LIVE from the Camino Menton-Arles-Toulouse by bike

[newfydog]

Well we are off and riding, currently taking a day off in Frejus while it rains like a vache qui p----.

The new GR 653a has well marked pieces and areas with little marking at all. The first part has so many steep rocky gullied trails that we are not following it too closely anyway. Beautiful area, but the trail from Menton to Vence is more for a strong hiker with poles than any mountain bike. The Massif d'Esteril was wonderful though, and from here we should be right on the trail most of the way. No one seems to know about the new route, but the stickers with the blue and yellow coquille marking the route have caught some local people's eyes, so they are eager to hear about it.

Found a few St Roch's, not many Jimmy's and no other pelerin.

Off to Carces

Newf

 

[newfydog]

Made it to Aix en Provence, with more rain, but enough breaks to dry out the trails a bit and allow us to stick to the official route for the most part. It flooded one area, where we had to wade a waist deep creek with a good current. The biking from Frejus to Aix has been super though, still all up and down but pretty much ridable. Aix is a lively town, with a good St Roch and a Jimmy on a street corner. Still have yet to see a single pilgrim, but we'll be in Arles in a couple of days and I suspect we will find some then.

 

[newfydog]

We're in Castres now, nice town, perfect weather. The rain gave way to high winds and cold, but now it is perfect.
The only pilgrim we met from Menton to Arles was Alan Steele, whom I met in this forum and was carrying the maps Peter Robbins and I collaborated on. From Arles there have been many more, though not enough to make lodging tight. It is a beautiful route, but much, much harder than the other routes we have done. Crossing the Haute Languedoc is harder than the Swiss route.

On to the canal du Midi and Toulouse!

 

[lamomie95]

Hi,
I am Hubert,
We discussed on this subject : GR653A from Frejus to Arles.
Nice to read about your trip.
I shall start the trail from Fréjus on sunday 30th of may toward Arles, then I shall cross "Haut Languedoc" on the "Grande traversée du Haut Laguedoc" documented in a roadbook edited by Chamina. I am using a BoB trailer to carry my stuff.
Alle the best
Hubert

 

[newfydog]

Finished up this trip in Toulouse. The biking was great from the mountains to Toulouse, hardly left the trail at all, and loved the region. We ttok the Canal du Midi into town, which was easy and scenic. Toulouse was partying over a soccer victory.

All in all a wonderful trip, and we are already planning the next one. We may take the Vezelay route to Puente Reina, then ride this one backwards to Toulouse.

Not an easy or inexpensive route, but no crowds, some very genuine old sites, and good wine.

Have a bon chemin, Alan and Hubert!