Nyons to Vaison la Romaine

As there was so much to see in Vaison la Romaine we made this a short day, although we travelled by a roundabout route as it was only around 25km in a straight line. It was also forecast to be hot and sunny again. Jilie took a photo of a stature in the main square before we left Nyons as it was quite unusual.

We chose to travel by minor roads out of Nyons but they were very narrow and winding with a white line down the middle for several kilometres. It was not very pleasant as some of the drivers did not leave us much room when overtaking with cars coming the opposite way. Nearly all the drivers here are very considerate but you only need one idiot to have an accident. We rode very defensively and stopped to let vehicles pass if there seemed too little room. We were very glad to leave the road and take a rest and some drinks in the small, but pretty hilltop village of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies where we had good views over the surrounding area including Mont Ventoux in the distance.

After taking a diversion to avoid the direct route to Vaison la Romaine the road became very pleasant with hardly any traffic. We were quite surprised when we came to a road block. The was a Dutch company making a film and they had closed the road temporarily to allow filming. The story is about a rider who was killed on Mont Ventoux and some friends came back years later to make the ride. it will be released later this year.

While we were waiting a couple more cyclists joined us and we chatted to them and the film crew. One of the riders was from Perth, like us, but worked in London and the other was a Belgian woman out for a day ride. The man told us that the same film crew had blocked off the summit road to Mont Ventoux a few days ago around 6km from the summit and some of the riders had to go back.

The day was getting very hot so we stopped off in a bus stop shelter to have lunch looking out to Mont Ventoux.

It was only a short ride from here to the old Roman town and as we cycled along th river it came into view. Our hotel was near the top and the views from our bedroom window are amazing.

Today we spent most of the time visiting the Roman remains which are quite extensive. This is a photo we took the night before of part of them.