Roman Theatres near Avignon

Some of the most noted Roman ruins in France are in the area around Avignon.

On the Monday I cycled 60 kms return to Avignon and visited the Popes Palace. On Tuesday rode again about 60 kms but one way to Arles allowing all afternoon for looking and caught the train home. On Wednesday took the train both ways to Orange but had the bike for getting around.

Arles is noted for its Amphitheatre and it Theatre. The Theatre was virtually lost and the "Business of Arles" began in the 1800s of rebuilding and developing tourism. As you see below the stage now virtually non-existent.

I had less awareness of Orange but the Theatre of Arles cannot compare.

Clearly the well-off Opera enthusiasts know of Orange today when the great Operas are regularly performed.

The contrast is striking between its original use as free entertainment for all (classes separated though), and which was often quite bawdy. Performances could last days and much beer consumed. The audio guide made reference to the crowd often calling "get your gear off" to the actresses.

A little history:

This theatre functioned for over 400 years, till the Christians took over the roman empire and replaced theatre with a culture of death and misery.

It fell into disuse, and after the empire collapsed was sacked and burned.

The image shows 2 columns - there were 76 originally, and the centre statue of the Emperor was designed to have a replaceable head.

It was inspirational to sit, look and listen to the audio guide.

L'Isle sur la Sorgue - Bike maintenance

The mistral has arrived, gusts up to 80 kph and averaging 40 perhaps. Some say it defines Provence, cleans the air as this draught blasts down the Rhone valley and freshens the place up. The locals might also say it gives them respite from the tourists who have been choking the place for summer and only the stragglers are here now.

I have seen all I want to, and there is no attraction to cycling this French coast, as I suspect it is wall to wall resorts now largely quiet and a little forlorn. Lots of France, like this place, is forlorn looking without the crowds of tourists. With the unpredictable and unridable mistral, I will catch the train to Spain. It is not too far with a direct "ter" train, bike friendly, to the Spanish border.

Just to note, this ride is not an "efi" (a cross continental cyclists term meaning every inch), nor is it an "epa" (every possible attraction), as I did not bother with Nimes today, choosing to have a rest and attend to the bike and walk around town and the mistral-swept market. They are hardy souls.

For those interested, the cobblestones and other surfaces have stretched a few spokes requiring re-tensioning and re-alignment of the wheels.

The chain was misbehaving, so prudently replaced, with one with a quick release or "power link", making life easier for cleaning and packing later on.

The idler wheels on the rear derailleur that normally are provided on new bikes are simple cheap plain journal bearings requiring occasional removal, cleaning and oiling. Without attention they rust and don't help riding. Fortunately, and at modest cost, or if in France very cheaply, they can be replaced with maintenance free stainless steel sealed ball bearing (note zoomed in view) units as shown. That was the mid-ride checkup after shopping in Avignon, together with new cycling shoes as the other ones were virtually worn out before the trip began. I knew I could easily replace them here.

Relevant tools and skills therefore necessary for these trips.

Then 5 weeks to cycle the mediterranian coast and Andalusia, with a few days at the end to see Seville and pack the bike.

L'Isle sur la Sorgue

This place came to my attention on reading some commercial cycle tour operators web sites who use this place as a starting point for their tours. About 25 km ride east of Avignon. Apparently it is crowded in season, but now is quiet except when I arrived on a sunny warm Sunday and everybody wanted one of Isabella's sundaes or gelatos. Like Germany, these generous sundaes seem almost compulsory

Its full name at the train station is as below. The various ways of abbreviating it can cause some confusion.

There are remains of water wheels that would have powered some past industry and justified the extensive water channelling of the river Sorgue. Now all that is a backdrop to endless restaurants and cafes.

I am here 5 nights with daily excursions to places of interest with Roman ruins, all easily accessible daily using a combination of riding and train rides.

To Provence

Apologies for absence of posts, but the absence of wifi has been challenging.

Since Aachen I visited Trier for a day. I draws crowds to see Roman ruins, some amongst the largest built such as the baths, indicating it importance at the time.

It also has the Karl Marx Museum which I spent a few hours in.

Then by train to Luxembourg before catching the night train to Les Arcs in Provence. These long distance slower conventional trains have been mostly superseded by the TGV but some still run (Lunea for the night train with both seats and 6 berth couchette sleepers - they also have Teoz for day trains). Speed is modest limited to 200 kph. I had a whole compartment to myself and velo next to it.

Taking a bike on the TGV is not sensible as they must be put in a box.
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So to Les Arcs and the first day on the bike for a while and the first proper climbing of the whole trip so far - 68 kms and 1,140 metres climbed, mostly in the first 38 kms.

I hoped to ride the road along the Grand Canyon du Verdon.

However after looking at the contours of the roads that go along each side, up high the conclusion was -

Ce n'est pas possible sur la velo du tour avec les baggages, so this is what I saw.
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Overnight at this place.
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Then today to Apt, a modest size town, way past it's prime. it is where I got to when time finished. And where a bit of new reporting is introduced.

Itinerary update

The weather has turned, looks windy wet and cooler, so I am on my way to Provence from where I will ride to Barcelona, and beyond. Have hardly ridden for days since 2 ferocious days of headwinds some days back. These days motivated a short train ride to Goslar, then a longer day of trains to Aachen.

Two matters are of some consequence:

1 There is a French train strike.

2. The French school holidays begin on the 23 rd and I suspect it will get busy down south where I will be, so I may not linger depending on accommodation issues. I might have about 8-10 days in France by the time the trains resume and I get there. The key French train web site I want for the overnight bike-friendly trains uses Flash Player which does not work on the iPad.

So as there is no riding to write about, other matters.

In the interim I am in Aachen, immensely important if you have not heard of it. It is the place of coronation for all the Kings / Emperors (Kaisers) since Charlemagne for 600 years, from 936 to 1531, in the Aachen chapel for 30 German kings and 12 queens. Although the Pope had a role in Rome in all of this too. The chapel was not then a Cathedral as it was the palace church without a Bishop. This place was geographically central to his world, and had good hot spa water and forests for hunting.

A bit more of this history is recommended for those contemplating a Cultural Ride across Europe. Cultural understanding requires context, world linkages.

Aachen

For Charlemagne, Aachen was the new Rome. The evidence is that he was a true Romaphile. The Bronze Wolf statue circa 200AD on a pedestal in the palace church. Marble columns bought from Rome. He was the first Emperor since the Roman Empire.

Charlemagne was pivotal in galvanising the Christians into a coherent group of soldiers and stopping the widespread Islamic destruction of Europe that had gone on for centuries.

Charlemagne bought back education that had decreased since the sacking of Rome and the de-ubanisation of Europe that occurred during the Islamic invasion and widespread destruction of cities (and other matters). It was a key part of the foundation upon which the thinkers, painters and writers could develop, as many needed patronage of some sort, I think. All the other activities (with which some are more familiar) of the arts and sciences, creation of Universities, and later de-christianisation of Europe followed.

Today Aachen has a population of 250,000 and a University of 30,000 students embedded in the historic heart of the town, with all the facilities they need for learning and learning about each other. And a busy train station at the start and end of semester, like the day I arrived, and more so when my train broke down and we all scrambled onto the next train with half of the student body's fleet of bicycles.

To Trier (Germany near the Luxembourg / French border) hopefully tomorrow. A place to see and then for easy access to the French Lunea train I want that gets me to Toulon. Toulon is of no interest but it's hinterland is.