Day 12 Sault – Moustier-Ste-Marie 69 miles
Garmin file: https://connect.garmin.com/course/8522530 Elevation Gain: 1450m
Overview
If you catch it at the right time of year the ever present smell of lavender will be with us as we leave Sault and cycle through the delightful fields of Provence. Further along we will pass through a number of ancient towns and villages and you will also notice the landscape change too as the scented fields are replaced by steep sided valleys and stunted old trees. As our holiday starts to turn East part of the afternoon sees us necessarily cutting across some busy arterial roads but as the afternoon approaches a number of fantastic views opens up as we get closer to the picture postcard town of Moustier St Marie. Perched on a cliff face and guarded by the towns star Moustier is a lovely place to spend the night.
Practical Notes
There is a busy section around 33 – 40 miles.
Map
Start point – Outside the hotel at 8:30
Elevation Profile
Lunch – Picnic lunch about 36 miles in.
Evening meal – At Le Relais Hotel for 19.30.
Route Notes
Miles Route
0 Go back to Bar Le Progres that you passed on your way to the hotel yesterday and facing the bar go along the road to the R of it along the D950 to St Trinit and Forcalquier. Stay on this road to Forcalquier.
0.4 When you come to a r-bout go straight over to Forcalquier 53. You will now stay on this road all the way to Forcalquier.
9.3 Pass through Revest-du-Bion.
17.1 Pass the Banon. Banon is a lively little town well know for its bookshops and worth a wander round.
Look out for the brew van on the other side of Banon.
18.1 You will come to a junction. Go L then first R to Forcalquier 24.
31.9 As you come into Forcalquier you will meet a large r-bout and continue straight over (3rd exit) to Dignes les Bains 39, Cisteron 43 & Forcalquier 0.3.
Continue into the town and you will come to a small r-bout. Continue along the D4100.
There is a bike shop in Forcalquier – Forcalquier Motos Cycles, 5 Boulevard, 04300 Forcalquier 0033 492 751 247.
Follow the road round through the centre of town. There is quite a bit of traffic on the road through here
33.0 Leaving town you will come to a r-bout. Take the first exit to Digne les Bains, Cisteron along the D4100.
33.4 You will come to another r-bout. Take the 1st R continuing along the D4100 signed for the A51. This is a large, wide road but usually not too much traffic.
39.5 You will come to a crossroads at La Brillaine. Picnic lunch will be opposite the car park in front of you. Go R here along the D4096 towards Volx & Oraison 5. There is a bike shop a little further on. The road starts to get busier for the next few miles.
39.8 At the roundabout go L (3rd exit) along the D4 towards Les Mees & Oraison and the A51.
A bit further along you will cross over a rail track, the motorway and a large bridge over the Durance River. Continue to Orison along the D4. The road is bumpy here.
42.2 Further along you will come to a r-bout. Continue straight on along the D4 to Valensole.
44.7 You will go over a bridge and the road bends round to the R. You need to go L here to Brunet 10. After you have turned L the road forks. Take the R fork to Valensole along the D15. The road climbs here and is much quieter. This is a long steady climb.
Further along the road descends, please take care as cars can come quite quickly round the corner. The road climbs further on.
51.6 As you approach Valensole, follow the road round to the R to Zone Artisanale and Centre Ville along the D15.
The road descends over two very sharp speed bumps in the road so please take care.
52.0 Cycle into Valensole. When you come to a stop sign cross straight over and continue to Riez.
On the other side of Valensole you will come to a junction. Go L along the D6 to Riez and Puimoisson and gorges de Verdon (if you turn R here you can explore the old town).
Stay on the D6 to Riez. There is a climb away from Valensole.
The road climbs and descends a number of times, please take care for patches of loose stone on some of the winding descents
60.0 When you get to Riez you will come to a T-jcn. Go R here over a bridge along the D953 to Centre Ville & Gorges Du Verdon.
Follow the road round to the L then R.
60.4 Further along you will pass a pale terracotta church on your L and see a tree lined street on your L with lots of cafés. There is no road sign here but you need to go L here, no longer following the D952. There is a Societie Marseilles de Credit bank here too.
Follow the road through the village. Riez makes a nice place to stop for a coffee and an ice cream.
Further along stay on the road to Gorges du Verdon, Moustier St Marie along the D952.
67.0 As you get towards Moustier the road climbs and then descends through the trees so please take care as visibility may be difficult due to the changing light.
Direction to Ferme Rose
At the bottom of the descent as you approach Moustier, the road bends round to the L, you
will notice a road to the R here going to St Croix du Verdon 15, those staying at La Ferme
Rose need to go R here. A little further on you will see a sign for the Hotel, go L here and
further along is:
Hôtel de la Ferme Rose 0033 4 92 75 75 75
Chemin de Peyrengue, 04360 Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Direction to Le Relais & La Bonne Auberge
Just before you climb up to Moustier you will come to a r-bout. Go L here (2nd exit) past Camping Manaysse. Further along the road forks, keep to the L fork and follow the road round.
When you come into Moustier look out for the Le Relais Hotel (0033 4 92746610) on your L.
To get to the La Bonne Auberge hotel continue straight on and it is approx. 400 metres down on your L down the tree lined road just after a big wall.
Hôtel La Bonne Auberge 0033 4 92 74 66 18
Quartier Saint-Michel, 04360 Moustiers-Sainte-Marie