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Prelude
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I would like to dedicate this story to my parents
(who worried about me during this ride), to my wife, to the organizers and to the riders who are interested in
"French Diagonales". The original french story is also available on my web site http://www.geocities.com/jeanpba
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I tired and completed my first "Diagonale de France"
from Menton to Hendaye in September 2000. I decided this
year to do the longest one without assistance. I thought about this project during several months and my cycling
season could have been stopped last August when I crashed on a cat. I was lucky and consequences were not too serious.
So I decided to do this ride in September 2002. This story gives you the details of this diagonale, I rode alone
with my heavy bike (28 kgs) and my camera to take pixs...
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First: What
is a "Diagonale de France" ?
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A Diagonale is a permanent ride organized by
FFCT where you have to join the six towns located at the French border: Dunkerque, Strasbourg, Menton, Perpignan,
Hendaye and Brest. There are nine dagonales because you can't link towns which are near one to the other. You must
complete each diagonale in a given time (77 hours for Menton-Hendaye and 116 hours for Brest-Menton). The route
isn't imposed, you propose your own route to the organizers by setting control steps every 100kms. During a diagonale,
there is no closing time for control steps. You have to do theses rides on your own or with five riders maximun.
Pace cars are not allowed...
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Before the start, I planned this ride (road map, how to cross
big towns, book hotels) and checked the bike with panniers, lights, mudguards...
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I travelled from Grenoble to Brest
in two days. I put my bike in a big bag. I travelled in a regular train, not a TGV...
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The day before the start, I rode the first kilometers I would do
in the night, to know how to leave Brest. Then I visited Le Conquet port where I collected the "BPF". BPF is a brevet without time limit organized by FFCT.
You have to visit six towns by department to obtain a randonneur medal. Le
Conquet is one of the six towns in "Finistere" department...
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(Pix on the right taken the day before the start)
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Here is an overview of Le
Conquet...
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On Thursday September 12th, at 04:00am, it was the start! I went
to the Police station to validate my start for this diagonale. Before starting I took a picture of the officer
woman and she did the same ! Three minutes lost, but with all the pictures I was going to take, it doesn't the
matter! Let's pedaling now...
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Thursday September 12th 2002
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From
Brest to Angers:
355 kilometers
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There were not a lot of people in Brest this night. I stopped for another photo in front of the
pannel showing the exit of Brest...
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By a tiny road, I joined Plougastel
Daoulas, Loperhet, Irvillac
to avoid the main road. After Sizun,
the sun rises when a good climb begins...
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If you have already ridden PBP, you know this climb. It is a Col,
close to Roc-Trevezel. Early in the morning, this climb is amazing...
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At 08:45, I arrived in Carhaix. See the church shown on the left picture. Children went to school and I ate some biscuits
before going on the ride... One hour later, I arrived in Rostrenen where I got my first checkpoint for the diagonale. As you notice, its church, on the right,
doesn't look like to the previous one...
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| After... |
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...here is...
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...better know in the local language as...
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At 11:30am, I rode already 130kms. I stopped for a little while
in this village to get sandwiches to eat later... Here is a panoramic view on Cléguérec church...
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At 01:00pm, I stopped in Pontivy to eat sandwiches in "Place du Martray" close to students. Here is an overview
on this beautiful castle, perhaps you have already seen it...
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At 03:00pm, I arrived in Josselin. The road from Pontivy to Josselin
was very hilly. Just before Josselin,
I met another rider who told me he had completed this diagonale in 66 hours several years ago. I don't believe
him at all. Finally he told me it was perhaps another diagonale maybe "Brest-Perpignan". Here is an overview
of Josselin's castle on the
right picture..
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Less than half of an hour later, I joined Ploërmel by a quiet road besides the main
road. Here are the tower of Ploërmel on the left and the gothic church on the right...
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After Augan, Guer,
I finished the crossing of Morbihan department to enter in "Ille et Vilaine". Here is an overview of
Maure de Bretagne church
which is very well designed! In this town, the pizzeria sells pizzas only once a week, and it is not the good day.
So I will take a "Croque-Monsieur" later...
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At 07:00pm, I crossed Vilaine river at Port de Guipry. On the left, here is Guipry church. On the right, my bike on the bridge...
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Twenty minutes later, on the D772 road, I was followed by a tractor.
I rode very fast to avoid to be overtaken. But four minutes later, it overtook me, because I wanted to save energy
for the following...
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(Left picture taken over the helmet !...)
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In the evening, I arrived at 07:45pm in Bain de Bretagne. As you notice, this church, with its two
towers is different from the previous ones. I called with my cellular phone to a pizzeria in Chateaubriant, to order a pizza I would eat later
in the evening...
