January 1, 2011

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 12th 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.


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