Moustiers Sainte-Marie is a pretty Provencal village at the foot of the grand canyon of the Verdon. There’s a spring and a waterfall which lead to fountains in the Roman style. A fine place for a biker halt in spring before the tourists and caravans are too numerous. Onwards round the lac de Sainte-Croix, much of the route is suitable for very sporty riding style; a good route to play on the racing line with apexes, low gears and later braking and get the eye back in practice after winter.

Screen grabs from practice day 2 of the 2013 Losail MotoGP. Marquez riding well today but Lorenzo and Rossi established their authority yesterday. Thanks to UK television for the coverage... unfortunately I'm not there!

The moment must be seized: it just has to be done. An interlude of dry roads and sunshine is rare this winter and spring: even more so than usual. So I wasn’t the only sports biker out at play at the end of this afternoon on the bends in the roads between Marseille, Aubagne, Cassis and La Ciotat.

Marseille, la Gineste, Cap Canaille, Cassis, La Ciotat and back via Aubagne. A very pleasant bike ride for the end of January. Challenging enough to work the sides of the tyres nicely matted and practice gear-changing on the hills and late braking on the curves,  My bike started first try, even after the winter lay up. Winter leathers yes, but sunshine and just a light wind made the clear roads very enjoyable. And of course a break at La Ciotat, enjoying some patisseries to the sound of the waves breaking on a sandy Riveria beach. La Ciotat has a cinema dedicated to the Lumière brothers, who made a very early film of a railway train arriving at La Ciotat station.