Springtime in France is a whole new experience for us. The birds chirp from very early until late morning. Just as vividly and energetically in the early evening. There is a constant hum all day long, and at night the frogs put on their concerts. We read that even just one minute of local nature sounds can significantly boost your well-being. We must be spellbound.
At the Camping á la ferme on Route de la Tour, there is a lively buzz of mooing, mowing, and crowing. The farmer tends to the animals. For us, the lawn is mowed and the shower is hot.
The French tourist information offices have convenient opening hours and provide us with great cycling maps. We cycle west along EuroVelo 6 and turn south in Paray-le-Monial. Enough leisurely cycling. Now it is off to the mountains.
The first mountain stage takes us to Saint Genest-Malifaux, at an elevation of over 1,000 meters, in the Livadrois-Forez Nature Park, south of Saint Étienne. It is a pretty, lively town with a nice campground, and in the evening we even find a bar that’s open. In the morning, there is frost on our tent.
The Col de la République (1,161 m) is the first pass over 1,000 meters in elevation to be crossed by the Tour de France. It was part of the second stage of the first Tour de France in 1903(!). That stage ran from Lyon through Saint-Étienne to Marseille. The climb is 17 kilometers long with an average gradient of 3.8%. Riders had crossed it on penny-farthing bicycles over 120 years ago. No comparison to today’s racing bikes.
We will be passing through several of these passes over the next few days.
Today we spend the night at a cozy canoe campground, with a horse and a donkey. Everything is set up for the season. Tomorrow is Saturday. Canoeists will be arriving to paddle through the gorges of the Ardèche. We are taking a day off to explore and enjoy the area and have tickets for the prehistoric Chauvet Cave.
We are in the south of France! The cicadas are chirping here.