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Things seemed good. My pizza is ordered and would
be ready in one hour and a half... Meanwhile, I must ride 30 kilometers. It seemed me possible...
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The road is enjoyable, but after Teillay, the road is marked as closed because of roadworks.
The night is coming soon and I must be in Chateaubriant to get my pizza and eat it! Nobody to inform me if I had to follow the deviation and perhaps
to become lost somewhere. So, I did't follow the deviation, I continued...
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It was the right decision! The road is quite new and the Schwalbe
tyres slipped well on the road. During ten kilometers, I was a little worried about this closed road, but it was
ok and I arrived in Chateaubriant
to eat my pizza as planned. In Chateaubriant, if you need a pizza, I strongly recommend "Pizzeria Arlequin, Rue de la Liberation"...
they are friendly and devoted for riders...
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At 10:30pm, I left Chateaubriant in the night. It was dark. The road was quite flat, no climbs but I was surprised by others
roads closed. Seventy kilometers further, I arrived in Beaucouzé, in the suburbs of Angers. Somehow or other, I found my hotel I booked with my Visa Card one week earlier. I took
a shower, and slept for three hours... Quite enjoyable after 355 kilometers!
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(No more pics during the night...)
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Friday September 13th 2002
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From
Angers to Chateauroux
: 220 kilometers
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Just one month after I crashed on a cat in a descent, I left the
hotel at 06:00am. It was still the night and I passed close to another buildings of my firm company in Angers.
Here is a photo in the night...
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After Trélazé, the road D952 was quite busy because of the beginning of this working day. I rode in
the fog, but more and more, the sun appeared...
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(Right pix...)
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At 08:30am, I arrived in Saint
Mathurin Sur Loire. I got a stamp in a cafe for my BPF and I was going to
follow the longest french river for a while: "La Loire"...
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Later in the morning, the wind arrived. It came from the North-East,
not a good friend for my ride. Here is a point of view of "La Loire" when I crossed it just before Saumur...
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If you don't already know Saumur, it is a beautiful place to visit. Here is the castle
on the left and the church "Saint Pierre" on the right...
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11 kms further, I arrived in Montsoreau. Another great place to visit... This place is well
known for the french book "La Dame de Montsoreau" written by "Alexandre Dumas"...
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After Chinon, the road D760 was hilly as shown on the picture and boring due to the traffic. This road
must be inadvisable for a ride until Saint Maure de Touraine...
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(Right pix...)
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At 02:30pm, I arrived in Sepmes. The weather was very nice, no problem at all...
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After Sepmes, the road D59 was very quiet. It was a flat road and the countryside was enjoyable. I
joined Ligueil and its church
shown on the right. But, Chateauroux,
was still far...
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In the end of the afternoon, I arrived in Murs. Perhaps, you may not know this little village
but I already rode here during last Bordeaux-Paris in the night. Now, I can see the church on the left picture...
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After Murs, the road was enjoyable as you can see on the right. If you enjoy quiet roads like this
one, "French Diagonales"
are advisable for you...
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But don't forget to ride during a diagonale! Here is a picture
of my cycle computer with a speed of 29 kilometers per an hour as the current speed, not the average!
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Enjoy these typical cows in the fields. They are called "Limousines"...
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At 06:00pm, after riding 182 kilometers, I arrived in Mézières en Brenne. I got
another checkpoint in a backery where I had to explain what a Diagonale is.
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Another village in this area, not very hilly, Vendoeuvres, in the west of Chateauroux....
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The sun is behind me. Can you see my shadow on the road ? Very
enjoyable to ride at this time with a fresh air...
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At 08:30pm, after 220 kilometers, I arrived at the hotel, close
to Chateauroux. I ate in
a restaurant to recover and to relax before going to bed at 11:00pm... I didn't forget to reload my camera batteries...
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Saturday September 14th 2002
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From Chateauroux
to Saint Etienne : 313 kilometers
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After a good night of 4 hours and 30 minutes, I woke up this the
television. There is a story about music in 87's. It rewinds me the music I listened to when I prepared my baccalauret
(french exam). Perhaps you know U2 with their single "With or Without You", and the french singer "Desireless"
with strange hair, as shown on the right picture... I am not here to watch TV, but to ride a little...
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Early in the morning or in the middle of the night, at 04:15am,
I left the hotel and Chateauroux,
here is a picture of my bike and I, seen here from the bin of the hotel! I avoided the city center of Chateauroux to cross long forest in the
south. In the night, I very enjoyed my dual lights, wrapped in serial and associated to the Schmidt Original Nabendynamo
(SON). In long descents, I switch on the rear generator to give me more light. I was suddendly amazed by a long
climb in the forest. Difficult for me not to see where the end will be. I arrived later in Nohant, the native village of the french writer,
"Georges Sand". Here
I can get a stamp for the BPF but all shops are still closed. Maybe not! I smelt delicious odour of hot "Pain
au Chocolat". I followed this odour, and asked to the baker a stamp and also two "Pains au Chocolat".
