First of all, it's a steep downhill. "Strange somehow," I think, "as a start to the day." So be it! When you live on a hill, every tour starts with a descent. Vinezac, the village where I'm staying, is beautifully surrounded by vines. The village centre is a labyrinth of tiny alleyways, steps, gates and medieval walls. What's more, I'm staying in a stately house that once belonged to some noble family; the open fireplace next to the dining room is big enough to roast an ox in. But now, as I said, it's downhill for the time being, and that means holding on tight to the handlebars. The little road to Uzer is narrow and not so well tarmaced. It's still freezing cold on this clear Tuesday morning in October. But how beautiful the landscape sparkles. The sun's rays refract in millions of dewdrops. I dash down through the oak forest to the narrow bridge under which the Lande gurgles - a modest little river, but still enough for a small gorge. Most Germans know the Ardèche as the home of the famous gorge of the same name. However, the canyon is just one of dozens that have been carved into the landscape west of the Rhône. There are valleys and gorges galore in the Département of Ardèche. Topographically, I realise straight away, the region resembles a crumpled-up handkerchief.
Ardèche: uphill into chestnut country
If I hadn't carelessly written to Christophe Noury before this trip that he shouldn't worry about the metres in altitude, the routes might have been a little tamer. But as it is, the regional tourism association's cycling officer seems to have made fun of the fact that the routes criss-cross through the folds of the handkerchief. And, as Christophe emphasises, in a different direction every day. "You'll be amazed," he said at breakfast at the beginning of my stay, "how many different landscapes we have here in such a small space." And indeed, I will always be amazed at how different each tour is from the previous day. The route to the north, for example, which was advertised as a gentle introductory tour, has a rather harsh, slightly aggressive character, which has a lot to do with the low-pressure system that has tenaciously nestled in the foothills of the Cevennes during my journey.
From the wine-growing region, I head up into the world of chestnuts, once the most popular crop in this country. People used to eat chestnuts dried, ground or roasted, in soups and baked into deep black bread. The dense chestnut forest of the 16th century was a monoculture. And even today, it is still teeming with the fruit, which hangs from the branches like green Christmas baubles. Now, in autumn, the winding roads are littered with the burst shells and for a moment I wonder whether the spines of the chestnuts can harm my tyres. Fortunately, they can't. As I arrive at the Col de la Croix de Millet, the wind picks up. Dark clouds race across the sky. The rocks are speckled green like very old mouldy cheese. It's so cold for a while that my mood only returns to normal after a cup of hot chocolate. The second tour is completely different, this time to the west. The temperatures have risen by more than ten degrees. Even higher in the sun. Instead of chestnuts, olive trees and lavender grow here. In general, this tour is of a completely different calibre. A long climb takes me up to the Plateau des Gras. I leave the famous gorges, just a few kilometres away, to the left. Christophe advised me against it. "Too many cars," he said and sent me a few kilometres further north through the karst landscape. In general, the man has a very keen sense of which roads are suitable for our purposes and keeps everything that could be busy and noisy at bay.
Mont Ventoux under your nose
The second tour is one with magnificent views of the landscape. For quite a while, I have the solitary Mont Ventoux in front of me, then the Provençal Alps and finally, neatly stacked up, the chains of the Cévennes. Every few kilometres I pass one of the beautiful villages that dot the Ardèche - Christophe has marked them on the map. Unfortunately, there are far too many to stop each time. Only in Valvignères, after lunch, do I make a round full of impressions: a thick clock tower, cobbled squares, walls over which plants spill, in which whole flocks of birds chirp. Somewhere a shutter rattles, a dog barks and the fountain babbles away. But I have to keep going.
I'm probably the only person who still buys souvenirs while cycling, but what should I do when the lady in the farm shop knows my weak points so well? She uses flowery words to praise her lavender essence as a remedy for muscle tension. And so the spray bottle travels on with me over the numerous ramps of the Plateau du Coiron. Plateau my arse. It doesn't stay flat here for three kilometres. And there are always jeeps and pick-ups on the bends. Armed men in orange-coloured waistcoats roam through the woods. One of them tells me that there are even more wild boar than before thanks to the climate change. It is already dusk as I pedal the last few metres up to Vinezac. That's enough for today. I'm exhausted. The conversation with my host is correspondingly brief. I only become more talkative again during the course of the brilliant dinner. Especially as Johann Sartre is not only a fantastic chef, but also a cool sod. A few years ago, he had the "Temptation of St Anthony" by Salvador Dalí engraved on his arm. "On my shoulder," says Sartre as he serves the dessert, "I still have a Picasso." After dinner, I can barely manage the stairs.
