Mallorca to Mont Ventoux | Episode 2: Banyuls-sur-Mer to Clermont-l’Hérault

🚴 Mallorca to Mont Ventoux | EP2: Banyuls-sur-Mer to Clermont-l’Hérault

Welcome to Episode 2 of my Mallorca to Mont Ventoux ‘bikepacking’ adventure — a five-day, cross-border cycling mission packed with challenges, grit, and spectacular scenery.

In this episode, I enjoy a comparatively peaceful ride along the coast, through countless vineyards and into the mountains, largely along the EuroVelo 8 cycle route. Total distance 187km.

🌍 Route highlights:
Banyuls-sur-mer → Narbonne → Beziers → Clermont-l’Hérault

This series documents my attempt to ride from Mallorca to Mont Ventoux and back in just 5 days, combining ferry crossings, long-distance riding, and tight logistics, all fuelled by questionable decision-making and a King Gizzard concert.

👉 If you enjoy adventure cycling, bikepacking, or just want to see someone suffer in cinematic fashion — subscribe, like, and follow along.

📍 Filmed: May 2025

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Morning [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] all. Slightly better spirits today, you’ll see. Got my Swiss new jersey on. Absolutely love this. And uh got a little pastry, got a little coffee, and uh I’ve got a little birdie. He’s gone now. Yeah. Excited for today. Determined to have a much better day than yesterday. Probably the least enjoyable ride I’ve ever No. I’ve looked at the forecast. The wind is looking considerably better. Speedy boy. Uh yeah, considerably better weather today, certainly in terms of wind. It’s going to be a hot one though. I think 27° in places. So, want to be moving fast. Uh but yeah, all good. Going to a place called Carpentras Carpenter. I’m trying to think how I say it as a French person. But yeah, going through Nabon Bezier and yeah, kind of tracing the coast to start with and then cutting in and going in land. But all good. I’m a happy boy. I slept well. And it’s it’s going to be good. [Music] There’s a place in my mind where I want to be. I imagine you sitting next to me. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] There’s a place in my mind. Okay, so an hour and a half into today’s ride. Uh, what’s there to say? Not a lot really. Um, no. I think I can say that fun little tunnel. Just saw a big field of artich chokes anyway. Yeah. All right. Cheers. See you later, I suppose. Love you. Bye. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] base coming up behind. Keep moving. I’m trying. Okay, so about 50k into today’s ride. About 2 hours down. Uh five’s still very high. I’ve been on uh the Eurovvel 8 for quite quite a while now and I think I will be for a little while yet. So that’s one of these kind of cycle superighways that go across Europe which although it does have its moments. This is quite a nice bit. It is um quite grally, so you know, no problem if you’re on like a big touring bike, but probably a little bit too chunky for my liking. And also quite slow. Quite a lot of uh other cyclists, you know, taking it easy. No judgment there. Just I got places to be, you know. Um, yeah, probably going to might try and stop for a coffee in a bit, but yeah, all good. [Applause] Look at that hair. Something about a Met Trenter helmet. It’s the one that Pagata wears. These little tufty boys. I think they’re pretty sweet. Anyway, I’ve stopped for some lunch. I’ve got a jamon beer with emaral that I bought in the bakery this morning. Um, it’s been slightly gared by my bungee cords where it was in my my back pocket, but this is a fabulous sandwich. Heavy on the butter, heavy on the ham and a quality ham. Nice bit of ammon, not overpowering. And then lovely little soft baguette. Top marks. Better than the pizza I had last night. Absolute dog dirt. I was absolutely starving. And normally I’m a pig and I’m a big pizza pig. It was quite honestly one of the worst pizzas I’ve ever had. It wasn’t even from like a shitty um takeaway like burger place. It was like an actual restaurant. I had to leave like almost half of it. Almost inedible trash. So, if you’re in uh Bonal Sam, avoid the uh the pizza place. It’s called like the cave something. Also, final vlog from the woods. Look at this clever bench. Look. You know when you get to a bench and it’s really wet and you can’t sit down? Well, check out this. Oh, look at that. Now you got a dry ass. Clever. [Music] [Applause] There’s bloody zebras in there. What lovely hair he has. Oh, stamping his feet. You okay? [Music] I look very chatty. Hey now, I want to find my own way out. Escape this bom and break down. There’s nothing left for me here. Stay loud. I’ll bite the bullet and fake out so no one knows when I came down. There’s nothing left for me. Ooh, I’m on holiday. Ooh, I’m on holiday from now on. Playing high. [Music] Look at this lovely place. This is Narbon National Park or something to that effect. Um, yeah. I think they get flamingos here. I I don’t know if I’m pulling that out my ass, but could be true. That’d be exciting, wouldn’t it? Also, I never got my ice cream last night. I’m still desperate for an ice cream or a cold fizzy. Not a cold fizzy ly just yet, but just a cold fizzy can of Coke, Fanta Lemon, something like that. Got a big sulfurous lake next to me here. Smells like eggy farts. which is nice. Who doesn’t love an eggy pot? [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] In the UK, I’ll flag off McDonald’s for raising their prices, but here it’s another level. €450. [Music] The [ __ ] All right, so we’ve got about 20k left to go. And uh actually got a bit of a climb now. It’s about 250 m elevation left on the road. And it looks like this is where I’m going up there. Uh really beautiful area. This starting to get a little bit more kind of mountainous after some flatter bits. But yeah, having a really nice day. Sadly, the uh the little Bluetooth speakers run out of battery. I was a oneman indie disco singing along, scaring all the little little French ladies. But hey ho. My only complaint, I got a sore big toe on my left foot. Started feeling sore yesterday as well. It has done for a few hours. I’ve got my left shoe completely undone. So, don’t know what that’s all about. I’ve had these shoes years and I wore them all across France when I did a similar trip last year. So, it’s very queer, but you know, if I need to, I’ll just chop it off. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat up [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] So, there we go. That is the end of day two. I’ve made it to the Airbnb. Not going to win any prizes for uh for looks, but it was only €30, so can’t complain. The ladies very nice as well. Only issue I’ve got is that it’s Sunday and the French don’t don’t like to do much on a Sunday, so there’s not much open. Well, there’s nothing open in this town. Um, so the only place that is open is 15 minutes the other way where I’ve just come from. So, I’m probably going to have to go back there. Uh, which is annoying. A giant [ __ ] wild ball there. Jesus.