March 19, 2015 It was almost dark when I got to my hotel last night, but I woke up to an amazing view of the Massif du Vercors this morning. Situated between Provence and the Alps, these mountains were a hotbed for the French résistance during the Second World War. The Vercors is also a paradise for outdoor sport such … Read More
In quest of the perfect moment
March 18, 2015 I was planning to catch a train back home from Aix, but the weather was finally good, I felt great after riding 583km in 3 days, and I had time. So I decided to ride back to Switzerland… just because I could. The plan for the day was simple: head north towards the Col de la Croix Haute … Read More
Back to where it all began: the best climbs above Montreux and Vevey
May 10, 2015 A few weeks ago, my dad broke his hip. So we stayed at his home in La Tour-de-Peilz for a few days to help him get around. These were not the best circumstances, but at least it was an opportunity to catch up on long overdue father-son time, something we both deeply enjoyed. As we grow older, we realise that … Read More
A day in the man cave
March 17, 2015 It was raining when I woke up in Carpentras on day 3 of my French ultralight bike touring adventure. I did not mind too much as it was supposed to get better during the day. The plan was to ride to Bédouin at the bottom of Mont Ventoux, the first check point of the 2015 Transcontinental Race. Afterwards, I … Read More
Wind, the invisible hill
March 16, 2015 The weather forecast last night was for heavy clouds and possibly rain, but we woke up to good news: the sky was clear. However, there was a south wind, and this was the worst day for it. Most of today’s route was going down the very flat Rhone valley until the turn off to Mont Ventoux, the first … Read More
Ultralight bike touring: learning the art of not sprinting
March 15, 2015 On a Saturday afternoon in March, I went to The Bike to meet up with my friend Chris who works there as a mechanic. After the shop closed, we headed to the Lausanne station with our bikes to catch a TGV to Dole in the French Jura. Our plan was to recce part of the planned route of … Read More