Fast Forward: Martigues to Plan d'Aups Ste. Baume

April 3, 2015

The major problem I have with big cities is that they take far too long to traverse. They are easy to find, often have great cycling infrastructure, and certainly great accomodations and restaurants, and they can be great places to live. But they do take time to get to know them, and with the limited time I have for this tour, I'd rather spend it in the countryside than learning my way around in a strange city. Today's destination was on the far side of Marseille from Martigues, so I knew from the start that I would have to negotiate the traffic and the hills of the oldest city in France. However, I am not a complete stranger to the place. Sue and I have spent time in Marseille (searching for the perfect bouilliabaise) so I decided to skip the part of the city I didn't know, and only ride in the part with which I was familiar. Since all my trips to Marseille have begun at the central railway station, I decided to hop a train from Martigues and begin my ride on familiar ground.

I love railways. I always have, and riding a train is no hardship for me. But there is a noticable difference in the routes that trains take into a city and the routes that one might choose for cycling. Railays are industrial, and they pass through the back alleys and industrial wastelands that surround cities. Cycling is more pastoral, and one tends to cycle where people live, past houses and apartment buildings, shops, schools and neighborhoods. So while there are convieniences to trains, pleasant scenery is limited to the countryside and not to urban areas, where with cycling one can have pleasant views to look at for the entire ride. The train from Martigues to Marseille passes along the coast and there are some fantastic views of the sea, but it enters Marseille via junkyards, docks, rusted out buildings, and grafittied walls. Once are St. Charles Station, all changes; The station is newly refurbished, and immaculate. It opens on a vast terrace, and its only a quick coast down the hill to the old harbor with its yachts and trendy restaurants. A short detour due to construction, and I was on the beach-front road out to the hippodrome.

I don't know, either. Lets just call hime "Dave".

From the beach via broad boulevards to the edge of the city and the first real climb of the tour, it was an easy ride on well maintained cycle paths. Aside from the tour bus stopped on the hill in a no-parking zone, it was an easy crank to the top.

Zoom in a little and you can see the cycle lanes along the routes. Very nice.

At the top of the first climb. If only they were all this easy.

The downhill into Cassis went by very quickly, and I was soon in the midst of market day in tourist heaven. Along with fresh-off-the-boat fish, local produce, and baked goods, one could buy tacky gee-gaws and Provencal-flavored souvieners in the stands that crowed the main streets near the port; I found a small restaurand serving fish with a front row seat on the harbor and sat down to cabaillaud a la Provencal, rice and dessert.

From Cassis its all uphill, so off I went after paying on the road to Aubaine. Aubaine is small enough that I didn't get lost, but large enough to have a suburban shopping area where I contended with minivans and 4x4's for road space. Then back into the hills.

Near the beginning of the Col de l' Espigoulier

Judging by the number of skid marks on the pavement, this route must be the site of lots of accidents, or it is used by the local sports car enthusiasts for hill climbs. I hoped for the later, as the route is not wide.

I was probably right about the recreational source of the skid marks. This contraption was being piloted in turns by a group of young people. It seems they were competing to be the one who could keep it in control the longest going dow the hill. There were no brakes other than the "driver's" feet.

Looking back down from near the summit. One can see Marseille in the distance.

An idea of the climb. There was no sign at the summit, but the atlas says it's 723 meters, with an average grade of 6% and a maximum of 10%.

A group of Spanish sports car drivers gave me a round of applause at the top as I put on my jacket for the descent into Plan d'Aups Ste. Baume. A ten minute coast down, and I was at my hotel for the night. A shower, a nap, and then dinner, and the day was done.

Today's ride: 79 km (49 miles)
Total: 186 km (116 miles)

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