that? The cab was on the front, so it definitely wasn’t a permanent installation. Serious skills.

We arrived in tiny Fraissinet de Fourques. We stopped for a cold drink we had purchased in Vébron and a snack to fortify ourselves until lunch break. It was an interesting stop.

Such a beautiful picnic area we felt we should honour it by using it.

Such a tiny place. The majority of homes are second homes. There was an excellent information sign.

I always find these heartbreaking. Especially when there are double last names, which usually means a mother lost two sons. A tiny town lost 17 young men. An entire generation lost. Current world events tell me we haven’t learned anything.

Then we did some more climbing, coming to a tribute to Roger Rivière, a Tour de France rider. The monument is at the spot where, while in second place in the 1960 tour, he had a career ending crash, falling twenty metres, breaking vertebrae in his back, and used a wheelchair for the rest of his short life. He was second in the General Classification at the time and favoured to win. He died of throat cancer at forty. We are huge Tour de France fans, and found this so very sad and interesting.

Then we continued uppity up. It was a great climb. We stopped for lunch before the summit, and were just talking about the complete absence of cars when wham, four very expensive cars went by at a gazillion miles an hour, one right after the other. One was a Lamborghini, one was a Porsche and I was too stunned to figure out the other two. We were very, very happy that little demonstration of the power of the internal combustion engine happened while we were having a lovely picnic, not on one of the switchbacks!

The landscape and the views were so beautiful.

This was parked at the side of the road. A moose!

Then we were at the top. I mentioned we are following the route Rich and Robin took? We pulled up their journal, studied their summit photo and…

Had a good giggle. Here are K2 trying to recreate the summit photo by R2. Here is a link to the original: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/schnooksonthetarn/day-6-florac-to-meyrueis/

Down we went. This was probably one of the most fabulous descents I have ever done. Lots of sweeping turns, not too much braking necessary, absolutely so much fun. We took turns at a couple of switchbacks taking pictures. The whole descent was joyous.

You can’t have more fun on a bike than this!

Unbelievably quickly we were in Meyrueis. It is a lovely spot and we did a walk about and dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Here is the Relive: https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvrVp9j7Lv

Today's ride: 37 km (23 miles)
Total: 996 km (619 miles)

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David MathersI guess Keith is sleeping in the bike shed tonight 😉 The downhill looks fantastic 👍
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7 months ago

Anne MathersWow, what a fabulous day. I can’t wait to see what you do tomorrow… we’re loving following along. ❤️
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6 months ago

Jacquie GaudetYou are so trusting, Kathleen. Back in the days of paper maps, I hated it that Al had the map, though he was out front. So when we switched to electronic devices, I got my own. Now we both have the routes on our handlebars (and the paper maps are in a pannier).
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6 months ago

Rachael AndersonTo Jacquie GaudetI was thinking the same thing, Jacquie! I’m so glad I have my own gps so even if Scott goes the wrong way I don’t have to follow.
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6 months ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Jacquie GaudetBack in the paper map says I used to have the map too. I think I am more lazy than trusting…it is so easy to let Keith lead the way!
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6 months ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Rachael AndersonI need to get organized. Keith often suggests it, but I just happily and lazily follow along.
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6 months ago

Rich FrasierThis is why Robin is the navigator on our rides...I'm somewhat untrustworthy.
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6 months ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Anne MathersIt was amazing, and the next day was even better. We are happy!!!
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6 months ago

Kathleen ClassenTo Rich FrasierKeith says give yourself credit, you have to steer the boat!
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6 months ago