Today was one of the hardest rides on the tour! With a total elevation of 1,677m over a distance of 96.35km, we had to dig deep to complete all the climbs!
As we set off, we bumped into our accommodation host, Sabrina. She was really friendly and asked where we were heading. When we said we were going to Castelane, she looked shocked and made a gesture that implied it was steeply up!
We passed the most beautiful Lac du Croix with deep blue-green water.
We split one of the longer climbs across a rest break where we met our vehicle and had pain au raisin to boost our energy.
At one point we went through a series of tunnels. We had our back lights on but it took us by surprise that it was so dark in the tunnel. An approaching cyclist had no lights and we only just spotted him in time!
Then we continued with the steeper section which went into dark orange and red!
The climb was brutal, but the views and the whole environment was spectacular.
Apparently, the Canyon du Verdon is the largest canyon in Europe and second only to the Grand Canyon.
Riding through over the canyon was epic, and the ensuing descent down the tight switch backs was a welcome rest for our tired legs.
The final flatter section with further gentle descents delivered further breathtaking views as we passed through the valley beside the river and the sheer sides of the gorge reaching to the skies around us.
It’s hard to take in that we have just one more day riding as we will arrive in Nice tommorrow!
Our accommodation is Les Canyons du Verdon, Castellane (updated prices 2026)
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