{"id":5814,"date":"2012-07-09T18:28:24","date_gmt":"2012-07-09T22:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=5814"},"modified":"2015-07-02T15:13:13","modified_gmt":"2015-07-02T19:13:13","slug":"day-43-sunday-june-8-arles-to-aix-en-provence-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=5814","title":{"rendered":"Day 43, Sunday, July 8 – Arles to Aix en Provence, France"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our plan had been all along to head to Marseilles from Arles, but when we looked at the distance combined with the climbs, we decided to go around our elbow and get there in two days. \u00a0We left this morning to overcast skies and a serious threat of rain. \"\"<\/a> Though the temps were not far from the last several days, the humidity made it feel much warmer, thankfully, with the clouds shielding the sun, we did not roast.\"\"<\/a>Huge birch trees formed beautiful canopies along our road, the best we’ve had in France so far; sometimes we even had a paved shoulder to ride.\"\"<\/a>We rode through small towns bursting with flowers \"\"<\/a>and past old farms\"\"<\/a>and churches.\"\"<\/a>The sun started burning through the clouds
\n\"\"<\/a> about ten and in less than an hour, we felt the heat that we had not<\/strong><\/em> missed the last several days. \u00a0Started climbing at exactly noon;<\/p>\n

\"\"it would have been sooner, but we had to stop to fix a flat tire. \u00a0The ride up was beautiful\"\"<\/a> but very steep and tough in the heat of the sun.\"\"<\/a>The ride down featured hairpin turns and white rocks jutting out from the green.\"\"<\/a>We arrived in Paul C\u00e9zanne’s\"\"<\/a> charming hometown of Aix en Provence (founded in 123 B.C.)\"\"<\/a> sometime before 3:00. \u00a0The city was bustling with people, yet it had a small town, unhurried fee. \u00a0Aix en Provence is sometimes referred to as the city with 1000 fountains,\"\"<\/a> though you could say that about the churches,\"\"<\/a> as they seemed to be everywhere. \u00a0Walking the narrow streets lined with exquisite doors, \"\"<\/a>we heard the call of church bells and could see the tower in the distance.\"\"<\/a> Arrived at the Cathedrael Saint-Sauveur,\"\"<\/a> with two huge organs that mirrored each other,\"\"<\/a> just before the service started. \u00a0We waited through the processional and listened to the organ play in this massive stone church, truly magnificent. \u00a0As was the nave and tremendous frescos\"\"<\/a> that lined the surrounding walls. \u00a0Though this cathedral is not as “fancy, bright and shiny” as others we’ve seen, it will take your breathe away. \u00a0A little more window shopping\u00a0(the smells coming from this dessert shop were incredible),\"\"<\/a>people watching\"\"<\/a>stopping in galleries and then to dinner. \u00a0Found a great local Italian restaurant with a wood fire oven, but didn’t do pizza, just two incredible bowls of pasta. \u00a0Robyn, this Carbonara tops the one in South Beach…\"\"<\/a>time to take a trip to France!\n\t\t