I wanted to do this trip since last summer. The planning got underway during the winter but when I realized my Brompton would remain stuck in Saudi Arabia I thought this trip would have to be postponed. Following that I became confident the bike would survive a longer, more grueling trip and I would be comfortable enough to ride it for a few weeks.
That is how this trip, winding through several of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, stretching from the Italian border to the Spanish border connecting them in a jagged line, came to be.
From Nice airport I hopped on a train to Menton, just a dozen kilometers from Sainte-Agnes, the starting point of this cycling trip. Regrettably, even though the journey from home to Menton was short, the arrival time was late, so there was no sightseeing. I will have to do it tomorrow either before going to Sainte-Agnes or on the way from there to Cannes, squeezing more into an already busy day.
I could have cycled there but the elevation was m asl and the distance about 10km, in other words β very steep. So, I chose to leave masochism for another day. When I was ready to go down someone at the cafe asked me if I have good breaks. I definitely hoped so. After that there was a series of pretty coastal villages with beaches and many yachts, as well as with many luxury cars on the road.
Descending to Nice signaled beginning of a flat part of the road and dedicated cycling paths. I continued towards Antibes which I wanted to see but by the time I got there I was tired and the ride took longer than expected so just crossed it over. Passing through Cannes brought back nice memories: it was here we finished wee-long celebration of my 50th birthday. My campsite was a few kilometers past Cannes city center. I got there, pitched the tent and went for a swim in the Mediterranean Sea to cool off.
