Sometimes your sick, sometimes it rains, sometimes you climb.

The main square in Gigondas under grey skies

Part Three of our Easter break in France, after Antibe, and Chateauvert, saw us in the shadow of Mt Ventoux, north east of Avignon, in the village of Caromb. 

My intent was to climb in the area of Montmirail while enjoying the countryside of Provence.  The area was much busier than Contignac and Chateauvert and it was dotted with hilltop villages.  It seemed that the higher you were the smaller and cuter were the towns.

Ada finding somewhere to hide in Gigondas

I was familiar with Mt Ventoux, as it had long been a famous climb on the big bike races like Paris-Nice and the Tour, but I was unaware of how popular cycling was in the area.  There were any number of well mapped cycle routes some flat and some very hilly.  We lost count of the groups we passed while driving and I wished that I had the Black Bullet (my road bike) with me. Every medium sized town seemed to have one or two bike shops with a small but well selected range of gear.  I had been looking for a good bike shop in Paris and had not found anything so I was pleased to pick up a new jersey in French colours and a new bike helmet in Beaumes de Venise. This town is the largest close to the crags and the usual array of markets, bakers and bars.

After dropping our gear at an Air BnB, we went on a reconnaissance of the area then to a nice wine bar in Caromb, the Bar a Vins le 156,  and enjoyed a very good wood fired pizza from a van in the adjacent car park.  We were also approached by a couple of drunk locals who, when they discovered we were Australian, offered us a case of locally made organic cola which we suspect, in hindsight, was stolen.  Now who said the French were not hospitable! It was later that night that things started to unwind. Kate, then Ada and then I all became ill.  Some of us more dramatically than others.  

The teeth on Montmirail with its great views over the higher vinyards

It was a long night that involved a lot of cleaning and by the next morning we were all still feeling the effects.  First we blamed the wine bar and then the pizza before it dawned upon us that the only thing that we had consumed that was common to all of us was the river water from Chateauvert!

The backdrop for the stage, great for a Shakespearean Roman tragedy
or Anatomy Titus, Fall of Rome anyone?

Needless to say there was no climbing the next day so we decided to explore the area, very slowly and not straying too far from a toilet. First we stopped at Vaison-la-Romaine an old Roman town with some significant ruins. We then we went to Orange to visit the Roman Amphitheatre before finishing our day at Chateaunuef-du-Pape, the Popes new Castle.

The pretty streets of Chateauneif-du-Pape

Now there is a back story here, Vin, Kate’s Dad, regarded the product from the Chateau as the best wine in the world.  I don’t think he differentiated between the 80 wine makers that are in the appellation but his good friend in his home town of Sale was partial to the drop and this combined with the association with the Catholic Church was probably enough to make Vin a lifelong fan.

The remains of the original Chateau 

Kate was keen for a tasting and Ada listened to the sommelier in the store who educated us on the region.  Ada had become quite the wine buff after trips to vineyards in Picardy, Bourgogne, and now Provence.  She certainly knows her rosé from her reds and her sec and demi-sec! Now she knows about the 14 different varieties that are permitted to be used in blends and the difference grenache, mourvedre and syrah. Chateauneuf-de-Pape is well worth the drive and there seemed to be some good restaurants and there were certainly good stores stocking local and boutique food produce, Ada was able to re-stock her store of high-end balsamic vinegar which had been depleted since our last trip to Europe.

The next day my stomach may have tolerated some climbing but it rained, so a trip to Avignon was in order.  Kate was very keen to stand and sing the first song she learnt in french class, Sur-le-pont d'Avignon, and I was keen to look around the Palace of the Popes which housed nine Popes starting from the first French Pope, Clemont on 1309. The Papacy remained in remained in Aivignon until 1376 when Gregory returned to Rome. Although the Great Schism meant that Clemont and Benedict remained in Avignon, although considered anti-Popes, both claimed the Papacy. I guess an anti-Pope is better than an anti-Christ.

Palace of the Popes from the Pont

The Palace of the Popes was a well organised tourist site and I would imagine it would have been very busy in tourist season. It was interesting to learn that the Church controlled the area of Provence as vassal state until the French Revolution. That evening we dined at  the small village of Suzette just near Montmirail where the restaurant and café Entre Potes is well renowned in the region.  We were certainly not disappointed by the food although my stomach was still rumbling when I ate. 

Entre Pote with the Chef in the background chatting to
some locals

On our last day it was still drizzling so we drove to Apt with the intention of climbing at Boux.  I was able to purchase a guide book from the main book store in the town. After reviewing the guide, the areas that were easily accessible for Kate and Ada were out of my league so we returned to Caromb. 

Ada giving me strict instructions on my belay technique

Fortunately the weather started to break up and I was able to get in 8 routes at Montmiral.  There are a number of small crags in the area with a wide selection of styles and routes.  It was slabby and didn’t have the pocketed walls of Chateauvert. The grading in the area was soft comparison to Chateauvert. This was good for the ego when you have a sore stomach but some of the harder routes were a run out 













The routes were well bolted and the crags overlooked vineyard that sat above the higher villages.  We climbed at Grand Travers which had the added benefit of being between the pretty villages of Lafare and Gigondas with nearby car parks and decent dirt roads that were not too hard in the hire car.  Gigondas was particularly upmarket with a selection of good looking restaurants and local wines of some note. With my stomach back in order there were certainly some nice meals to be had after some climbing.  Maybe next time!

Katie looking like any well dressed French belayer

Does my head look big in this helmet?

The next day we woke early for the easy drive to Lyon to return the car before catching the TGV to Paris and spending the afternoon in the Marais.  I returned to work in Paris and Ada and Kate caught the Eurostar to London before visiting an old Mumbai friend who now live in Aylesbury.  Maybe Ada will post a blog about her day at Warwick castle!