07 to Avignon

Distance 81 kilometers, cumulative 490 kilometers | Elevation gain 200, cumulative 1,750 meters, distance to home 599 kilometers

My test today was successful! The helmet performed as it should, and my watch would have alerted the emergency contacts. However, I stopped the test because I didn't want to frighten anyone.

I slept well in my cabin, even though it was quite cool. There were enough blankets, and before getting up, I turned on the electric heater. My neighbors, a few chickens, were also quiet until I got up at 7 AM. Only then did it slowly get light. Everything was calm on the premises, and the hosts were not visible until I set off at 8 AM. It's a shame; I would have liked to thank them for the somewhat adventurous stay, the welcoming beer, and the fantastic pumpkin soup that the hostess offered me for free in the evening.

For the first time, I had to backtrack a bit to get on the right route. Crossing the canal is very difficult without a bridge. My first stop was Saint Gilles, where I have rented a houseboat several times. And that's exactly where I went past. After that, I continued along the canal, which is not an official cycling route. Most of the path was covered with flat grass, which made cycling very pleasant. I always had a slight doubt about whether I would eventually return to the normal route. And in fact, I was lucky in the last few meters, as there was a construction site that, according to the signs, you shouldn't pass through. I'm sure hundreds of people have done that before me; otherwise, I would have had to turn back a couple of kilometers. Unfortunately, I continued on a main road afterward, which went well thanks to the shoulder.

Shortly before Beaucare, a modern cathedral suddenly appeared among the trees, which soon turned out to be a cement factory. In Beaucare itself, I recognized at the harbor that I had also been here with the houseboat.

From here, I went along a main road for a long time, but there was also a wide shoulder here. Only after crossing the Rhone did I encounter a lovely bike path again. The width of the Rhone surprised me. Compared to Geneva, it is massive here.

Also massive for me were the two enormous railway bridges that spanned the Rhone. I assume they are lines for the TGW, meaning a high-speed train.

In Avignon, I then crossed a bridge with a wonderful view of the famous buildings of Avignon. The papal residences, in particular, are worth mentioning. From 1307, this was the seat for seven popes until they returned to Rome.

Since I could only check into my residence from September 19th to 30th, 2024, after 3 PM, I strolled a bit through the old town. I wanted to look behind me while standing still. The front wheel turned, which threw the bike off balance, along with me.

https://www.komoot.com/de-DE/tour/1869096677?ref=itd

My test today was a success! The helmet held as it should and my watch would have alerted the alarm contacts. But I stopped the test because I didn't want to scare anyone.

I slept well in my hut, even though it was quite cold. There were enough blankets, and before I got up, I turned on the electric heater. My neighbors, a couple of chickens, were also quiet until I got up at 7 a.m. Only then did it slowly get light. Everything was quiet on the site, and the hosts were not to be seen until I set off at 8 a.m. It's a shame; I would have liked to thank them for the somewhat adventurous stay, the welcome beer, and the fantastic pumpkin soup that the hostess offered me for free that evening.

First, I had to drive back a bit to get on the right route. Crossing the canal is very difficult without a bridge. My first stopover was Saint Gilles. I've rented a houseboat there a few times. And that's exactly where I drove past. Then I continued along the canal, which is not an official cycle route. Most of the path was covered with flat grass, which was very pleasant to cycle on. I was always a little doubtful about whether I would eventually get back to the normal route. And I was indeed lucky in the last few meters, as there was a construction site that, according to the signs, you were not allowed to drive through. I'm sure hundreds of people had done that before me; otherwise, I would have had to go back a few kilometers. Unfortunately, then I continued on a main road, which was fine thanks to the shoulder.

Shortly before Beaucare, a modern cathedral suddenly appeared between the trees, but it soon turned out to be a cement factory. In Beaucare itself, I realized at the harbor that I had already been here with the houseboat.

From here, I went along a main road for a long time, but there was also a wide shoulder here. Only after crossing the Rhone did I come across a beautiful cycle path again. The width of the Rhone amazed me. Compared to Geneva, it is enormous here.

Also impressive for me were the two massive railway bridges that crossed the Rhone. I assume that these were lines from the TGW, i.e., a high-speed train.

In Avignon, I drove over a bridge with a wonderful view of the famous buildings of Avignon. The papal residences are particularly worth mentioning. From 1307, this was the seat of seven popes until they returned to Rome.

Since I couldn't check into my residence from September 19th to September 30th, 2024, until after 3 p.m., I strolled a little through the old town. I wanted to look behind while I was standing still. The front wheel turned, which threw the wheel off balance and me with it.