The next route that climbs over the big hill behind Nîmes is a lot quieter than the first, but still as dangerous.

This says ‘Shooting Range. Danger of Death.’ The military – not known for their subtleties.

I shouldn’t complain, though. The day I rode this route the first time I think I met one or two cars – a small price to pay for the slight chance at being shot at.

Otherwise, the road is similar. It rises to the top of the mountain and rolls over the scrubby top, till it descends to the Uzes side. There is one lovely little valley in the middle with two B&Bs that look very inviting indeed. Here is the little forest of one of them.

After this you end up in the tiny village of Russan, equipped with a post office, a bar and a high risk of flooding. Check out how high this marker is on the church – the height of the last great flood here, in 2002.

If you hang a left at the top of the hill you make it to Dions, with its pointy towers and supremely cheap road-side veggies (FYI)!