At 05:30am, It was delicious!
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Later, in the morning, I arrived in "Cher" department
in Chateaumeillant where
I could collect another BPF. Here are two points of view of the churches. On the left, it is "Notre Dame la Petite", built in the eleventh
century and "Saint Genest"
on the right...
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I arrived in Culan at 09:00am. It was very cold in the morning. I stopped in a bar to drink coffee and I
took photos of this beatiful castle. It has been built in the twelfth century and its roof is wooden made...
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After Culan, I arrived in Vesdun with the church also built in the twelfth century. This village, Vesdun, is known as the centre of gravity of France...
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(On the right...)
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One hour later, I arrived in Vallon en Sully...
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After Vallon en
Sully, the camera stayed in my pannier due to the fog. At midday, I arrived
in Cosne d'Allier. I got
some food and I went to the post office where I sent me some new clothes one week before. The postman was surprised
to see this and again I explained what a Diagonale is... He saw the frame plate and I explained him my route. I
got changed and put my dirty clothes in the enveloppe, sent them to my home and it was a "bad pleasure"
to receive the package two weeks later... No more explanations...
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In the afternoon, the road was very quiet in this forest called
"forêt de Dreuille".
Yes, no doubt, France is made for cycling...
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Later, after hills, I arrived in Montet at 03:00pm where I saw the typical church built in the
eleventh century...
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A panoramic picture of the next village called La Roche Bransat. After this village,
there was a long descent to arrive in the valley...
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At 03:30pm, I arrived in Saint Pourcain sur Sioule (as shown on the left picture...). This village is well known
for its wine, called "Ficelle"...
which is celebrated on the first Saturday of December...
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After, for 40 kilometers, the road cecame boring. It was
a large road but hopefully few trucks because of the week end...
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At 05:00pm, here is an overview of Lapalisse (on
the left...)
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At the end of the main road, I entered in Loire department. It
was a pleasure for me to enter in this department, very close to the one where I live... On the right, at 06:50pm,
it was La Pacaudière...
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After Changy, and its church shown on the left, the road marked as D8 is dangerous. We are Saturday
night and many people are going out. At 09:40pm, I arrived in Saint
Germain Laval (church shown
on the right) where I get another control for the Diagonale. I got it in an
hotel still opened and the chairman would have liked to propose me a bedroom for this night. But I had to continue
towards Saint Etienne...
Finally, I arrived in the north of Saint Etienne at half past midnight with the precious help of my generators...
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Sunday September 15 th 2002
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From
Saint-Etienne to
Sisteron : 271 kilometers
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After sleeping during 4 hours (yes short but enjoyable), I tried
to continue the ride. The first kilometers are difficult because of the cold weather. Here is the city center.
I knew I won't go too fast during the first kilometers of this stage because I had to climb a col, the first big
pass, of this Diagonale: Col de la République, a challenge for me...
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Saint-Etienne
is well known from French riders. "Paul de Vivie" was a rider who organized many rides. In 1929, he invented rides which are now called:
DIAGONALE DE FRANCE.... Incredible no?
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It was very cold in Saint-Etienne, but the climb was not too difficult, just a little impressive after the exit of the city
center. If you like climbing in forest, like in rocky mountains, this col is for you... Here is a remember of "Paul de Vivie" also known as
"Vélocio"...
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On the left,
here is a picture of me at the col. My camera has been put on an anonymous car roof...
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On the other side of the col, the sun was coming back. Here is
now Bourg-Argental, another
control step of the Diagonale...
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Now the route was mainly descending towards Rhone Valley with a
panoramic view on this River...
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I rode in Rhone Valley until the middle of the afternoon. Here
is Montoison on the left
and Crest on the right...
Crest is well known for its
donjon, the highest in France and also for the "Semaine Federale" in 2002... Have you already cycled
there ?
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After Crest, I know the road. I used to ride here during long brevet, I do in the beginning of the
season. A few kilometers after Crest,
here is Aouste sur Sye church...
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This road, marked as D93, must be strongly recommended. It will
bring you in areas dedicated to cycle with tiny roads as "Vallee de
la Roanne, Valdrome"... On the left, here is an overview of the "Drome" river and on the right,
an old castle in Pontaix...
