1 – 2 June, Sommieres and environs
Saturday 1st June was designated as the start of our true holiday period. The day before my french boss and his wife took us for ze lunch and drew up a number of itineraries for us. They also ride a motorbike (actually he has about 4, but 3 are off-roaders), so they picked out the scenic routes which are good bike rides. We have to reserve the Camargue route for a day out with them – that will be a long day so we need to get some training in first!
So we started on Saturday with a trip to Anduze, in the foothills of the Cevennes. It was just under and hour’s ride. We parked up in front of the Mairie on the pavement as seems to be the norm for bikes here. We got off the bike and 4 more Harleys rocked up and parked next to us. The Lyon Chapter of the Harley Davidson club were reccying locations for a club trip later in the year. Cool. Then it was once more time for ze lunch. I had some of the most fabulous moules marinieres ever – tons of garlic and lovely crispy frites. Add a pichet of rose and I was truly on holiday and in heaven!
Anduze is a pretty town with an incongruous tower in the centre. Its main attractions are a steam train line and the Bambouserie – a huge bamboo plantation in a private park with palms and Japanese gardens. Very lovely, and finally very warm as we were sheltered from the Mistral, which was still blowing strongly that day and made bike riding somewhat entertaining to say the least.
We woke up to more buffeting. The Mistral doesn’t give up that quickly it seems. I was feeling a bit under the weather (no, not hanging!) so we chilled out on the site until mid afternoon, dodging in and out of the sun (too hot!) and shade (too cold, courtesy of the wind) until a new neighbour spent too long trying to tune his satellite dish. It sounded like someone had left their kettle boiling on the gas – for 15 minutes?! I couldn’t bear it any longer. B said lets go for a ride. I was on the pillion seat in seconds.
It was fun – a cruise around without using the satnav, we toured a few local villages, most of which looked prettier from the road rather than in the centre. We drove through vineyards and olive groves and saw views of the hills and the ubiquitous Pic St. Loup. Superb
The Beast and friends from the Lyon Chapter of the Harley Davidson club, outside the Mairie (town hall) in Anduze.
In the Japanese Dragon Valley garden of the Bambouserie – still a bit windy then!
And just to prove the point – some bamboo!