Nice - Grasse - Castellane

A short drive from Nice is the perfume capital of France and the start of the next ride

Jef D is up early and scores the prime spot in front of the hotel - the strip of the coast ‘rue de anglais’ is a hell place to find a park - it only took 4 laps at 0730 to grab the spot.

Loaded into three cars - minus a driver - (Alice has disappeared to catch up on mum Jane in Italy) we head out to Grasse and a chance for the girls to shop - Fontaine perfumery. We circle the streets looking for a park beside a cafe that would enable us to watch the cars and finding one, the boys relax in the sun to enjoy some croissants and cafe.

It’s one o'clock before we start - after sorting out drivers for the cars and we climb out of Grasse on the route napoleon. Up and up - but we are well used to this idea now, so not fazed and soon we reach the first of 4 cols for the day - Jeff T and Geoff H stop on top first.

In the distance we see the road disappearing over another col but this time it is Tom who out sprints the chasing peleton to take the honours. A ice cream stop is called at the shop on the top - time for Geoff H to try and sop a squeaking roller (to no avail this time)

The day rolled on with both Hamish and Jenny taking first to the top and their own ‘cols’ - it seems that by the end of this ride everyone has had a chance to bag a col.

Another perfect ride and we roll into the hotel at Castellane - Auberge de Teillon.
From the outside - just a plain old hotel - inside the rooms are plain but adequate and we have the place to ourselves.

A cheese and wine call finds us in the back of the village that backs onto the hotel. (the following evening the hotel surprises us with a fine dinning room and one of the finest meals of the tour.)