26-07-2018     Jausiers − Sault     170 km

Jausiers  −  Le Lauzet-Ubaye  −  Espinasses  −  Grigors  −  Col de Sarraut  −  Sisteron  −  La Vallée du Jabron  −  Col de Macuègne  −  Col de l'Homme Mort  −  Saint-Trinit  −  Sault

Early breakfast, and this morning I have a table of my own; Françine and J.P. visited friends after dinner last night and have a late rise. Today a long étape like the one to Cheminas, trying to find a route with not too many détours but avoiding N-roads, and restricting the elevation gain. The first 21 km are quite well-known, and it is strange (and nice) that for a change I don't have the wind against me. There are still many signs of the Tour that passed along this route yesterday; today it will continue over the Iseran to finish in Tignes. On entering Barcelonette I'm passed by a dozen Germans in black, undoubtedly on their way to either the Col de la Cayolle or the Col d'Allos; at least they turn left. The next 10 km to Méolans, where I spent two night in 2008 and two nights in 2014, are very pretty, and very quick too, as are the next, by me much less frequented, 8 km till Le Lauzet-Ubaye.

Last blue morning sky

D900:   A road   . . . .

. . . .   with a history

During these first 30 km it's mostly faux-plat downhill, except that shortly after Le Lauzet there's an unclassified côte, a little more than 300 m up, with nice views down to one of the 'arms' of the Lac de Serre-Ponçon (and to the derrière of an Italian athlete that passes me with her mate, and whom I can keep up with for a while). Follows an irregular descent, not very interesting, where I'm à l'élastique of a Dutch couple during several kilometers (the guys seems to want to set speed records every time the road goes down). I've already covered 51 km (at a speed of 24 km/h) when I cross one of the other 'arms' of the said lake, in fact a continuation of the river Durance I already followed from Briançon only two days ago. On the other side of the bridge there's a white hotel-restaurant with a sunny terrace, but alas, without any personnel.

	Nice valley		of the Ubaye		Lac de Serre-Ponçon
	Bis		Bis		Café sans café

And with quite a lot of traffic as well, so without too much regret I ride on as there sure must be some other place to have coffee. Well, there's no opportunity before the junction to the south, a bit into no man's land. Er, that's not good, but it's my lucky day, there's a bar du Pont. No pies or other pastry, but there's coffee, coca cola, and the lady of the house improvises an interesting panini/sandwich with zucchini from the garden. With a filled stomach (and a sun oiled body) I'm ready for the next 4th category climb, 350 km up in 11 km, with a short 75 m drop in altitude halfway. It's a bit hard to get a good rhythm; it's quite warm! But after the first 3 km it's quite okay, and it's a lovely quiet road I only once (in 1986) visited before. The next 32 km are regularly going down, lovely! Halfway I come to follow the river Salle, and straight in front of me, far away, I imagine I see the contours of the Mont-Ventoux (or is it the Montagne de la Lure?). Unfortunately (no: Stupidly) I take the wrong turn, the D304, which takes me to a shopping (MacDonald's) area 7 km north of Sisteron. Well, at least there is a well sorted boulangerie/pâtisserie "Ange", with alas not a very warm (figuratively speaking!) atmosphere.

	Into no men's land		Life is okay		Faucon du Caire (?)
	Nice quiet		intermezzo		Fruit trees
	Mont-Ventoux   (or: Montagne de la Lure?)		Pâtisserie avec pâtisserie		Sisteron

And alas from this unfriendly corner I have to fight myself 7 km against the wind over a busy road, and another 5 km, since with this heat I don't have the guts to try the sign-posted shortcut, probably more hilly than the main road, from Sisteron to Noyers-sur-Jabron. Coward! With a sigh of relief I turn right onto the D946 (a nice road and also three beautiful piano pieces by Schubert; click and hear!). Less cars, less wind, more bends along a dry river bed, quite high mountain slopes on the south side and a very, very gentle slope; during the first 25 km it's 450 m up and 150 m down. Alas I have no time to go up the luring road to the Col de la Graille, certainly not with this bloody heat. It looks awfully attractive (and has a noticeable elevation gain too). I definitely enjoy this valley, although beforehand I had preferred the valley of the Méouge; I put that aside because of the extra distance involved. At every village I pass through I try to refresh my water, which is not always possible (e.g. three times over eau non potable in Noyers-sur-Jabron). In Saint-Vincent-sur-Jabron I score a coca cola and have my t-shirt soaked. A local tells me what's in store till the Col de Macuègne, water wise, restaurant wise and elevation wise. In Les Omergues more water and a coupe à 4 boules dans restaurant l'Étape.

Road to Col de la Graille?

Eau non-potable

Eau baptisable

The television is on, live news from the Tour. But hey, what's going on there! The stage is shortened because of sleet and a mud stream between the Col de l'Iséran and Tignes! Egon Bernal gains the maillot jaune. And this lucky guy (i.e. me) has escaped this protest of nature (the Cormet de Roselend will be closed too!). This lucky guy enjoys a colourful ride up (yellow and purple) to the Col de Macuégne. And after that a longer than expected faux plat to the Col de l'Homme Mort. Just 4.5 km to gain 170 m, how hard can that be. It's not so hard, but I'd rather had gotten it over with in 2 km. Eventually I reach the pass, where I had expected a direct view to the Mont-Ventoux.

Vallée du Jabron

Around the Col de Macuègne

Bis

Hey, who's there, riding up with me ?

After the Col de l'Homme Mort:   M.-V.

Small hasty shoppings

That comes later. The descent is boring, and in Ferassières the road signs lead me to Saint-Trinit (another 3 km extra that I did not want), and then up and down and up and down and down (more down than up) to Sault. Which is bigger that I remembered. And there's a supermarchée on the edge of the town where a grumbling shop keeper (female) wants really to shut the cash desks at 7 p.m., which is just 5 minutes after I enter the shop. Gîte Pilpoil takes a bit of asking, and there's no one there, and from inside my phone does not work(!?). Outdoors I get connected to the caretaker and agree to meet and arrange costs around nine, after dinner. I feel a bit forlorn when looking for a last (or last but one) place to eat in France. I choose for a menu in "La Moisson". Just after ordering I hear Dutch being spoken and invite a couple from Leiden, Ferdinand et Astrid, to join me at the next table. We pass a cozy dinner (where Ferdinand first forgets to order and next to eat because of all his talking, which is okay with me). They alternate cycling days and 'lazy' days. Tomorrow will be a lazy day, as a lot of rain and thunderstorms are forecasted. Which will mean my last 'heroic' stage will turn into a letdown. Though even without this change in the weather (forecast) I'm not too confident about the Mont-Ventoux from Bédoin with luggage.