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After Die, I arrived in Pont de Quart. From here, I strongly recommend a nice col: "Col de Grimone". You may know it if you watched "Tour
de France 2002" on TV. It is a long climb, but not very steep, with bends to arrive to the top. The top of
this col is a very quiet place. No noise... To be ridden absolutely... From Pont
de Quart, my road was going to climb until Col de Cabre...
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At 07:00pm, I stopped in Luc
en Diois to eat a little... On the right, an overview of the church...
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After Luc en Diois, the road became scenic. In 1480's, there was a landslide and now it is a place where
you can see a waterfall on the river, "La Drome"... Hurry up, I have to continue the climb before the
night...
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Beaurières
(seen here on the left...)
is the last village before the col. The night was coming, I will finish the climb with lights at 08:45pm. During
the climb, I was alone in this deep forest and I heard a stag which troated in the night... From Beaurieres, you will have to ride 30 bends before
the col... Good climb!
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In Col de
Cabre, I tried again to phone to a pizza to have one an hour later. It was
apparently ok, but when I arrived in Laragne, the restaurant was closed and nothing to eat? Maybe not! Just two little sandwishes before going
on the ride for twenty kilometers to arrive in Sisteron, where I booked a bedroom two weeks before. On the television, it is Vuelta... For me,
quick shower, sleep and dream to cycle before the next stage...
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Monday September 16th 2002
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From
Sisteron to
Menton : 217 kilometers
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I woke up at 05:00am for this (last) stage. I was ready for a cold
start as the day before, but in Sisteron, it was fresh but not cold! There is plenty of cars on the main road, because it is Monday... Even
an accident. I avoided Digne les Bains
by an hilly road and I arrived in "Clue de Chabrières" (shown
on the right pix...). Here, I met a rider, coming from Paris. He was going to visit his son in Antibes, close to Nice...
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I left the main road, also called boring road, in Barrême with its church (seen here from the main road...) I got
in this town, the last control of this Diagonale. Hope all will be ok until the end. On the pannel below, it is
written that Napoléon passed here and stayed during one night... No comments for the english readers!!
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After Barrême, The main road N202 was quiet and followed the railway for a while (Pix above on the left...) before arriving in Moriez with a tiny road (Pix below on the left...). then I continued
towards Col des Robines
by an easy climb... The descent brought me in Saint André
les Alpes to eat a little...
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After Saint André
les Alpes, I discovered Castillon Lake (Lac de Castillon). The moutains in
the back were spendid, the camera was ready to bring you the panoramic picture below... Enjoy...
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I still had to complete 160kms unitl the end. I climbed another
pass, the last one of this ride, Col de Toutes Aures. Near my home, there are two cols with the same name. This one is enjoyable, specially
the tunnel on the right, found in the descent towards Annot...
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After a decent descent (Enjoy...) I arrived at 03:00pm in Entrevaux. This town has been built by
Vauban in 1624. The Diagonale was not finished yet and the camera worked hard to take pix...
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After the road followed the Var, the only river which doesn't cross
the department which has the same name "Le Var". I got the front wind, ready to return to Brest, not to Menton...
I arrived in Nice at 06:00pm with a lot of traffic again...
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In Nice, I posted the last poscard to the organizers to mean I will arrive soon in Menton. I chose to ride to Menton by "la
moyenne corniche" instead the road in front of the sea because of the traffic... I arrived in Menton, just before 08:00pm. Yes, it was
early finished...
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In Menton, I passed in front of the "Casino", looking
for the police station...
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At 08:00pm, I entered in the police station and met the police
officer to validate my road map... We recognized ourselves because two years before, she signed my start to Hendaye! It was really done. I continued,
just to do legs circle, until the italian border(Right picture...)
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My second Diagonale is now well finished in 112
hours just 4 hours before the limit. During this ride, I very enjoyed "Crepes au Chocolat" I ate...
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Some interesting data:
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1376 kilometers in 112 hours. 24 total hours to ride in the night
(Thanks to the SON). 17 total hours to sleep and 16 departments crossed...
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Some advices:
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The road from Saint
Pourcain sur Sioule and Saint
Etienne must be reviewed...
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Between Nice and Menton,
the road is boring, either the road in front of the sea or the N7...
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After arriving in Menton, I slept here for a complete night to recover (6 hours). Then I returned to Grenoble by "La Route des Grandes
Alpes" passing by Col de Castillon, Sospel,
Col de Turini, Saint Martin Vésubie ("BPF"),
Col de Saint Martin,
Saint Etienne de Tinée
("BPF") to pass the Bonette Col (2715m), Jausiers, Saint Paul,
Col de Vars, Briançon, Col du Lautaret and Grenoble. A ride of 379 kilometers which will be described
later on my web site... To be ridden again...
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