There is a stretch of white gravel road in the Val d'Orcia that climbs a gentle hill between cypress trees in a perfect zigzag, and it has become the most photographed piece of Tuscany. The trees stand in careful rows, the fields roll away in green and gold, and a farmhouse sits on the crest with the sky behind. It looks arranged, and in a sense it is, because this landscape has been shaped by farmers and landowners for centuries, and in 2004 UNESCO listed the valley as a cultural landscape for its harmony of nature and human work.
The valley lies south of Siena, between Montalcino and Pienza, with the extinct volcano of Monte Amiata closing the horizon to the southeast. The soil here is clay, pale and crumbly, and in late summer it turns the colour of biscuit, while in spring the wheat is vivid green. Pienza, a few kilometres away, was rebuilt in the fifteenth century by Pope Pius II as an ideal Renaissance town, and its small square is an elegant lesson in proportion. Bagno Vignoni, with its steaming pool in the middle of the village, is another curiosity. The old pilgrim road, the Via Francigena, runs through the valley, and the villages of San Quirico d'Orcia and Torrenieri are stops along it.
For riders, the main roads here are easy and gracious, with long curves, a good surface and views that open at every ridge. The famous white roads, strade bianche, are gravel, and they are fine for a careful rider on the right bike, though they can be dusty in summer and muddy after rain. Traffic is moderate, with tour buses, cyclists and photographers, and on a sunny weekend you may find cars stopped in the road for pictures. Go early or in the late afternoon, when the light is soft and the shadows long, and the hills glow.
San Quirico d'Orcia, about three kilometres away, has shops, cafés and a lovely Romanesque church, and Torrenieri is a smaller village. For fuel, Torrenieri and Buonconvento are the nearest places, and Chianciano Terme and the towns along the main road have more. Many small farms sell olive oil, pecorino and honey at the gate.
Do not park in the middle of the road to take your picture. Locals tolerate a lot, but a safe pull-off is better, and the view is the same from the verge.