The Golfe du Lion Challenge was to individuals to cycle 580 miles in seven days climbing over 13700 meters raising as much money as possible for charity. Starting at Marseille Airport early on Saturday 8th May 2010 after arriving from Gatwick, participants cycled around the Golfe du Lion in southern France finishing in Cadaques in northern Spain, returning to the UK on Saturday 15th May.
Pestilence and plague were about the only things not thrown at us on the 2010 seven day charity cycling challenge. We most definitely had cats and dogs! Awful weather, 580 miles and 13700 meters of climbing between Marseille and Cadaquès in northern Spain made this the most extreme challenge Challenge Adventure Charities has done.
The advance party drove down to Marseille Airport with 35 bikes to meet the cyclists who flew down just missing the ash cloud. Rain greeted us and shorts and shirts were gradually replaced with warm tops, leggings, and water proofs. Day one took us north west over the Alpilles to Nimes. Baux en Provence was decidedly un beau and the brief picnic stop became a cold huddle with chattering teeth. The superb French roads were awash with torrential rain that splashed as it landed and the skies only cleared as we arrived in Nimes.
Day two dawned with cloudy skies but fortunately it was dry as we cycled north-west through the quiet early Sunday morning Nimes traffic past the Roman Arena and the water gardens. However rain set in just before we climbed into the Cevennes national park and the picnic lunch was even colder than the day before. We then began the serious climbs up to a series of cols on the Corniche de Cevennes that at least resulted in warming us up, until the descent of course. We were able to see some of the superb and unsurprisingly very green scenery until we climbed into cloud. 88 tough and wet miles later, we arrived in Florac at the upper end of the gorge du Tarn and a warm hotel that was soon festooned with drying clothes.
Sunshine at last arrived for day three and the 110 mile ride along the beautiful gorge du Tarn, under the spectacular Norman Foster designed Millau suspension bridge to a tiny village called St Sernin sur Rance, and an Auberge with a third generation owner who trained at The Dorchester, who that morning had received the Legion D’Honneur. The food wasn’t that good so maybe he was just trained IN Dorchester.... Anyway, the sun shone throughout the day and though the saddle got distinctly sore after about 80 miles, we had a marvellous ride in superb scenery. The sudden gust that sang through St Sernin’s louvered bridge however told of the storm to come and the last six riders experienced a gale, hail, and torrential rain. A taste of things to come....
There was however a brief respite in terms of the weather and we enjoyed warm conditions for the ride south to Carcassonne. Knees and arms were seen and although snow was on the side of the road at the 1000 meter high cols, it was an enjoyable ride down past Minervois and the Corbière vineyards after an 18% ascent.
Day five to Roman thermal bath spa of Ax-les-Thermes in the Pyrennees started dry but sporadic rain soon set in as we climbed up the col of the Dead Cross and then on eventually to the 1413 meter col that presaged the very long, cold, wet, descent into Ax and the excellent Hotel le Chalet.
The next day was due to be the biggest climb of the week to the 2000 meter high Porte de Pailhères, however snow had closed the pass. Reviews of the meteo, the Michelin maps and local consultation suggested two alternatives which were in turn offered to the 35 cyclists. 26 elected to go back up the 1413 m col and around to the 1500 meter col de Jau on a more minor road while nine took the main road and a train to avoid a long road tunnel, illegal for cyclists, before cycling to the spa village of Molitgh les Bains. Exiting the rail tunnel into a blizzard was a fair indication of what the other group was experiencing, snow from 1000 meters and then again on the climb to the col de Jau. The main road proved an easier route with a climb to 1600 meters and though very cold and wet with hail, the blizzard was avoided but the 20 km descent was excruciatingly cold. Snow on the col de Jau took its toll and only 8 cyclists completed the route with the remainder rescued by the two marshal’s vans standing by for that purpose. However the group’s spirits were very high soon after arrival, revived by a hot shower and a great bar with very hospitable hosts.
The last day took us out of the Pyrenees down to the coast at delightful Collioure and then along the Corniche into Spain and the last climb in the Cape Creus National Park from Port de la Selva to the pretty fishing village of Cadaquès, home to Salvador Dali and his cottage, now a museum, in neighbouring Port Lligate. The weather however had one last card up its sleeve. We had sunshine and a Mistral, however this time it was largely behind us and so a marvellous help climbing the lumpy cols between Port Vendres and Port Bou negotiating the last of Pyrennees before they disappear into the Mediterranean. Admittedly the buffetting from the occasionally beam wind was unnerving, as was the sudden deceleration from 35 mph down hill before the wind to 10 mph head to wind!
Despite the Tramontana, as the Mistral is called in Spain, we enjoyed a well earned beer on the terrace of the hotel overlooking the stunning sunny white capped bay. Inevitably the cold, rain, snow and hail were soon forgotten and the story telling started. It was undoubtedly the toughest challenge we have ever done, in part due to the weather. But barring the issues related to the weather on day six, everyone completed the challenge safe and sound and over £30,000 has been raised for charity, helping us on towards our target of £3 million by the end of 2010. All the event costs were paid for by the participants so 100% of everything raised is donated to charities like the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.