S H F bike tours 🚴🏼 🇫🇷 day 19

19 days and counting!  Love love love the biking here. Quiet roads and lots of scenery. Well, let's rethink that just a tad. The vast majority of our biking tour group successfully conquered a 4K hill ranging from 5-9% grade. It was a mountain if you ask me.  Sucking air like a little steam engine, managed to make it to the top.  The reward was fantastic.  Oh by the way, the scaling to the summit is one to mark your calendars .... Brenda most decidedly beat me to the top. Yup, she scooted right up that 4K climb leaving me and many others in the dust.  Oh, did I mention she kind of cheated... Outfitted with an electric bike, she had that thing turned up to the highest assist as possible.... 

The day started with a cruise through the 12th century narrow streets of Vallabreques then on to Saint Remy de Provence. The birth place of Nostradamus. Also notable, is Van Gogh resided here for a period of time during the days of his mental illness. Market was happening in the center square, so lots of shopping opportunity. Just ask Deb and Clay....

The challenge of the day was when we left Saint Remy to scale the bit of a mountainous incline (hidden falls would pale in comparison) to the overlook to Les-Baux-de-Provence. A village built in the 12-13th centruries. Did we find a castle and a number of churches .... Why absolutely!  After catching our breath and taking at least a 100 photos, off we went to this really cool village and, you betcha, more shopping opportunities. 

Then a liesurely, 23 miles into Arles and our boat. Yea! clean up and a cold beverage.  Whew...  Seems I have been remiss in not mentioning the food on this cruise. Quite outstanding.  The dinners are fabulous. We have our own chef. He has really outdone himself. Yum.  All dinners are plated so only one option. They are quite flexible if you give them some advence notice to change what to be served to you. ( just ask Brenda and her penchant for curry and fish...) The breakfasts are ok, nothing out of the ordinary.  We make our own lunches and eat them sometime during the day at some stop or another.  The bar! Self serve and write down what you take. What is not to like!!  Kinda liking that Leffe beer! Yum!

Tomorrow, day 5 of 6 for biking. We explore Arles. ( pronounced R Ls- silly French) .  Do check back ! You might find something interesting ....