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squiz
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Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3071
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26th September 2014
Mt. Biking: Gorges de Nesque Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny Max Speed: Distance Covered:
Friday 26th September – bike ***** Gorges de Nesque – relax in sun
Another glorious blue, sunny sky:) Our gas bottle ran out while we were
boiling the kettle for our first cuppa of the day (lasted 55 days:)). As
the bikes had to be taken off to get into the boot to change the bottle it
only seemed right to stay here and cycle the gorge road. After doing our
exercises in the sun and having a late breakfast I biked round to the
toilet block several times to fill our containers to fill the water tank
– again as the boot was open it had to be done! Therefore, we didn’t
set off until about 12.30! We biked up away from the lake and onto the
D942 which was an up-hill push all the way but nothing exerting, all quite
manageable:) We reached the exit of our hike up from the Chapel yesterday
quite quickly and after having a quick look over the wall, carried on to
the official viewing point at the Roche de Cire – a huge rock on the
opposite side of the gorge. We met a Belgian(?) couple who had come up on
electric bikes and I took their photo together on their camera. Then we
got chatting to an English guy from Sussex. He had biked around here many
times and said this was his favourite road. He had done Mt Ventoux a few
times, including twice on the same day!! And had done Alpe d’Huez last
week and was wearing the t-shirt! We carried on past the viewing point,
all downhill and through about 4 road tunnels through the rock and were
treated to the most amazing views – more than you would ever see in a
vehicle. We stopped at the other viewing point, looking back at the Roche
de Cire, turned round and headed back up the road which again wasn’t a
struggle at all although all up-hill. You could see even more this side of
the road and the only thing between you and the sheer drop into the gorge
was a small wall about a foot high! Passed the view point then it was
downhill all the way back to the lake. We got a great view of the van
through the hills from the road above the lake. Had late lunch about 3 –
we had been away from the van about 2 ¼ hours and covered about 13 miles.
Spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the sun in our lovely spot near
the lake, reading, snoozing and playing Phase 10. Also watching big camper
vans jousting for position where we were parked the other day in the rain!
Arriving, parking on another camper’s bumper and the original camper
moving off in a huff to another position. Some of them stay the course and
just put up with them being a few metres away! Ridiculous when there is
loads of room round the other side of the lake. Went for a wander round
the lake later, just before it got dark. Another great day and our third
night here!
Saturday 27th September – Sightseeing travel, hike ***** Sunny
Really cold again this morning – it has been 6 degrees outside for the
last couple of mornings! Soon warms up once the sun comes up about 8 and
we are toastie in the van. So we did our exercises out in the sun beside
the lake with the dragonflies clattering their wings around us! Had
breakfast as the local people were setting up a car boot sale over by the
buvette. We packed up and were sad to say goodbye as we have had a good 3
nights and excellent activities here. Went back to Sault to the
Intermarche to fill up with provisions and diesel so goodbye to another 100
euros! Then headed back to Monieux and drove through the Gorges de Nesque
which were as wonderful as ever but the journey was spoilt by lots of
motorbikes round every corner and mostly on the wrong side of the road or
trying to overtake you!! Annoying:( So glad we did it on the bikes
yesterday because you see so much more and we didn’t have any problem
with motor bikes or vehicles of any description to be honest. When we came
out of the Gorges at Villes sur Auzon we turned onto the road to Methamis
which takes you over to the other side of the Gorge, you cant see it so
much but the scenery is beautiful with lots of vines, cherry trees and some
lavender but not as much as we have seen on previous days. We are
definitely tempted to come back and cycle here again and maybe on a grander
scale because there is so much good cycling to be had. We carried on down
through the Plateau of Vauclause and the small village of Murs then shortly
after that saw some cliffs rising up in the distance. We headed there for
our lunch and ended up staying all afternoon and made it our overnight stop
too. The cliffs are called the Falaise de Madeleine above the village of
Lioux and we are parked near the Moulin de Lioux. After lunch we relaxed
with our books until it cooled down a bit (its really hot today, possibly
our warmest day so far). Then about 4.30 we climbed up the short path to
the cliffs and were able to walk right along the edge! Spectacular views
on either side. We walked a long way hoping to find a way down to walk
back through the village but the cliffs carry on for miles and are too high
and sheer for any way down. Walked back the way we came and also went to
have a look at the Moulin which we thought from a distance was a ruin but
when we got close it has been refurbished and is somebody’s home so we
didn’t get to have a good look! We are parked in a really nice position
overlooking the cliffs and the village so were able to enjoy a warm evening
and a sunset while we had tea.
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