Day 12 - Sault to Moustier-Ste-Marie

After leaving the lovely Hotel Le Louvre we cycled out of Sault on good smooth flat roads...leaving Ventoux in the distance. The smell of lavender was all around with fields at both sides of the road.  Unfortunately most of the flowers had been harvested so there was nothing (just yet) to photograph.  It was a very fast 18 miles, most of which I cycled alone.  There was an incredible descent in to Banon where the first brew stop was.  After a quick coffee we set off again, this time as a group and covered some fantastic miles of down, such a different ride from yesterday's Ventoux.  It was however getting really hot, my Garmin kept showing 39 - 40 degrees.

We stopped for a picnic lunch just outside La Brillaine, I didn't eat much as I was hot and not particularly hungry, this I was to pay for later!

Again in our group we set out from lunch, knowing there was some climbing ahead, after about 3 miles of climbing the road topped out and there were beautifully planted lavender fields, and at last some that hadn't been harvested so I managed a small amount of purple in the photos!  The road, which was as smooth as silk, descended and ascended many times and kept giving more and more lavender fields...it was lovely, the smells and the sights were just fabulous.

With about 10 miles to go to Moustier the road started climbing again, very gradually which for me is worse if it doesn't look like a hill. My energy levels were pretty much depleted and I was toiling.  I took a gel but just had to push really hard to get myself going.  thankfully I still had Bob and Sue for company and they pretty much dragged my sorry ass into town and to our hotel.  I was in a different hotel than them but when I found it I found that we had a lovely pool and sun terrace so that was where I laid my head to recover.

Moustier is built into the rock faces of the start of the Verdon Gorge, this is where we will be cycling tomorrow, and having seen it before I am looking forward to my return.

https://www.strava.com/activities/367593380

Miles - 70
Ascent - 1350m
Cols - none, but lots of hills!
Rode with - various and Bob and Sue at the end
Weather - HOT 40 degrees
Extra interesting bits - Bonking on the bike is pants...lesson learned, eat more at lunch!