May 28| Apt to Aix-en-Provence: Abbaye da Silvacaine

Abbaye de Silvacane

The route flattened out, we crossed the wide Durance River and turned west to visit Abbaye de Silvacane. This 12^th Century Cistercian monastery was big, austere and beautiful. Its cloisters date from sometime after 1250 and are drop-dead gorgeous. The refectory dates from somewhat later. 

The cloisters

After leaving the monastery, we continued south, with some more climbing and then another descent to Aix-en-Provence, where we met the day’s only unpleasant riding: very heavy traffic, late in the day when we were tired, going into Aix. With hindsight I’d pick a different route into the town. We made our choice of route worse by following a sign for a bike route into town, but missed a necessary turn or two and so rode far out of our way. 

Interior room

43 miles. Route: D113 to Fort de Buoux / D943 / D561 to Abbaye de Silvacane / D543/ D7n / D17 to Aix. If I did this again, I’d either take the D14 into Aix-en-Provence or follow the D543 straight to the D17.

NEXT