One of the aims of this blog is to discover, describe and recommend some interesting cycle routes in the Bergerac area. Here’s a good one to kick off with.

At 33 km it’s what I would call a medium-length route, one which can be done in under an hour and a half if you do not stop to take too many pictures; it includes some good climbing (275m), mostly on small, empty roads. It passes two imposing Chateaux and a mysterious medieval church; and there’s some wonderful scenery along the way one seriously lovely climb and an equally thrilling descent…

A few minutes in one is on a Tour de France route from 2014: over the new bridge; over the first roundabout and then left at the lights… and straight up the D13.  There is one big roundabout and then… continue on the D13 up the hill…

I discovered, when I loaded my Garmin data, that someone had set a timed climb ‘segment’, from the moment you cross the D14, to the top of the hill in Monbazillac.   Going back the next day… I saw that the start of this climb you can really see you are in bicycle country!

This is the start of the timed segment and if one stops to look …

This is a fantastic multi-coloured bicycle start to the first climb of the day!  I was ambling along and this is about where the 16:40 is on the pace and elevation profiles… I was much quicker the following day, as I wanted to move up the rankings, … because I knew about the timing points & because it was/is there 🙂

The wines of this area (Monbazillac) are one of the Bergerac appellation and … are very popular around the world.  I have only tasted two of them, and they were sweet and strong *& so very dangerous… do not have too much before the descents!