For the final lap of our tour we planned to follow the Luberon Cycle Route to Forcalquier and then Cavaillon, the first stage was to Manosque. The path was well signposted and took a circuitous route that went through rolling countryside with some steep pitches. By the end of the day our legs were protesting at the start of even gentle climbs.

We had a recommended hotel in Manosque but didn't bother to book because it was the quiet season. Unfortunately our visit coincided with a major festival for young authors and that hotel and most of the others were booked out; we finally found a room at the Best Western.

The next day we continued to Forcalquier. We had been pleased to notice the bike path signs near our hotel and anticipated an easy start. However after taking us through a few back streets the signs disappeared and we had to abandon it for the busy truck route. After an unpleasant seven kilometers we reached a point where we could regain the bicycle path. We realized later that the signed path must have gone the wrong way down a one way street; a possibility we discounted at the time.

The path was pleasant, winding through back roads and cutting across the hills to Forcalquier, the main road took the long way round through the valley.

We had pre-booked a room with a kitchenette at a country hotel, the Charambeau, just before Forcalquier.It was located in a restored eighteenth century farm and very pleasant. It was very quiet out of season and our corner unit had an incredible view over the countryside. Our terrace had vines with hanging bunches of grapes. We had bought a baguette on the way and were carrying a bottle of Viognier from a degustation the previous day. Margaret shamelessly picked a bunch of the grapes and that was lunch.

We spent two days cycling around the marked bicycle paths in the Forcalquier region.