February 2015

Apologies for the unimaginative post title, though it "does what it says on the tin": my February half-term getaway, again with my brother. We travelled entirely by train, and though it's still a long day (my preferred choice these days is to fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle, and then train from there), everything was as easy as it could be, with no hitches, and it was both cheaper and easier than driving.

The week was spent with a combination of walking, reading, cycling, and relaxing. The weather started with cold and wet, and finished in glorious blue skies and sun (well, apart from the day of departure: back to rain). Photos below are from our arrival, walks round Vercheny, up the Meyrosse valley, Luc-en-Diois and Le Claps, and a ride to Saoû. In amongst them you'll see a photo of the 'nest' of Processionary Moth Caterpillars (apparently a threat to the pines, but amazing all the same), and a red kite near Luc.

Riding-wise, just a couple of shortish ones: a loop to Recoubeau and back via St Roman (the plan had been to go as far as Luc-en-Diois, but the weather had other plans), and the loop to Saoû, here.

Les Liotards

Lichen gone mad

From Vercheny towards the Roanne Valley

Home for the Processionary Moth Caterpillar

In the Meyrosse valley

A typical 'cloud cap' in the Meyrosse valley

A red kite near Luc-en-Diois

Building blocks near Luc-en-Diois

Geological stuff near Le Claps

Luc-en-Diois

Luc-en-Diois

Saoû

Donjon de Lastic, near Saoû

Les Trois Becs from inside the perched valley near Saoû

The head of the Meyrosse valley, taken from the Col de Romeyer

The Col de Rousset, from the Col de Romeyer

The first ride of 2015

As planned, this week has been focused more on walking, with Chris and Anna. I'll admit that I'm generally of the opinion "Why walk when you can cycle?", but I'll also admit that there are places a road bike can't go, and I know I've been missing out on the walking in these parts, which is spectacular, as you might have seen from previous posts this week.
 
But with a knee niggle from some considerable upping-and-downing on two feet, and a change to milder conditions, today was the day to do my first ride of the year. Nothing adventurous, as I haven't been on a bike for almost two weeks, and some minor roads are still icy, so just an out-and-back ride to Beaurières on the D93.

A few photos (for now of poorer quality from my phone), the first one from my front door this morning, as it was beautiful, though I still can't read the weather here. The other photos are from Luc-en-Diois and Beaurières, but as I came back close to home, the sky had definitely turned an angrier shade - not the "Ciel peu nuageux" forecast by Méteo France, though their guesses are still probably better than mine.

And tomorrow: the drive back to the other reality, and work on Monday. Ho hum.

New Year in Diois

Well, it's one year since I shook hands on this (still) dream house, and of course for this visit, it's my first New Year actually staying in the house. And whilst England has been battered by storms, we've had a week including plenty of sun. The relief for me has been that the house has been amply warm with just my trusty Jotul 602 woodburner and some oil-filled electric radiators for warmth, despite some chilly nights.

So, more importantly, to the weather and cycling. The data on average temperatures for the region suggest that I should expect conditions not wildly different from what we get in England. For whilst I am just 2km (as the crow flies) from the ski resort of Col de Rousset, Die is about 1000m (3300ft) lower, and historically has little snow, and gets average minimum/maximum temperatures of about 0C/8C at this time of year.

Road-wise, only major roads are salted, so with night-time temperatures at 500m being below freezing, any thoughts of conquering cols are out - even cars need to be cautious, and when your life depends on about 3 sq cm of contact between the road and slick rubber tyres, discretion is certainly called for. On the plus side there is hardly any traffic around - even if the French don't really do much for New Year, other than close everything early on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (don't expect to be able to buy any food or go to a café or restaurant after midday on either day), they really don't do much of anything else either. Things only really start moving again from 2 January.

As regards the weather, a little research shows a really distinct difference between Valence and Montélimar, both on the Rhône, Valence about 20 miles further north than Die, and Montélimar 30 miles south. The difference in the average amount and number of days of rain is notable:

Valence:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
mm	57	58	75	75	86	56	36	50	66	119	54	71
Days	16	14	16	16	14	17	23	21	21	18	18	17

Montélimar:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
mm	60	60	80	80	80	50	40	50	70	140	60	80
Days	8	7	7	9	7	6	3	4	6	9	9	9

My guess would be that Die is closer to Montélimar weather than Valence. For both, October is by far the wettest month in terms of rainfall, but Valence spreads all its rain over roughly twice as many days. But when it rains in Die, it really rains. If you can understand French, there's a good article here that details the decreasing rainfall from north to south round the Vercors plateau.

