D32, at Gignac, the real start of this ride
A vineyard along the flat part of D 32
See those pretty hills? We are about to climb up into them
Looking back on D 32 from near the top of the 1000 foot plus climb
This ride started out pretty badly, with the realization that Clermont l'Heuralt is really too close to Montpellier, the big city in these parts. Traffic heading east out of Clermont, the way I needed to go, is traffic heading for the expressway, E 11, into town. When I got to Saint-André-de-Sangonis, I discovered a virtual traffic jam as cars and truck tried to get to the expressway. It was as bad as the traffic in Spain! I stopped to buy a map to confirm that I needed to ride in that mess, and then rode on to Gignac, only a few miles down the road, where I was able to get away from most of it on D 32.
I had a complicated route today, and I didn't get lost even once! This is unusual for me. The map of France that I bought this morning doesn't show most of the roads I used today, but it does show enough to help me put the small roads into perspective. Fortunately, my Autoroute software seemed to accurately map the roads. I did have to stop a time or two and get the computer out to verify my routing, and, near the end of the ride, I decided to change to a simpler route, but given my (weak) memory and my compass, I managed to find my way above the Montpellier traffic mess.
Climbing on D 32
Is rewarded by riding through some neat towns - this is Puéchabon, on the way up
And this is Viols le Fort, on the top of the hill
D 32 started out as a pleasant, if surprisingly busy, small road. Then, shortly after the nice town of Aniane, it started climbing. That is when I realized that going above the Montpellier traffic was going to mean a big climb. It was a 'standard' climb for these parts, with slopes from 3% to maybe 8% for short bits. I cranked up it at 5 to 7 mph, trying to enjoy it
It was pretty, the riding was fun, the scenery was neat, and, best of all, it was cooler up there. The roads stayed a about 400 meters - 1350 feet - for many km. I really didn't go down a lot until I went down to Les Matelles for lunch.
D 113, the road after D 32 on my route, is a shortcut over to D 986
D 986 gets us down to D 17 E3 which descends to Les Matelles
D 17 E3 get us to D 17 which has some neat rocks north of it
Here are the same rocks viewed from D1 which heads east
One of many vineyards on D 1
Some pretty horses
And a bridge leaving one of the 'argues' towns on D1
D 40 has a bike lane, once it gets 10 km or so from Nimes
Note the car pulling over into the other lane to pass my bike - normal behavior here