CYCLING MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2023 - The top of the mountain is shrouded in mist. It is dark and cold there. A great contrast to the valley, where the early spring air carries soft tones of the Mediterranean. A group of cyclists is already on the road for the fifth day. They have previously cycled over such legendary cols as the Galibier, Izoard, Angel, Granon and Vars. A wonderful extension of their sporting CV. They are tired, but certainly not burnt out yet. Not least thanks to the way they have been looked after for a week from cycling hotel Saint Roch. The food is not only nutritious but also tasty and always a treat, dirty clothes can go straight into the washing machine, there is a jacuzzi, a sauna and a comfortable bed in all the rooms. Sometimes they get the feeling of being professional cyclists.

What is created when you bring together the love of good food and the love of cycling in a beautiful place? The answer is cycling hotel Saint Roch. A beautiful hotel in Puy Saint Vincent with the Alps in its backyard. Over three years ago, chef Anne Pekelharing and cycling trip organiser Simon Rosmolen settled here. Corona had wiped out the sectors in which they made their living. It was time to change tack. From the first moment they knew each other, they dreamed of bringing their great loves - good food and cycling - together in a joint project.

Corona accelerated that dream. Finally, Valentijn and Yvonne van der Valk, the owners of cycle hotel Saint Roch, dared to join forces with Anne and Simon, despite Corona's impossibilities. Meanwhile, the cycling hotel is running better than ever, with Anne as chef in the kitchen and co-owner of the hotel and with Simon in charge of everything to do with cycling and outdoor sports programmes.

The hotel runs at full capacity all year round. In winter, it provides a nice base for winter sports enthusiasts and in summer, it is largely all about cycling. Which is not to say that in summer the service is limited to cycling only. "Our hotel is located near Écrins national park. A beautiful area where people come to hike, kayak, climb or hike. All these outdoor sports we are happy to support. In addition, for downhill and mountain bike lovers, there is a bike park in front of the hotel. With that, the hotel also lends itself very well to family holidays because there are so many sports and activities to combine."

In terms of cycling, the hotel certainly does not offer a one-sided concept. "Some people use our hotel mainly as a base to explore the region. We facilitate them with setting out beautiful routes, make sure they can sleep well and enjoy the food prepared by Anne. No buffet with sticky pasta in a simmering bowl, but beautiful meals served on a plate, surprising, colourful and entirely geared towards the body of the sporting person." Or in Anne's words, "A feast on the plate." 

The service goes beyond two or three meals a day. For example, when cyclists return from their ride, a nice recovery meal is immediately served, dirty cycling clothes can go straight into the washing machine and it is possible to book a sports masseur in the hotel room. Everything to ensure that the cyclist only has to put energy into cycling. Besides this individual service, it is also possible to take a tailor-made package as a group. A fully catered cycling holiday with nice lunches along the way, fully mapped out routes and guidance along the way. According to Simon, very suitable for cycling associations or companies. The hotel has room for about 50 people, with a group of people also being able to use a chalet close to the hotel. Simon: "We really want to surprise groups with experiences in the mountains. This summer, for example, we organised a dinner for seventy people from the hotel in an old cowshed. The lasagne was driven by 4×4s to 2,000 metres altitude and reserved hot on the plate fifteen minutes later. Or Le Pilgrimage, a gravel adventure with tough stages through the mountains complete with trackers. And with comfort on return."

The riders look around. The sky opens a little, the temperature continues to drop. It feels like they are on top of the world. Sheep and mossy boulders loom out of the dissipating mist; a little further on, a stream flows. In the middle of the mountain meadow stands a wooden barn. A little dilapidated, but sturdy. One member of the group says he thinks they should be in there, walks towards the heavy wooden door, the rest follow doubtfully. Moments later, the group sits in dry cycling clothes at a beautifully laid table. A crackling fire in an old fireplace spreads a pleasant warmth. On the plates, it is party time. The contrast with the inhospitable and cold country beyond is so great it is almost unfathomable. Months later, they will tell every birthday how unforgettable this experience was. 

Simon does not cycle every day. Per week, he spends about 15 hours in the saddle. In the process, he grinds away fewer kilometres than he did in the Netherlands. There, he reached about 10,000 kilometres a year. "These days I don't reach that anymore; I now ride about 6,000 kilometres a year. Fewer kilometres, but more altimeters." Anne also loves cycling. Once, she toured Europe for six months in search of inspiring and delicious food. YouTube features a beautiful account of this trip. Again, a beautiful combination of two loves.

Anne and Simon are completely settled in France. "In 2020, our departure felt like a big step that we didn't know how long it would take. We shared very strongly the feeling that we wanted to go for the adventure together. Let's go, we are free to go wherever we want. Meanwhile, it all feels so good that we bought a house in the mountain village of Puy Saint Vincent. We really intend to settle here for a long time."

The riders descend towards the valley. Per descending kilometre, the temperature rises. It almost seems as if they are riding into another season. They pass friendly villages, cross vast mountain meadows and dark forests. More than two hours later, they are back at the hotel. Invigorated by a nutritious recovery meal, some of the group dive into the pool. A few still have the discipline to wash the bike at the hotel's bike wash and groom it. A few hours later, night falls. At 1400 metres, it is cold, but the bed is warm and comfortable.

In 2020, Anne and Simon broke new ground. A road they intend to follow even more emphatically three years later. The emphasis here is increasingly on cycling. Simon: "Anne and I want to keep surprising people with beautiful and surprising activities in the mountains." The mountains where Anne and Simon are in their element and where their future lies for now!

TEXT: JOOST-JAN KOOL
PHOTOS GIJS FERKRANUS