Once to check out the road and then riding it again head-down and without stopping; the road of the Ardèche Gorge is one of the great French bike rides. 38km of road - route panoramique - from St. Martin-en-Ardèche (not far from the Rhône) to the natural rock bridge known as Le Pont d'Arc, the road follows the sinuous course of the river in its gorges and cirques below. Hairpins, long straights heading steeply down to a welcoming rock face and/or a ninety-degree bend. Tunnels through the bare craggy, dripping limestone.
Once to check out the road and then riding it again head-down and without stopping; the road of the Ardèche Gorge is one of the great French bike rides. 38km of road - route panoramique - from St. Martin-en-Ardèche (not far from the Rhône) to the natural rock bridge known as Le Pont d'Arc, the road follows the sinuous course of the river in its gorges and cirques below. Hairpins, long straights heading steeply down to a welcoming rock face and/or a ninety-degree bend. Tunnels through the bare craggy, dripping limestone. Thrilling overlooks away to snowy mountains or the blue river far below. Up, down, curve, hairpin but never twice the same combination of challenging curves and hills; just when you think you have the feel of the road, there's an unusually severe curve or steep hill. Quite unlike a mountain col and just as exhausting as a track.`
Worth the early start from Marseille to enjoy the road fairly clear then a lunchtime picnic with my boots overhanging the gorge, a reminder of teenage explorations of Clifton Gorge in Bristol and Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. Thinking of also of the time riding this route as pillion to Christophe of AMA in 2014.
Note the Gorge de l'Ardèche is the feature of Tour 12 of the forthcoming 2018 GLME Summercamp, organised by AMA, the Association Motocycliste Alternative.