Ardèche: latte with a view
Fortunately, Tour numéro trois is the mildest of my four tours. The inhabitants of the southern Ardèche call their region "Midi moins le quart". Loosely translated as "quarter to the south". There are also a few steep climbs on this route, for example between the former mining town of Largentière and Sanilhac. The road through the town is so busy that a black dog has laid down in the middle of the tarmac. I interpret the shaggy animal as a sign to make a short stop and order a latte with a view. Two hours later, I take my next break by an ice-cold stream, this time including a skinny-dip, followed by lunch in the Mediterranean town of Les Vans and a visit to the fortress of Banne. It's a dawdle today! As punishment, there is a strong headwind. And on the only reasonably flat section of all places that Christophe allows me.
I saved the climb to the highest point of my journey for the last day. The fourth stage is a clear change from the constant ups and downs: this time it is a continuous climb, 56 kilometres long up to the 1369 metre high Col de Meyrand. The Monts d'Ardèche are sparsely populated. In the lonely high valleys, a dropout is working on his stone house, the bells of a herd of goats ring somewhere, otherwise it is quiet. Well, not quite. On the steepest section, behind the hamlet of Sablières, there's a thump in the forest every few seconds. What is that? After a few minutes, I realise that it's chestnuts falling from the trees onto the ground. When I reach a saddle shortly afterwards, I realise that the Col de Meyrand is still kilometres away. What's more, the only restaurant open at this time of year within a radius of 25 kilometres closed half an hour ago. Oh well, I'll just climb the pass on a basis of bars and Prinzenrolle. At the top of the pass, I hold my mobile phone in the air and take selfies that don't even begin to capture the fabulous panoramic view. No matter, what follows is one of the most beautiful descents of my life. Without any bends worth mentioning, I descend through the Beaume Valley, past withered ferns and boggy alpine meadows, along gorges and places that I only notice out of the corner of my eye. Kilometre after kilometre. It just doesn't stop. "So that it doesn't get totally boring," Christophe announced, "I've added two more ramps towards the end." That was obvious. But it doesn't matter. After all, I'm still intoxicated from the endless descent. But the scramble at the very end is painful. But, so be it! When you live on a hill, every tour ends with a climbing section.
Information about the Ardèche
Journey
Train or bus: There are reasonable train connections to Valence or Montélimar. From Frankfurt am Main, it takes around ten hours and three changes of trains. To take a bike on international trains, you need a bike ticket including a parking space for nine euros; this is only possible at DB travel centres, DB agencies or by calling 030/2970. From Valence, it is around 90 kilometres to our Vinezac location, from Montélimar 50. From Montélimar, for example, you can continue by SNCF bus (www.sncf-connect.com); journey time two to three hours. You can also get to Lyon or Valence cheaply with the Flixbus (www.flixbus.de); book your bikes in advance!
Car: Either via Geneva, Grenoble and Valence or via Strasbourg, Besançon and Lyon. In both cases, it gets twisty just before the end, in the foothills of the Massif Central.
Flight: Lyon's Saint-Exupéry Airport is served by direct flights from several German airports. From there to Aubenas (13 km to Vinezac) by TGV and bus (2.5 hours) or hire car.
Best time to travel
From May to the end of October, although it can be uncomfortable in the high altitudes of the Cévennes even in summer. Avoid the peak holiday season of July and August. There is significantly more traffic during these months. In the low season, however, some restaurants may be closed.
Food & Drink
Anyone travelling to the Ardèche in autumn can hardly avoid chestnuts; entire menus are knitted around them, particularly ambitiously by Claude Brioude in his hotel restaurant in the spa town of Neyrac-les-Bains. Autumn is also the time for hunting, although the game tends to end up in private kitchens. There are numerous wineries in the Ardèche, the quality of which has risen steadily in recent years. Excellent organic wines are grown around our location in Vinezac, which you can sample in the local pub and village shop.
Restaurant tips
Vinezac
Le Point Nommé, Phone 0033/(0)42/6624340, facebook.com/LePointNomme
A beer, glass of wine or a coffee? This cosy village bar (complete with organic food shop) will make you feel right at home.
Valvignères (Tour 2)
Auberge De L'Helvie, Phone 0033/(0)475464712, restaurant-valvigneres.com
Best to sit outside, in the middle of the Middle Ages, so to speak. The restaurant in the old village centre also offers light meals for warm days.
Sanilhac (Tour 3)
La Bastide de Sanilhac, Phone 0033/(0)475392827, www.hotel-bastide-sanilhac.com Stopover with a marvellous view, suitable for a stopover, a second breakfast or a meal.
Neyrac-les-Bains (21 km north of Vinezac)
Bistro Brioude, Phone 0033/(0)475364107, www.claudebrioude.fr
The funny chef is the author of a chestnut cookery book and the authority on Ardèche cuisine. Treat yourself to a tasting menu!
Don't miss it!
The sleepy spa town of Vals-les-Bains seems to have fallen out of time, not to say old-fashioned. However, the Sequoia Redwood Thermal Spa is not old-fashioned at all. Here you can relax your muscles in thermal pools and saunas. Information at www.thermesdevals.com
Bike service
Aubenas
Cycles Amc7, Phone 003/(0)428400200, www.amc7.com
Professional shop with a good selection of repair materials, clothing and bikes.
