Fuel stop within sight, smell and noise of the refineries
Early start to avoid the heat but it was still 25°C riding out from Marseille just after sunrise, and also moonrise and Venus rise. Avoiding the red light runners and those still high from Saturday night.
Fuel stop at the cheapest station around, it’s within sight of the refineries.
Chin-on-tank riding style opportunities crossing Le Crau, the wide flat area adjacent to the Camargue.
Les Baux de Provence is a medieval rock fortress commanding the Crau and Camargue. The citadel is small buildings and tight narrow streets. From afar it is difficult to make it out from the surrounding rocks. These days there’s a ferocious parking policy with a ticket required even for a motorbike. And a motorhome reversed in to my bike whilst I was away, causing the first real scratch since the rebuild in 2020; but fortunately the bike didn’t go over.
Riding back through the parasol-pine forests, olive groves and vineyards of the Alpilles to see 33°C on my balcony in Marseille.
Croissant aux amandes and coffee
Vines and the ridge of the Alpilles
Les Baux de Provence, the medieval fortress is hidden in the rocks
View down to the Camargue and the Mediterranean
Les Baux de Provence - Hôtel built by the family Manville at the end of the 16th century.