In an extraordinary story that has captivated world alike, a 77-Year-Old French Cyclist has been hailed as a “miracle” survivor after enduring three days trapped in a ravine with nothing but his shopping bag, a few items of food, and several bottles of red wine. The pensioner’s ordeal unfolded in the rugged Cévennes mountains, where he plunged 130 feet into a steep riverbed and somehow lived to tell the tale. His survival, attributed to both resilience and an unlikely diet of wine and groceries, has quickly become the stuff of legend in the small commune of Saint-Julien-des-Points.
A Sudden Fall into the Cévennes Wilderness
The remarkable incident took place last weekend as the cyclist, whose name has not been disclosed, was returning home from a shopping trip in the commune of Saint-Julien-des-Points, located in the Lozère department of southern France. Nestled within the Cévennes mountain range, the area is known for its winding roads, sharp bends, and spectacular, yet perilous, terrain.
Riding along the RN106 road from La Grand-Combe, the man reportedly lost control of his bicycle after missing a bend, sending him hurtling down a rocky, tree-lined slope before crashing into the Gardon riverbed some 40 metres (approximately 130 feet) below. The fall itself would have been enough to kill most people, particularly someone in their late seventies. But in a twist that astonished rescuers, the pensioner not only survived the plunge but remained conscious and alert in the aftermath.
Stranded in the remote ravine with his bicycle and shopping bags scattered nearby, he was completely cut off from the road above, his cries for help muffled by the thick vegetation and the sound of flowing water. Despite his injuries, the cyclist tried desperately to climb back up the steep slope but found it impossible. The terrain was slick and treacherous, and in his attempts to scramble upward, he fell several more times into the cold stream below.
Recognizing that escape was impossible without assistance, he began calling out every time he heard passing vehicles, hoping that someone might stop and investigate. For three long days, however, no one heard him—or perhaps no one realized that the faint echoes from the ravine came from a human voice in distress.
Survival through Resourcefulness and Resilience
Cut off from help and with no means of communication, the 77-year-old was forced to rely on what little he had with him: the contents of his shopping bag. Among the items were some food staples and, fortuitously, a few bottles of red wine. Though it may sound like a scene from a dark comedy, these bottles would become his primary source of sustenance and hydration. According to French outlet Entrevue, the man survived by rationing what remained of his groceries, taking small bites of food and sips of wine over the course of three days.
While alcohol is far from an ideal substitute for water, the wine likely provided enough liquid—and a small degree of calories—to sustain him in the cold, damp environment of the ravine. The Cévennes region can be harsh in late October, with chilly nights and little sunlight reaching deep into its valleys. That the cyclist endured such conditions without shelter or dry clothing is a testament to his mental fortitude and physical conditioning, qualities perhaps honed over a lifetime of cycling in the mountains of southern France.
By the third day, the man’s situation had become increasingly dire. He was suffering from mild hypothermia and severe exhaustion. Each passing vehicle above represented both hope and heartbreak, as his increasingly weak calls for help went unanswered. But fate finally intervened when, on Tuesday afternoon, a group of local roadworkers happened to hear faint cries coming from below the road. Pausing to investigate, they spotted the twisted frame of a bicycle among the rocks and, moments later, the frail silhouette of the trapped man waving weakly from the riverbed.
Read : Indian Motorcyclist Yogesh Alekar’s Dream Round-the-World Journey Halted After Bike Stolen in UK
The workers immediately called emergency services, setting off a rescue operation that would end one of the most improbable survival stories in recent French memory. Firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene, using climbing gear to reach the man before airlifting him by helicopter to a hospital in nearby Alès. Though dehydrated, cold, and visibly exhausted, he was conscious and able to speak. Miraculously, scans revealed that he had sustained only minor injuries despite his dramatic fall.
