The alternative is to go to Grenoble and to continue on the A51 south until it dies a lingering death, descending from two lanes each side down to one and then finally expiring at Monestier-de-Clermont. It is then 100 kms to Sisteron, where one again finds a living A51. That 100 kms has been (and will undoubtedly continue to be) both a wonderfully beautiful winding road through magnificent mountain scenery, and, at the same time a source of endless debate between Provence and Paris, between economists, environmentalists and engineers. There is no agreement on what the (potential) autoroute is supposed to do - to free the city of Gap from its enslavement in the Alps - or to provide another north-south road to enable Northern Europeans to go to the Cote d'Azur and Italy. Long may the debates continue because we love this sinuous road with its dramatic mountains (but fortunately less tortuous than the Route Napoleon from Grenoble to Gap).
In comparing the two photos above, the choice of road is somewhat evident.
However in this 100 km stretch, there are not many towns of interest and few restaurants besides roadside "frites". Even those restaurants that exist chose to close whenever one wants to eat. We have however discovered a most unexpected source of good food in a very unlikely spot - Aspres-sur-Buesch. This town of less than 800 inhabitants has had a chequered past with a Roman camp and a camp for assembling undesirables under the Vichy regime during the second world war before they were sent onwards in accordance with the instructions of their masters. It also has several giant sequoias (Redwoods) for those Californians who are homesick. But the Epicerie of Agnes and Bruno is definitely worth a detour. Bruno, a native of Pertuis (the gateway to the Luberon!) is only too pleased to have you sample the local cheeses and mountain hams as well as share his philosophical thoughts. Count on 20-30 minutes to choose supplies for a couple of days!
Back on the resurrected A51, the road becomes ecclesiastical as it passes the Penitents of Mees.
These are the monks of the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Lure who were turned into stone by Saint Donat to prevent them from being tempted by some Moorish female prisoners who the monks, descending from from their monastery, had hoped to see as they were taken to from Mees to Arles. The other ecclesiastical site is the Abbey of Gangobie - but that will keep for another day!