This week I've been accompanied by George Humby of Exeter University Cycling Club for the cycling and Clare Greenall for reading, and surreptitious tending of the Jotul. George likes climbing hills (well, he is 15kg lighter than me, so that's my excuse for letting him win any KOMs), but with freezing nights, and mostly unsalted roads, morning rides and anything on side roads need to be avoided. At least we have the superb D93 (the main road to Gap and then Italy) stretching in both directions for about 30 miles. And with the dry climate here, and the lack of salting, certain roads can be ridden. So we have done four rides in the week: to Luc-en-Diois and Châtillon-en-Diois; to Crest, with a loop at the end; in the opposite direction to the Col de Cabre; and the old favourite up the Quint valley and back over the Col de Marignac.

 

I'll have to admit to stopping about 5km short of the Col de Cabre. We'd already ridden past quite a lot of ice, mostly by the side of the road. But at that altitude (950m, about 200m below the Col) I decided that I'd find it increasingly hard to turn round getting so near the summit, so George carried on to satisfy his col-lust, and I turned round and gingerly descended. Both of us were fine, but I'm very much looking forward to revisiting the col in warmer weather: we both agreed that the descent will be fantastic. Here's the route I'll be doing to Col de Cabre. In any case the road to Valdrôme was closed this time, and any side roads, especially those in the shade were likely to be skating rinks rather than roads.

Die-Valdrome-ColdeCabre 85m

Other highlights of the week have been walking round Font d'Urle in the snow; visiting the harrowing museum at Vassieux-en-Vercors, which charts the terrible, futile slaughter of the Vercors resistance, young men, and the razing of entire Vercors villages in July 1944; and, of course, seeing again the beauty of the area, wearing its winter clothes, and in winter weather, both gentle and stormy. Nothing is dull round here.

Les Liotards on the first morning

Clare being very British

Looking down on the Quint Valley from Font d'Urle

Font d'Urle

Beaurières, at the foot of the climb to the Col de Cabre

From the Route de Romeyer, the road home.

And three photos from George of the Col de Cabre. Excuse the bar tape, but George is a mathematician rather than an aesthete. At least he didn't give up 5km short of the col.

More autumnal glories, and routes...

We certainly hit the jackpot with the weather for the week. On the last day Martin and I were sitting on the steps eating lunch, and it seemed rather warm: a thermometer in the sun clocked the temperature at 37C - not bad for late October, and certainly better than what was on offer in England.

Anyway, some routes cycled this time.

Firstly a rather hilly one cycled with Arved: two hardish cols (Col de la Chaudière and Col de Pennes), and though only 72 miles, Ridewithgps clocks 12,000ft of climbing. Even if that is an overestimate, it was a properly tiring ride, and the climb to the Col de Pennes via the longer southerly route was taxing, though really worth it for the amazing scenery it goes through. Incidentally, not one car passed us from the Col de Lescou to the Col de Pennes, 20 miles in all.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3611751

Secondly, a short route round the Vercors plateau. Three highlights: the climb and descent to/from the Col de Rousset (a perfect gradient in both directions, which took me 57 minutes up and 25 minutes down); the Grands Goulets, the most bonkers balcony road you're ever likely to find; and the lush meadows spread out between the mountains of the plateau.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3611827

Our one aborted ride was going to go over the Col de Grimone and back via the Col de Menée (similar, in reverse, to my ride to Mens in August), but the Col de Menée was closed, and given the windiness (gusts up to 60km/h) Arved & I returned via the unexpectedly amazing Cirque d'Archiane.

Photos below from the three rides.

Arved at the Col de la Chaudière

One of the Trois Becs, from the Col de la Chaudière

Les Grands Goulets

On the road back to St Agnan-en-Vercors

A salamander outside my house

Riding done, the Super Six is put to bed.

Autumnal excursions and colours

A week ago I had my normal glance at the Villard-de-Lans webcam to see what I assumed to be a software glitch, as all I could see was snow. But no, the date stamp was up-to-date, and there had indeed been a big snow dump overnight. However, generally very mild weather has been the norm this Autumn, and by the evening nearly all the snow had gone. And I gather that such great variation is to be expected, so I was prepared for anything for my week's October stay - though, of course, hoping for some warmth and some cycling-friendly weather.
Well, so far,so good: daytime temperatures up to 24C in the shade, though also with dramatic Alpine storms.
I don't know if this year's weather has made the autumnal colours especially spectacular, but certainly, for my first October visit, the scenery is perhaps even more breathtaking than in the Summer.
Below are photos from today's ride up to the Col de Grimone and back via the Cirque d'Archiane (a most dramatic valley indeed). The top photo is from yesterday's ride to Gigors, and shows Alpine newbie Martin Wright coming over his second Col, the Col de la Croix, with experienced Alpinist Arved Schwendel.
The walnuts were collected from a roadside ditch by Arved and me, on the way back through Châtillon-en-Diois, and the last four photos are from an evening stroll up behind my house towards the Glandasse, dodging some very heavy showers!