To ride to the west, on my own, on a beautiful morning, in my beloved France, after a break of five years, with two weeks of cycling ahead, feels a bit strange and a lot of fantastic. I have a short coffee break in Bollène, with strong coffee, a visit to the toilet, and a short technical intermezzo to set the front mudguard free from the tyre. The last technical intermezzo until Suze-la-Rousse (preparing the bike for the bus trailer). Lucky me!
Ten km of busy roads take me to the bridge over the river Rhône, i.e. the pont of Pont Saint-Esprit. What a nice views!   From Pont Saint-Esprit I find a very nice first étape over mostly quiet roads. First along the D23, crossing the (valley of the) river Cèze, which I will meet again three days later, much closer to its sources, with already some climbs of 50 to 150 meter up. How good it feels gliding through this undulating, not even so spectacular landscape. What a nice way to live a day. I feel completely relaxed. I need a fontaine to fill my water bottle, as it is getting warm already. Coffee break in Verfeuil with pastry (and coca cola, it is getting really warm!). And on and on, till Alès, where I hoped to arrive before 2 p.m. for a first plat du jour. Which becomes a tartine du chef, as the daily dish is only served on Mondays till Fridays, on a very busy terrace.

Pont Saint-Esprit

Into the French countryside

La Roque-sur-Cèze

Outskirts of Alès

Coffee break

Lunch break

I cross and follow the Gardon d'Alès, one of several rivers 'Gardon' in the département Gard. Turning left I enter the Cévennes via the D160 through the valley of the Galeizon. In the evening I read that Strava during this preamble already counted 950 m of elevation gain. Very nice road, this D160, through a wooded valley, with quite some shade, and an easy slope. I gather some extra climbing/training may be good, and I have both the time and a good candidate for it. So I make a sidestep to La Croix des Vents, which means a 4 km climb (and a first col sign). At the 'top' (at 350m?) I hesitate to change my plan, but fear too much climbing (to the Col de la Baraque and more) and a late arrival (and also the heat), so I put on my helmet and descend along the other side of the (river) Grave the Rieusset over a poorly surfaced tiny road. Back on the D160 the slow slow climb to the Col d'Uglas continues, and it is great. And a bit long. So I am happy to learn, in Saint-Paul-la-Coste, where I stop at the village fair to have my bottle refilled, that there remain only 5 km of faux plat until the col. After that quite a descent to Saint-Jean-du-Gard, where I have some yoghurt, fruits and cereals near the village fountain. From Alès I had tried to phone to the gîte of Le Pont du Burgen, and now I see that I have received a text with quite an urgent call to contact them, and with the question whether I will still be coming. Stupid of me: I remember they had asked me to confirm my coming two days before. Well, I reply I am on my way, still some 20 km to go, slightly uphill, however, after a short night and quite a few hours on JJ, so it may well take me an hour and a half. Again a lovely road! In Saint-Étienne-Vallée-Française I try to score a (i.e. 1) beer in a supermarket, but they won't let me, and five km (and two gîtes) further I reach the hameau where my gîte is situated.

More sunflowers

At the Col de la Croix des Vents

Tiny road to   . . . . .

. . . .   Col d'Uglas

Destination of day one

Lonely night for JJ at the lower gîte

Around 7 p.m., after 126 km − not very impressive after such an early start and a relatively easy ride − in an interesting old building. Well, it must be the age 😢. I am warmly welcomed by Dominique, who tells me that she and her husband run two gîtes, and tonight only the 'upper' one is hosting people. The steep, unpaved path of some 1 or 2 km is not suitable for a tired man with a heavily loaded road bike, so she takes me in her electric car. Up there I get a very basic dormitory for myself − though at a certain moment I find I share it with one of the cats −, have a quick shower (the shower is good) and am the last one to take place at a table set for seven in the quiet garden. The six others: a family of four from Berlin, starting a tour avec ânes of five days, and another 'east-German' 'couple', that have found each other via an ad, and are walking a Stevenson track. Dinner is lovely, with many fresh ingredients from the biodynamic garden. And sleep is not a problem either.