Routes from Digne-le-Baines or thereabouts

nasahapley

Hi all,

I'm fortunate enough to be off to Provence next week, staying in a village called Cabrieres d'Avignon which is about a 20 mile ride from Mt Ventoux and 10 miles east of Avignon. I'll obviously be having a go at Ventoux, but I was also thinking of taking a drive over towards the Alps, perhaps somewhere like Digne-le-Bains, and doing a ride from there. Can anyone recommend any routes? I was watching the TdF yesterday and it looks awesome out there, I want to bag at least one big col if possible!

The other thing I wanted to ask is about drinking water - am I right in thinking that most (or at least a lot) of French villages have a drinking fountain in them?

xio

Drinking fountains are pretty common, but the generally accepted way in france is that you can walk into any bar or restaurant and ask nicely and they'll fill your bidons. Done this loads and never once had a problem.

niedermeyer

No need to drive anywhere really - as well as Ventoux (3 ways up) there are the Gorges de la Nesque on the southern flank and a fantastic route on the northern flank through Brantes to Montbrun - go up that way then back through Sault down the Nesque gorge.

You also have the Col de Murs and a great little loop from Gordes to the Abbaye de Senanque on your doorstep; also out of Cavailon there is a bike-only road over the Luberon massif which gets up to about 720m.

The great riding around there is endless. Put together a route taking in the Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Menerbes, Roussillon, Lacoste and Bonnieux and you'll get plenty of climbing!

niedermeyer

No need to drive anywhere really - as well as Ventoux (3 ways up) there are the Gorges de la Nesque on the southern flank and a fantastic route on the northern flank through Brantes to Montbrun - go up that way then back through Sault down the Nesque gorge.

You also have the Col de Murs and a great little loop from Gordes to the Abbaye de Senanque on your doorstep; also out of Cavailon there is a bike-only road over the Luberon massif which gets up to about 720m.

The great riding around there is endless. Put together a route taking in the Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Menerbes, Roussillon, Lacoste and Bonnieux and you'll get plenty of climbing!