As many of you know, I was once a cycle tour guide in Europe (which was the genesis of this blog). The company where I worked for all those years, Blue Marble Travel, has shaped my life in countless ways but sadly no longer exists. A few weeks ago, I was back in France, riding one of those Blue Marble routes, but not as a guide; this time I was riding solo.

Today is the only “loop day” of my trip, which means that the bike ride starts and ends in the same town; thus, there is no need to pack up before heading out. Usually, that is a very good thing as familiarity usually leads to comfort or at least less stress.

But.

Meyrueis is an “interesting” town. While it is located in a fantastic spot to explore the natural beauty of the Gorges du Tarn, the Gorges de la Jonte, and the Gorges du Trévezel, the town is a bit, well, grim. Don’t get me wrong, a stroll about town is worth the effort (it will not take all that long), but when compared to the other towns I had already visited on this trip, Meyrueis by comparison is, well, a bit grim.

This is also reflected in both my hotel and the restaurant selections in town. My hotel, grandly named L’Hôtel de l’Europe, was fine, but I doubt anyone would give it anything north of three stars on Yelp. After a chilly, long day in the saddle, I spent the last several kilometers approaching the town salivating over the thought of a warm shower. Well, it took about twenty minutes for the water to heat up.

It is that kind of hotel.

The dining scene in town is not much better. The fact that what most consider the best restaurant in town, Le Saint-Saveur, was inexplicably closed the two nights I was there. There were a few other restaurants that seemed to focus on regional specialties, which is normally right up my alley, but one was filled with cigarette smoke (really? in 2024?) and the other had only one choice for the main dish: frog legs. I am not averse to the stereotypical French “delicacy”, frog legs are a commitment; they are a lot of work for very little sustenance. Oh. And the frog thing.

But the riding? Nothing short of magical. I have ridden my bike in virtually every region of France, but the riding down here in the Cévennes might win for “most stunning natural beauty” (although the Alps…).

As you can see, the route for the day is a bit daunting; 50 miles and over 4,000 feet of climbing. While the distance is not all that scary, it would literally take six months of riding pretty much every day to get that kind of elevation gain in Houston.

The route did not provide many lunch options, so I decided to have my salad in Meyrueis before heading out.

The tiny perched town of Cantorbes.

More Cantorbes.

Yet another Gorges, this one carved by the Dourbie River.

The even tinier “town” of La Roque-Sainte-Marguerite.

La Roque-Ste.-Marguerite up close.

The hills of La Causse Noir.

No frog legs for dinner, but rather a bit of pasta Bolognese (mine is better).

That’s all for this leg of the trip, back again next week with more!