Day 6: Tournon sur Rhone to Fontclaire en Provence
- adamkoniuszewski
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
February 28, 2025 - 144km, 411m climb
Early morning start from Tournon sur Rhone where I took pictures along the river before a wonderful day riding along the Via Rhona with a first stop in Valence. Onwards through Montélimar, crossing the river east to Fontclaire en Provence where I stopped for the night.
Valence
From there I crossed the bridge to the West side of the Rhone.
Stuck in trafic at Le Voulte sur Rhône because of the vollage fair. I stopped for a quick coffee before crossing again.
We had stopped here years ago and I was happy to return to this "résidence d'exception" located in the Uchaux countryside and surrounded by wineyards. This 18th century estate with a rich history was once owned by no other than Napoleon! It now serves for special receptions, weddings and anniversaries but also as a guesthouse. It is easier to find a room off season but more complicated during summertime. One should book well in advance. For cyclists it is a nice option for a quiet stop before Avignon that is not too far from the Via Rhona. After being abandoned for 20 years a family purchased the estate that was managed by a passionate young lady, Amélie.
150 years old plane trees surround the house. Lavender fields, olive and almond trees are also found on the 15 acre domain.
Late in evening I heard calls in the staircase. It was Stefanie, she was driving from Munich to Algarve where she rents fabulous "🦩 Flamingoes & a Sea Breeze" villas Flor de Sal & Sterna on the seaside on top of giving yoga lessons. Stefanie had just booked online and there was no one at the reception this late so I told here to check in the other building behind the house. We had coffee together the next day and I was amazed to hear her stories about living in Mexico for a time with a Canadian and now between Germany and the Spanish seaside while I told her my tale of a crazy Canadian-Pole living in Switzerland and riding his bike on the Iron Curtain trail to Berlin and now from the Olympic Committee in Lausanne to Ancient Olympia in Greece.
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