Shade
Running in the shade in Aix-en-Provence
Loops computed for running, leaving around midday.
In Aix-en-Provence, shade has to be earned: the best loops sit around 20% shade at midday. This is exactly where the departure time you choose matters most.
Three loops
| # | Distance | Time | Climb | Shade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10.6 km | 63 min | +232 m | 17 % |
| 2 | 9.6 km | 56 min | +213 m | 19 % |
| 3 | 10.7 km | 64 min | +257 m | 24 % |
How the shade is computed
SHADE doesn't pick a route because it is popular, but because it will be shaded at the hour you set off. For Aix-en-Provence, shade on the ground is computed from three real sources: tree canopy, shadows cast by the terrain, and shadows cast by buildings. Those three do not cool you equally — under trees the air itself is cooler, while a shaded street keeps radiating heat from the tarmac — and the percentage shown accounts for that.
In practice, in Aix-en-Provence as anywhere, shifting your start by an hour or two changes comfort more than changing route. The app's time slider redraws the loop accordingly.