77-year-old French cyclist survives ravine fall for three days partly by drinking wine

A French cyclist who plunged down a 40-metre deep ravine after a crash survived for three days, partly by drinking wine.

The 77-year-old, who was on the way home from a shopping trip, escaped with only minor injuries and mild hypothermia after the accident last week.

As reported by Entrevue, the unnamed pensioner was on his way home to Saint-Julien-des-Points in the Lozère department from La Grand-Combe in Gard with his shopping when the incident happened. The journey, which should be 14km along the N106, ended abruptly when he missed a turn and fell into the ravine in the Cervennes, north of Montpelier.

Trapped at the bottom of the ravine, he tried to attract the attention of passers-by and drivers on the road above by shouting, but there was no rescue. The Frenchman's supplies were the shopping he had with him, which included a few bottles of wine, which somehow were unbroken in the fall. These few provisions managed to sustain him for three days, with the wine rationed.

Fortunately, road workers heard his calls on the third day, and after they discovered the bike, they found the 77-year-old in the ravine, still concisous. Firefighters and a helicopter were scrambled, and he was taken to hospital in Alès, further down the road.

"He's a miracle," Dr Laurent Savath, chief medical officer of the Hérault fire department, said, according to French reports. "In the cold and damp, with almost no food or water, he's incredibly resilient."

"He is really tough," he added. "He fell into a stream several times trying to scramble back up, so was at risk of hypothermia."

Now discharged from hospital, the 77-year-old must feel very fortunate to have had any supplies with him at all, many would be a lot less resourceful.