January 1, 2002 Biking Southern France -- Top 10 Reasons By: Naomi Bloom |
If you're anything like me, you spend a good part -- maybe the best part -- of your life on a bicycle. So I decided to call this column "The Biking Life." I want to write about anything and everything involved in "la vie en velo" (French for "life on a bike"). And what better way to begin than with la vie en velo in the south of France? I'm thinking particularly about one of my favorite places to ride, the Dordogne. Situated in the eastern part of Aquitaine (where Eleanor came from) -- east of Bordeaux and south of the Grand Massif -- the Dordogne is actually a "department," a civic entity much like an American county that's part of a larger group of departments in eastern Aquitaine known as "Le Perigord" and known for fine wines, pate de foie gras and beautiful countryside. Yet when tourists like you and I (not to mention the French tourism industry) talk about the Dordogne, they usually really mean the Perigord. I've been cycling in the Dordogne on two occasions. The first was in 1999, at the invitation of French friends who live a few hundred kilometers to the east, near Albi. We'd originally met on a bike club, "Sister Cities" exchange trip to France in 1997. Funny thing. In 1998 the man who today is the captain of my (OK, our) tandem spent a total of nine weeks in the Dordogne, working for The Bicycle Outfitter as a mechanic and tour sag driver. During that time Jim spent countless hours pedaling (and driving) the best backroads in the area. So last year we decided to combine our experiences into a tour for some of our fellow bike club members. That was my second trip to the Dordogne and it was a fantastic tour. This year Jim will be leading a similar Dordogne tour for The Bicycle Outfitter. And you're invited. Why go? I'll give you ten great reasons -- five now and five more next month. Number 10- Caves Number 9 - Castles and chateaux We pedaled along country roads to Beynac, built during the Hundred Years War to defend French territory against the English, hunkered down at Castelnaud across the river. These two juggernauts exchanged hands many times throughout the war. Each offers a painless history lesson today. So after Beynac we rode across the Dordogne River to explore its nemesis. Still more castles line the rivers and hillsides of the Dordogne. Like Chateau Puymartin near Sarlat. Or Les Millandes, once the home of jazz performer Josephine Baker, who turned it into a refuge for abandoned orphans. Or Hautefort, which "played" the role of the prince's castle in the movie "Ever After." These magnificent castles are accessible by bike and cyclists are more than welcome. Number 8 - Churches On the way to Beynac Jim led us on a short detour deep into the woods to Redon de l'Espic, a crumbling yet marvelous chapel dating hundreds of years back to early Medieval times. On our route to Montignac we stopped at St. Amand de Coly, a tiny hillside hamlet surrounding a church built right into the hill. There we found an even more delightful surprise: a group of French locals, all wearing their clothes inside-out, stacking stones at the church entrance. "Pourquoi?" we asked. It turned out they were participating in a treasure hunt/car rally -- and they found us as fascinating as we found them! But the religious site that impressed us most was the village of Rocamadour, an important stop on the pilgrim trail to Santiago de Campostelo. Built right into the cliffs along the Dordogne River in the neighboring department of Le Lot, Rocamadour offers five chapels, a chateau complete with parapets to climb, and the site of the remains of St. Amador, "the lover of the rock." Not to mention the 100 steep stairs the medieval pilgrims ascended on their knees to make penance for their sins! Number 7 - Les petites routes They do climb, though. Most villages sit on top of a hill. Between villages there are ridges to cross. But none of the climbs are as long or even as steep as some you'll find in the California Coast Ranges. And the descents more than make up for the work. Nearly every intersection on the backroads offers clear directional signs. Arrows point out the routes to nearby villages and points of interest. In town, just follow the "direction" signs: "Direction [name of destination]" tells you exactly how to navigate the streets that lead to the route and the site you are seeking. Number 6 - French drivers It's also a good bet that a lot of those French drivers are fellow cyclists who spend weekends on the road with their local club. Stop to grab a bite to eat or snap a photo and they'll approach you with questions about where you're from, your bike, your shoes, helmet, etc. Of course, it helps if someone in your group speaks French, but most locals in this popular tourist area speak at least a little English. You may even learn a French word or two of bike jargon -- vitesse (gear), roue (wheel), freins (brakes), bidon (water bottle). Un peu s'il vous plait? Numbers 5 through 1 Details next month! |
Southern France Guide - information on the Mediterranean and Atlantic Coast, Dordogne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône-Alpes, and La Citadelle: Dordogne - pictures of the main cities of the region along with descriptions of the local attractions. |