This ride is one I’ve been meaning to do for some time, but haven’t had the time and sun to get it accomplished. Well, Shoko locked herself up in the apartment to study all day, and it wasn’t raining, so I figured I’d take the chance I’d been given. This ride entailed two trains: one to Nimes, and another cute little one up to Ales, right at the border of the Cevennes National Park. 

That was another reason I was so eager to do this; you can see the Cevennes mountains from here, but they are too far for a day ride up and back. I wanted to get a taste of them early in the season before doing some longer tours through their sheep-infested valleys once the rain goes away for good.

I had a bit of time to wait between trains. Here is a little piece of Nimes station.

Here is the Gordon River, cutting through Ales. A ways to the south of here this same river runs under the Pont du Gard…I’ll bet you’re glad you know that little tidbit!

After crossing le Gordon the road doesn’t waste any time getting into the mountains. It was such a great hour or so that I only stopped to take one shot. 

After cutting off the corner of the national park I re-entered the rolling hills of southern Languedoc. This is Anduze, the gateway to the mountains.

After Anduze I had pretty flat terrain and an excellent tailwind all the way back home. This is ‘dur fort’. ‘dur’ means ‘strong’, and I guess it is, if it’s still standing after all these centuries. Whenever I see a name like this though, I wonder why they couldn’t have a little more imagination when they gave it. ‘Beauville’ (nice town) is another classic you can find almost anywhere in France. 

And the rest of the 30 km or so was more familiar territory, so I won’t bore you with repeats.