Everyman race: Since 1993, the legendary Ardèchoise, the largest everyman's race in Europe with well over 10,000 participants (16,768 riders in 2016). For its 30th anniversary in June this year, the range of routes and options was greater than ever before. There was a choice of "Cyclosportif" or, for the less ambitious, "Cyclotouriste" categories. There are 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-day variants or the two-day Ardèchoise Ultra (607 kilometres, 1,1355 metres in altitude). Information at www.ardechoise.com
Accommodation
Vinezac
Les Galapians, Phone 0033/(0)475369166, www.lesgalapians.fr, double room from 85 euros.
Johann Sartre's hotel in the old town centre of Vinezac is not particularly large. Only five rooms can be booked in the renovated building. Guests and their individual wishes are looked after personally. In his restaurant, Sartre serves top-quality regional cuisine. His menus remain absolutely affordable. Breakfast is also plentiful, delicious and healthy. The "Galapians", part of a series of hotels with the "Accueil Vélo" label, has a lockable room for bikes and offers quick washing and drying of cycling clothing.
Literature
"Ardèche, Tarn and Cevennes", 172 pages with folding map. Dumont Verlag, 2022; 12.95 euros. Well-researched and compact guide to the region.
Info
French Centre for Tourism, https://de.france.fr/de
Internet www.ardeche-guide.com (French, English)
Orientation
The department of Ardèche in the south-east of France in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region was named after the river that rises in the Monts d'Ardèche nature park and flows into the Rhone 125 kilometres later. The famous Ardèche Gorge lies in the extreme south-east of the region. With just under 330,000 inhabitants in an area of 5530 square kilometres, the Ardèche is one of the most sparsely populated regions in France. The capital is the small town of Privas (8500 inhabitants), the highest point is Mont Mézenc at 1753 metres. Almost the entire département consists of mountainous and hilly landscapes. Our location, Vinezac, was awarded the title "Village de Caractère" (village with character) by the department's tourism organisation in 2001 - thanks to its vines, its red sandstone houses and its Romanesque church.
With countless small but (with very few exceptions) well-paved roads and a large selection of little-used passes, the Ardèche is a paradise for racing cyclists. It is rarely flat here; the foothills of the Cevennes lead to constant ups and downs. There are some very steep ramps, but most of the climbs are rather moderate. If you are travelling there in autumn, you should think carefully before each tour about which villages could provide food and drink, especially in the sparsely populated west of the Ardèche.
Tour 1: In the Monts d'Ardèche
69 Kilometres, 1430 Altitude metres, max. 8 % Gradient
We will cross the former mining town of Largentière, not far from our starting point in Vinezac, on three of four tours. On one of them you should click off and push your bike over the cobblestones, it's worth it! We cycle through the Ligne valley up to the Col de la Croix de Millet (773 metres) without too much effort. Then it's a steep descent to Jaujac. The landscape now becomes much lovelier, fruit trees line the roads, the elevation profile remains unclear: in a constant up and down we pedal on winding roads over to the Lande valley and back up to Vinezac.
Ardèche - Tour 2: To the Coiron plateau
131 Kilometres, 1880 Altitude metres, max. 10 % Gradient
After the Ligne gorges, take the shortcut to Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. The lonely route (D 4) leads up to Saint-Remèze and parallel to and above the Rhone valley to the north-east. After Muséal, the route climbs steeply for 13 kilometres to Coiron and then descends again through the Gladuègne valley.
Resting tip: Valvignères (59.4 km), lunch in the historic village square.
Ardèche - Tour 3: Southern Ardèche
92 Kilometres, 1400 Altitude metres, max. 12 % Gradient
After Largentière, we cycle up narrow roads to Sanilhac and down through farmland to Joyeuse. Then it gets so lonely that we take a naturist break in ice-cold pools shortly before Chambonas. South of Les Vans, we pass limestone rocks jutting out of the maquis, gnarled olive trees, pines and pine trees. The only flat section of the entire journey follows after Banne (visit!): Back through the fertile plain of the Ardèche.
Resting tip: Le Vans (Km 47), lunch in the centre.
Ardèche - Tour 4: Into the Tanargue massif
118 Kilometres, 2.270 Altitude metres, max. 9 % Gradient
The royal stage, and not just because it takes us up high. We start, as usual, via Largentière and pass through Joyeuse again (on a different road). From there, however, we head westwards, up into the wonderful solitude of the Drobie valley and its chestnut trees. While the road climbs gently at first, a long steep ramp awaits us after Sablières. As soon as we reach the ridge, the view opens up. But beware: the Col de Meyrand, the highest point, is another 20 kilometres from here. We are rewarded with marvellous panoramas. Behind every bend, a new view of the Cévennes opens up. At the top of the pass, we turn around and cycle the last four kilometres back along the same road. What then follows is a spectacular descent through the sun-drenched Beaume Valley and two steep climbs, which are no match for us today.
Resting tip: Loubaresse (km 71), refreshments available until 2.30 pm at the latest.
