Trail bike
Ride over to the beach at Marseille Plage Borély. The beach is kept clear and pretty in the summer season but the autumn storms have landed rocks and mud on the beach paths, also seaweed on the sand. And puddles. So play time on my Marin trail bike. Very squeaky centre-pull brakes for the ride back too.
Ride around the land side of the Marseilleveyre massif which overlooks Marseille and its beaches. The calanques are where the rocky limestone valleys are submerged by the Mediterranean, the valleys on the landward side are wooded with pines and shrubs.
Not many routes are open to trail bikes in the Parc National des Calanques so the choice is limited. Starting from the pines of the Roy d’Espagne estate, my route took me and my classic Marin up the Vallon de la Jarré, over the col at about 265 m. and down the Vallon des Trois Gancets to the beaches at Pointe Rouge and Borély.
Ride to Marseille beach Borély under a burning blue sky, my scenic route passing the renowned architecture of L’immeuble Corbusier.
Clean-up and maintenance time for my classic Palisades Trail Lite on my balcony in Marseille.
Steep but short pedal up the rock to Marseille’s landmark church, Notre-Dame de la Garde, for a panoramic view of the city and port. Down to the beaches via the Corniche Kennedy.
