After looking at the barren white top of the Mont Ventoux for weeks from all directions (a week in Menerbes, a week on the other side in Buis les Barronies and then another week in the Luberon mountains), we finally did it yesterday!! Started from Bedoin, like the Tour de France-ers, and huffed and puffed our way up to the 1909 m high peak. Really cool to do, the mistral wind was making it a bit harder the last 6 km but very worthwhile. It feels like cycle-capital of the world here, full of cyclists and cycle-shops.
Dan: 2 hours up and then 20 minutes down...you get up to 70 kph on the way down. Sneller!!!! :o)
Last week Dan and Jon had a bit of a climbing-fest in Orpierre and Ceuse and I had some time off ;-) Ceuse is really beautiful with the snowy peaks of the Ecrins in the background. And according to the boys the best climbing in the world! Maybe the 1 hr walk-in will feel less steep after a few times... Pictures will follow, we can't get them off the big camera.
Dan: for those climbers reading this, Ceuse is totally amazing!!! and the walk isn't really that terrible .
Zooo gezellig that the chica's came to visit for a mini-sun-break! We had a big camping party with 7 in Bonnieux on a beautiful campsite. So nice to be around friends and walk, chat, read dutch magazines and sit in the sun together. And create culinary meals on the camping stoves yumm.. Renet and I even saw a water snake in the lake where we were swimming!
Sunday night when everyone was gone we felt a bit lonely...
We're staying in the Provence for the rest of this week (beginning to feel at home here) and pick up Matt on Sunday to go to Corsica.
Hope spring has arrived at home!
xx
ps picture of church in Avignon, city of the popes
