suavecarve
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The Mediterranean cycling route by bike / EuroVelo 8: Meyrargues / Draguignan
Play at spotting perched castles at the start of this joyous stage of the Mediterranean Cycle Route through the Haut-Var area. Many cyclists you encounter will be following the circuit Les Châteaux de l’Ouest Haut-Var
We found this the other day but thought it was a short section.
We traveled from Aups into Salernes where there was an aire. We found it closed and our apps updated. We were a bit disappointed because the voie verte went into Sillans la cascade where the information of an already closed aire was known to us.
As we traveled back this way we kept our open for one of the train stations with parking. We could have done more planning but we shot through Salernes after roads were closed last week causing mayhem and thought there must be daytime parking in Sillans.
There is.
But not for us !
So we trundled in towards Barjols as a b plan. It has a star in our map.
What we didn't realize was the voie verte went that way as well. There was some parking in the middle of nowhere with nobody else using it and we sort of gave up til we just entered Barjols and between the first and second roundabouts was a well used free parking area. Mapy cz suggested 15 km relatively flat to sillans. Bikes were only 75% charged but that was enough so off we trundled. Slightly uphill on a road the first noticeable thing is they are still improving this voie verte. Signs are in place from the bridge (which has a fall off on the end) to the cutting which looks nigh on ready to open
From there there are small sections of road but 90% segregated pathway of varying quality. A km of rough bumpy tarmac is followed by smooth tarmac with some gravel. Only one sunken drain about a km out of Barjols but none of the potholes mentioned in the link.
You ride through lavender fields and vineyards and some shade, passing a couple of degustation chateaus.
NB there is a not advertised get out of your saddle hill immediately after the cycle route takes you left away from the road. This hill keeps rising then descends back to the road. We used the road upon return.
As you enter Sillans you see the river and a nice park. Then you can read the Sillans journal entry for the cascades !
