Day 7 – Le Mont Dore to Saint Flour - 66 miles

OK, time for hyperbole 

Bruce

We left Le Mont-Dore for a long climb, only a little shorter than the late afternoon ascent from yesterday. 

Pete

Mark

Ian

The sun shone. All was good with the world. This was the best hour’s cycling ever!

å

Reaching the summit after a 4 mile 8% climb was exhilarating

Time for a drink

Passing forever upwards through native woodland we emerged above the tree line to gorgeous moorland carpeted with wild, short-stemmed daffodils. 

Elise

From the top we descended at terrific speed, switching to and fro on an excellent and wide well-tarmaced road.

Similar to yesterday, we travelled through the Massif Central, along high plateau pastures in a landscape of crater lakes, rivers and waterfalls.

The route continued through the Auvergne region with ‘undulating’ countryside, several longish climbs with even longer descents. 

Wild flowers were abundant.

Send me the names if you know them.

Some reminded me of euphorbia.

It was cool at the top, dropping to below 10 degrees. The wind chill factor on the long descent was significant.

These buttercup-like flowers grew from water-logged ditches.

More muscular red-coloured cows - dairy this time. Loud bells!

A picnic lunch at Chez Simone

Massive bells on side of church in very small village on descent to St. Flour

No hands!

ET - for those who remember the film

Our destination - an old monastery, now Hotel Les Planchettes in St Flour.

Most roofs were tiled with slate, but some older buildings had cut stone tiles.

Our room view

We arrived at Saint Flour, our destination for the night. Medieval Saint-Flour itself is perched on top of the Auvergne's highest volcanic outcrops  The views of the surrounding countryside from here were stunning.

Saint Flour