Food in Provence (and elsewhere)

Today’s stage is the shortest, partly because of the way the second half of the route works out (staying in Condrieu seems a good idea as does visiting Valrhona in Tain l’Hermitage) and partly because I feel I won’t want a long ride after what I expect will be a slightly nerve-wracking ride out of Lyon. I kit myself out appropriately—my second pair of least-padded shorts and my brightest cycling top.

The first few km, down to the Saône/Rhône confluence are fine and I’m any way just repeating the first part of my Lyon tour on Sunday. It’s after that the complications begin. First, I take a wrong turn as I can’t believe I’m supposed to go down that road. I am. It runs parallel to the A7 and, fortunately, has relatively little traffic on the bit with simply the odd yellow bike logo for a cycle path. The next 10km or so to Vernaison are a nightmare, however, there are sections with a marked cycle path but this ends where the road narrows and I lose count of the times my path is blocked by roadworks or cars. I have no qualms about using maximum e-bike power on this stretch. On a positive note, I have no criticism of any car drivers—either those passing me or the good number who give way to me when they don’t really have to.

After crossing the Rhône at Vernaison I breathe a sigh of relief and switch off the battery assistance as I turn onto a nicely tarmacked path. Relief is short-lived, however as the tarmac turns out to be for lorries between two ends of some industrial plant. I soon reach a path that is alternatively gritty and stony that runs along a succession of container depots and other such attractions for 5km or so. For stability I’m using maximum battery power and a low gear for much of this. Looking on the bright side, my heavy use of battery assistance means I’m not looking for a rest stop. Given the lack of any better alternative, I do stop on a bridge over the A7, just for the pleasure of watching all the cars rush along.

Again, pleasure is short lived as, just after passing under the railway line, there’s a sign saying the river bank path is blocked and a first sign indicating the Via Rhona diversion. Then there’s a second. But no more. And, needless to say, this is all uphill…

I take matters into my own hands somewhere between Ternay and Communay and eventually my Coros Dura is rerouting me to somewhere far enough along the Via Rhona that I’m sure I’ll be OK. There’s a scary moment, though, when it wants to send me on to the A47 but I avoid that, knowing I need to pass through Givors. But… The bridge I’m supposed to take is closed! By this time I’m so used to just carrying on that I just carry on before figuring I should check the bridge is really impassible for bikes. And a helpful workman guides me to a narrow but usable path for pedestrians. I find I’m just past Givors and on a decent cycle path. Yippee! And still more so somewhere past Loire-sur-Rhône when the path joins the river after passing alongside more industrial parks and what look to be railway shunting yards. I arrive in Vienne having cycled 6km more than I´d imagined and very relieved that the route from here on should be much more relaxing.

A helpful couple point me to a boulangerie—not the nearest one, the nearest good one!—and I eat my sandwich near this sign which seems to be the lunch hangout for students at the local lycée. There is an interesting contrast between the sartorial choices of the males and females… I also notice that there are many long-distance cyclists. I saw just two between Lyon and here; I recall a comment in the Wells guide that taking the train from Lyon to Vienne is an option.

As expected the short ride to Condrieu is pleasant and the room at the Beau Rivage is, thankfully, ready when I arrive just before 13:30. I relax in the bath with a beer after a ride both longer and more stressful than expected.

The arrival of the support vehicle is delayed since J. also has a well-signposted diversion (not). Her route from Vienne has been along the left bank but the bridge at Les Roches-de-Condrieu is closed with no indication of any alternative. She arrives eventually, however, and after a short walk around Condrieu (pretty, but not much to see), we return to drink Condrieu on our terrace.

The support car isn´t needed for dinner as there is an attached restaurant but one we decide has pretensions to a standard it can’t meet. There is essentially one set menu from which you can just choose how many courses you want. OK in principle but not so much with only two options for each of starter, fish/meat and dessert when the options are for 3, 4 or 5 courses… After dithering a bit about whether we can mix and match with one taking the set menu and switching courses with the other going à la carte, we both go for the more expensive option. Fortunately (as might have been noticed, I’m not a fan of, nor an expert at, photographing my food), my phone is charging in the room. This turns out to be unfortunate as the plating of the various dishes is excellent. It is, though, the best part overall, apart from the cooking of my beef fillet. We decline dessert and retire to bed.