My friend Mike has a very busy work schedule, so when I see an email ‘a little trip’ I know he’s having a pretty naf time of it and can squeeze a few days in cycling to chill out!! I use this term with a pinch of salt because the last ‘chill out’ cycling blast took us up Mont Ventoux 3 times in a day!
I suggested going to the Massif Central, firstly because I ski there and know the roads quite well, secondly because it’s only about 7 hours from Calais (providing Paris is clear) and lastly because we stay at a great Hotel that is very well priced and the food is fantastic! Mikes initial reaction was ‘the Pyrenees has some great climbs’, my reply was, ‘I’m easy (it has been said) but it’s a 2 day drive’. The Massif Central it is then, Eurotunnel booked, hotel booked (they were chuffed we were going in the summer) and just over a week later we were on our way.
These problems they’re having at Calais are a pain, a journey to Folkstone terminal normally takes 1 hour 20 mins, we left at 5.30am and eventually got there at 9.00am after some diversions around the Garden of England’s smallest and least signposted roads. Still, when you get together with old friends, nothing really bothers us and we were soon tucking into a full English and on the train to France.
I won’t go much into the journey, a lot of talking, bikes, wives, bikes, kids, bikes, work, bikes, you know how it goes.
Get to the Hotel, lots of kisses and hugs from the owners, and that’s the blokes!!
After throwing our bags in our room, it was downstairs for beer, a four course meal, wine and lots of looking at maps for the following days ride!
We decided on Puy Mary (Col de Pas du Peyrol) which was the highest and closest mountain to the Hotel, you could almost see the top from the bedroom window. To do the climb we wanted to do it on the long road up (about 30km) so instead of taking the main valley road into Aurrilac we took the small single track road which went past the Hotel door, this was 30km of ups and downs, some at 16% and was a real eye opener to the regions roads. Arriving in Aurrilac, we stood debating over a map where the road to the top started, a French cyclist stopped, attempted to help, then decided it would be far easier if he took us there, just as well he did, we still be looking for it now if he hadn’t!! This was a tough, long road with temperatures averaging mid 90’s for the days ride. We eventually got to the top, too late for the only Restaurant to cook us a meal (the French don’t do things after 2.00pm!) so we settled on Coke (the drink!), cake and 2 x 75cl bottles of water each! Now for the downhill bit, it was a bit blowy, but some nice straights, some excellent hairpin bends and speeds up to 50mph were enjoyed! We eventually got to the valley road and had the last 15km of a slow uphill drag to finish us off, or so we thought. I forgot that when you get to the ski resort of Le Lioran, the cars go through a 1 mile tunnel, no bikes allowed!! Our route was over the Col de Cere, another 1294m up, oops! Mike wasn’t a happy bunny and he let me know it. Still, up and over, great descending and we were then on the last 5km of rolling roads back to the Hotel. Total distance for the day was 75 miles and over 7000 ft of climbing!! The familiar routine of beer, beer, beer, beer, Ricard, 4 course meal on the outside deck, wine and to bed in a roundabout sort of way! During the night Mike was spotted doing stretches on the end of his bed, he neither admits to this but in truth after what we consumed he just couldn’t remember!
For day 2, I convinced Mike to go to Super Besse, a ski resort about an hours drive away to ride a route I covered in 2011. Only a 45 mile route, just under 5000 ft of climbing going over 2 cols and 2 ski resorts ridden by the Tour de France that year!! Our Grand Depart from Super Besse was a 2.5km, straight descent, whilst I was clocking over 55mph, Mike’s bike got a huge ‘wheel wobble’, a bit scary (more than a bit!!) but he managed to hold it and we regrouped at the bottom and carried on. Over the Col de St Robert, down to Mont Dore, up again to the Col de la Croix Morand, down into Murol, taking in lunch, drinks, topping our bottles up and doing a bit of people watching then finishing up the short (if you can call 2 miles at 11%) climb back to Super Besse!! Still 4 hours in the saddle over some real testing climbs.
Day 3 we decided to ride on all the local roads, this area is called ‘medium mountains’ in the Tour de France but don’t let that fool you into thinking they’re easy! We rode just over 60 miles, climbed over 5000 ft, the average temperature was 96 deg, it topped out at 104 deg, we each drank 7.5 litres of water, 2 cokes and munched our way through huge pizzas in the only Hotel we passed on the whole route! Fantastic roads, hardly any traffic, scenery to die for, a climbers paradise!! Back to base, the beer and wine was again consumed in abundance, Sandy and Ross joining us on the deck, then tucked into our last 4 course meals of the holiday!
If you like the short sharp climbs along with some long winding drags up to 1600m, this is a great place to go, Sandy and Ross at Les Sources will make you feel they’ve known you for years serving great food, very clean and modern accommodation in a the beautiful village of St Jacques-de-Blats, Cantal.
Here’s to next year’s French adventure, I’m awaiting the email……….