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Got just over 2 weeks, and our drop-off and pick-up points are set (Macon and Orange). I'd like to ride a couple of the higher passes and also visit the Verdon. Other than that I don't really know where would be best to go, so I've just let the Strava route planner do it's work. Does anyone have suggestions on places to visit (or avoid)? I think averaging 50-70km and 1000m per day would be ok, allowing a couple of rest days here and there. We'll be camping, so will be fairly heavy.
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Cheers,
Gorge du Verdon is stunning - between Lac Castillon and the Lac Ste Croix (D952). Try to fit in the Col Cayolle and Gorge du Daluis, the Bonette maybe, Col du Lautaret and La Grave valley .. basically you have some of the best riding available in France along that general route.
The Haute Verdon area between the Ecrin NP/Briancon and the Gorge du Verdon has some great riding away from the main or famed cols. From Digne out over the Col Corobin was nice; look up the route along the valley taken by the Train des Pignes and Barreme / St Andre area, loads of good stuff. You could end up doing a fair bit more than 1000m a day though, but the roads are good and not generally too steep, don't get too put off by elevation figs on GPS.
Do Verdon as a loop from a campsite so you can go sans bags? I hear
it's grim with tour buses in summer.
Oh and FWIW I'd ay the riding in the foothills of the Alps is better than the big cols - for sure do some of the former but they are ****ing hard work loaded, and the lower land is prettier with more settlements and history (and no shit ski towns).
Done a few tours in the area, out of Nice (but not for quite a few years now). With the verdon gorge, decide which side of the road you want to be cycling on (hill or cliff) and plan accordingly! Agree that it's better as a day loop without baggage if you can arrange that. Barcelonette is pretty, I vaguely remember a lovely campsite just outside Dignes too. Gorges de la nesque rings a bell too and I see you've included Ventoux already which is fun. Basically, it's all good if you keep on the smaller roads.
Mont Ventoux has to be the grand finale, it'd be rude not to really.
No need to winch all your touring kit up the mountain if you stop off in Bedoin (the municipal campsite is fine, or there's a couple of others I haven't used). It's a nice little village with plenty of options for pizza or steak frites and a bottle of wine. Straight up and down the mountain from there in the morning, or descend to Malaucene and return over the Madeleine, or down to Sault and loop back through the Gorge de la Nesque for a longer day. Either way it's only an easy 30k spin from there to Orange to your final finish point.
Les Gorges de la Nesque is stunning, and if you do it from south to north it's a shortish climb with a lovely flowy 20k descent through limestone tunnels with spectacular views. Ventoux is a given, difficult to recommend which route though as I don't know your preferences. From Sault is longest but easiest, both the Bedoin and Malaucene route would be a bit tough fully laden.