Read : Exploring the Majestic Beauty of Waterton Lakes National Park
Dr. Laurent Savath, the chief medical officer of the Hérault fire department, described the rescue as “nothing short of miraculous.” Speaking to local reporters, he noted, “He’s a miracle. In the cold and damp, with almost no food or water, he’s incredibly resilient. He really is very tough.” The doctor added that the cyclist’s attempts to climb out of the ravine—though unsuccessful—likely kept his body temperature from dropping to fatal levels, while the modest intake of wine and food helped prevent starvation and dehydration.
A Miracle That Captured the Spirit of a Lifetime of Cycling
As news of the incident spread, locals and fellow cyclists hailed the pensioner as a symbol of endurance and grit. The Cévennes region, with its winding ascents and panoramic views, has long attracted amateur cyclists, many of whom see it as both a challenge and a joy. For the 77-year-old, that same passion for cycling may have saved his life. Years of pedaling up mountain passes would have strengthened his heart, lungs, and muscles, giving him an edge when faced with one of the harshest tests of survival imaginable.
The story also sparked amused admiration for the role of red wine in his survival. While not exactly a recommended survival beverage, the fact that it sustained him in a moment of desperation has added a uniquely French flavor to the narrative. Commentators have noted that his ordeal combines two of France’s most emblematic symbols: the bicycle and wine. The image of an elderly Frenchman surviving in the wild by sipping from his shopping bottles of Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhône has resonated deeply, earning him affectionate nicknames such as “le miraculé du vin” — the wine miracle man.
But beyond the humor lies a serious reflection on the dangers of rural cycling routes and the importance of road safety in mountainous regions. The RN106, where the accident occurred, is known for its sharp curves and lack of protective barriers in certain sections. Locals have called for renewed attention to these stretches, especially for older cyclists and motorists who frequent the scenic yet perilous route between La Grand-Combe and Saint-Julien-des-Points.
Even so, many have taken the story as a reminder of the indomitable human spirit. To survive three days trapped in a cold ravine, nursing bottles of wine for hydration, requires not only luck but an unwavering will to live. The pensioner’s ordeal has drawn comparisons to other remarkable cycling rescues, including a memorable moment during the 2021 Tour de France when professional riders Chris Froome and Philippe Gilbert helped pull a stranded fan from a ravine after he overshot a bend on the descent from the Col de Portet.
In that earlier episode, the fan had been following the riders after the stage concluded when he lost control of his bike and tumbled about 20 metres down the slope. Both Froome and Gilbert stopped to assist, with Gilbert later recounting how the group waited nearly twenty minutes for emergency services. “Lots of things happen on a climb,” Gilbert reflected afterward. “On the descent, coming back down from the finish, I was following a cyclo-tourist who overshot a bend and ended up 20 metres further down. We called for help because he was still badly messed up. These are experiences that we also live through.”
Those incidents underscore the unpredictable nature of cycling in mountainous terrain, where even experienced riders can find themselves at the mercy of gravity and the elements. For the French pensioner of Saint-Julien-des-Points, the difference between tragedy and survival may have come down to a few fortunate details: the way his body landed, the durability of his shopping bag, and the presence of his unbroken bottles of wine.
Today, he is recovering in hospital under medical observation, with doctors reporting that his condition is stable. Although the ordeal left him weak and shaken, he has already been described as “lucid and in good spirits.” Local residents have expressed admiration for his composure and toughness, traits that seem to embody the quiet resilience of rural France.
In the days since his rescue, the story has spread far beyond the Cévennes, making headlines across Europe. To some, it has become an amusing tale of French endurance, fueled by wine and stubbornness. To others, it stands as a profound reminder of the thin line between life and death—and of how strength, resourcefulness, and a touch of luck can keep that line from being crossed. The “miracle cyclist of Saint-Julien-des-Points” may not have set out to become a symbol of survival, but his story has done just that.
Against a backdrop of rugged mountains and autumn mist, his three-day vigil in the ravine speaks to something deeply human: the refusal to give up, even when the odds seem insurmountable. And perhaps fittingly, in a land where cycling and wine are both treasured passions, it is only in France that such a tale could unfold—where a humble shopping trip ends not in tragedy, but in triumph, carried on the enduring strength of a man, his bicycle, and a few bottles of red wine.