Jul 22, 2024
First Massacan event on Via del Sale
Three days of cycling on the legendary Salt Route, where kilometers and elevation take second place to gourmet feasts and incredible alpine landscapes. For this first Massacan event, a small group of cyclists set off to explore, taking the time to savor each moment. Forget everything, here, it's good food and fun that count!
Day 1: Departure with fanfare
Meet in Nice
In the morning, everyone meets at Nice station to board the train of wonders. There are 11 of us and two other companions will join us in the evening. The terminus is in Sospel where we collect our Pan Bagnats reserved for the bakery. And of course, we don't leave without tasting the barbajuans, these little donuts fried with rice and chard, a real treat!
The adventure begin
We leave Sospel to join the track of Paula, the famous one. First challenge: climb as quickly as possible! Two by two, we stick together and give everything to get to the top. After a few grimaces, everyone plays the game. First (small) summit reached, it's time to get to know each other, take photos and launch the drone to immortalize this moment. We then unpack the snack at the Col de Brouis which ends the trail: Pan Bagnat for everyone and sausage offered by the Chez Marco butcher. Thank you Jeremy!
Descent and Improvised Swimming
We descend the pass to follow the river, the only road portion of our journey. Matthieu shows us a spot with a rock painted with the image of a pink pig, a decor that has been in place for generations. Hop, we put the bikes down, some swim, others observe the show from the low wall. Finally, the water is not so cold!
First Base Camp in Casterino
After this refreshing break, we reach Casterino, our first base camp. Along the way, we come across two young patous looking for cuddles. We can't resist!
The group disperses a little but we meet again for the last few kilometers. In Casterino, we celebrate this first day with beers and blueberry pies. In the evening, we warm up by the fire, talk about cycling and enjoy cold meats before a good meal. The host, also a cycling enthusiast, promises to catch up tomorrow!
Inn of Sainte Marie-Madeleine
Day 2: Direction Italy
Morning: Departure for Italy
It's the best day of the journey. A few kilometers of an incredible track take us to Italy. Along the way, tunnels dug into the stone, historic bridges and forts bear witness to the Franco-Italian battles. We take the opportunity to climb to the Pernante fort at more than 2000 meters, where the panorama is breathtaking. We have the choice between a gravel track or a mountain bike path, where some of us have fun going up and down to capture the best photo. At the top, the panorama is breathtaking, and seeing the whole group, happy to be there, is even more beautiful.
Below, it's Italy and the chalet “Le Marmot” where we stop to devour some polenta. Your choice: cheese, sausage or both, “mici mici” as they say here. Some even let themselves be tempted by a naughty dessert! We sit around a large table, summer camp atmosphere. They speak Italian, French, and the address is known to everyone: cyclists, bikers, walkers.
After a good big meal and a nap in the grass, we leave a little less light but with legs full of enthusiasm.
Breathtaking Landscapes
Here we go again! The beauty of the landscape only increases. At the start of the track, you have to pay a right of passage: 1 euro per bike, with a superb sticker as a bonus. The scenery becomes more arid and we inexorably rise in altitude, always above 2000 meters. Our group forms a caravan, reminiscent of old expeditions, except that we only carry the bare necessities (and a few Haribos and snickers bars to survive).
On the first climb, we organize a little race to spice up the atmosphere. People jostle to get to the top, we stagger, we laugh out loud. We won't say who won or who cheated (not a Massacan, obviously). At the top, the mountain opens onto a new valley. The road carved into the rock invites us to stroll. Some go faster than others, but everyone has a blast hurtling down the spectacular switchbacks.
We stop to eat something, admire the landscape, leave, play and catch up. Some don't stop anymore and head to Don Barbera's refuge to order an aperitif. Meanwhile, Pol gives us a big scare with a fall. Fortunately, he comes out of it with a night in Cuneo, 4 stitches in his chin and unforgettable memories...
The rest of the group quietly returns to the shelter. Lost at the top of the Col des Seigneurs, without network, but with all the tables reserved and a dormitory in our name, the refuge offers cuisine that is as delicious as ever. We store the bikes in the barn and hang out outside until dinner. Some, not yet familiar with local customs, gorge themselves on risotto which is only the "primo", the starter, before the main course of potatoes and sausages in sauce. Nothing will be left behind, not even suspect pitchers of red wine.
The day ends with a genepi and a night in a dormitory, lulled by the thundering storm. Tomorrow still has surprises in store for us!
Day 3: An epic finale
Rainy Morning
This is the last day. Not too much snoring in the dormitory... but the smells are there. We all meet up around coffee, wondering if the wind or rain will accompany us today. The first people outside quickly put on their rain jackets and anything else they can find to protect themselves from the cold. Temperature around 6 degrees, felt close to zero.
We collect our carefully prepared “paninis” and attack the first climb on the cliffside. And of course, the rain intensifies. Some have forgotten their gloves, but no shortcut possible, we continue. The first hour is clenching our teeth and shivering until we find a little lost cabin where we settle down to each have 12 coffees. Not much room for shelter, so we huddle together.
The rain finally subsides. We run, do push-ups, whatever we can to warm up. Lost looks find a little hope and we leave hoping to see the sun. It's not yet, but at least it's not raining anymore. The troop smiles again and enjoys the landscape a little better.
A final muddy climb awaits us, the opportunity to collect a few kilos of mud from our tires. We lose part of the group who misses a junction and continues to the top, but as it is a dead end, they end up going back down. The other part of the caravan takes the right route and waits at the top, the perfect moment to unmount the bikes.
4x4s pass, some are 4x4 pandas typical of Italy. We shout and encourage them! What an atmosphere in the mountains. The Italian side is always more lively and folkloric, often more beautiful... We are amazed by this playground.
The latecomers finally arrive and we begin the mega descent. In all, we descend more than 1000 meters: it starts with a slightly technical and rocky part, then a dirt path in the woods, and finally a track which winds up to the village of La Brigue. Before finishing this crazy race, we take the time to stop to eat our Italian paninis in the middle of the woods. As if we prefer to step back and savor each moment.
We settle on logs, and we hang out, enjoying the last moments of this trip. There aren't many pedal strokes left. The journey ends here, at least before returning to the city. So let's say he ends up there, in this wood, with a group of friends.
