This week it is all about the cycling... flicking the switch back to self-indulgence.
So, when you consider the design of a bicycle, you don't have to be an engineer to figure out that it will travel downhill quite nicely, but it really isn't made for going uphill - in fact it looks all a bit unnecessarily hard (more on that throughout...).
And, yet
Much cycling ideation is of conquering the iconic climbs. And one of the top of the list would be Mont Ventoux in the west of Provence - reputedly the climb most Tour de France riders fear the most.
It is known as "The Beast", not only because of its consistent and sustained steepness in two of its three ascents, not only because of its surreal, otherworldliness of the tree-less moon scape in its last 5 kms to the top, not only because it rises out of the plains of Provence all of a sudden, without being part of a mountain range, is super imposing on its surrounds and is very exposed to winds, including the infamous Mistrals that roll in with their 100 km/h plus gusts with little notice - but a lovely combination of all of the above and more.
So, of course, we made the most of a visit from some cycling friends with whom we enjoyed good company, good riding, good food and wine and were reintroduced, through conversation, to the outstanding word "curmudgeonly" - a word we would have happily used to describe our airbnb host (reference 1 to making things unnecessarily difficult) in Bedoin (for our relaxing weekend away) if their website had got its head around the spellcheck
But first,
A few days around Fayence, combining a bike ride, a wine tasting and charcuterie board at a local winery (as one does)...
Then off to stay in Bedoin, the base for one of the Mont Ventoux ascents and other rides.
Our first outing took on us on a tour through the gorges of la Nesque in the Luberon National Park was breathtaking, through the forest and lavender farms to the start of the downhill run through the gorge...
and the gorge itself was...
just
totally
stunning!!
(short video at ! https://www.relive.cc/view/vRO7eDnL1yq)
Then the Mont Ventoux ascent.
We were fortunate in our planning for our Saturday attempt, with Friday rained out and Sunday with winds so strong the mountain was closed.
The mountain has three ways up, from the villages of Bedoin, Sault and Malaucene.
Jacquie and Bec took on the ascent from Sault.
Pete and Tony tackled it from our base in Bedoin, supposedly the toughest ascent in the Tour de France (reference 2), however Peter totally stepped up and did the first 1100 m from Bedoin to the Chalet on an off-road gravel route (reference 3) which we felt had been overoptimistically represented on social media (how could that be??!??).
It was all quite majestic and surreal and all made it to the top (then safely down again)
Short video here combining the mountain and the gorge on an extended return ride home (reference #4) https://www.relive.cc/view/vdORjrBozKO
And, so, we enjoyed a Michelin rated restaurant to replenish much needed essential trace elements
and then took to the bikes the following day to work off all those trace elements...
All in all a very special week with friends, and now back to work, dieting and living like a monk for a few weeks to recover...