Terry Arnold
For Breakfast, Colin and Terry went to fetch bread from a bakery we’d spotted and we enjoyed beautiful freshly baked croissants and pains au chocolate.
We had chosen to ride longer route again as we’d come this far to the Alps, we may as well see as much of it as we could. At around 210 miles, this was going to be another taxing day, especially with the nature of the roads we would travel.
Leaving Briancon we briefly got seperated when Will’s bike wouldn’t start, but thought nothing of it and set off (this was to come back at us later). An early objective was to get a team photo at the top of the Galibier. This time taking the the peak bypass tunnel as the col road was being maintained. Lovely photos were taken and amazing views admired before setting off in the opposite direction to the way we had first arrived. We were snapped by a roadside photographer, where some of us later purchased his photos. Clappo had seen him and announced “I’m going to do the shiny side up salute…”
Once back down to the valley beyond, we stopped for coffee and struck up a conversation with a Dutch couple who were Harley riders asking about our experiences touring there. They were impressed we were from the UK.
A short stretch of autoroute and the we were ascending to the hills once again. I was surprised by my own route here, the Col de la Madelaine was a super road and pass. I had heard of it as it is a Tour de France route, but it really was pleasant. Mont Blanc was visible from here. We stopped at the col and we got another good team photo – and decided to grab some lunch. Only meals were available not snacks, but they were very nice and dragging a protesting Colin away from the dessert menu we set off again.
We headed for Val d’Isere climbing to one of the highest areas in those parts and mid afternoon, stopped for a coffee, only for John to point and exclaim once again “I’ve stayed in that hotel!”. From Val d’Isere the road winds further up to the Col de L’iseran along yet more wonderful snaking roads with breathtaking views. At 2,764m this was the highest pass we would cross and once again we stopped for the views and a third team photo of the day, probably a record for us. From the col we could see 3 mountaintop glaciers and the road took us down past these monsters, getting close-up views as we went.
Further on, as the day was starting to draw in, some light cloud was forming on the next high range to cross and as we crested the col du mont-cenis (1665m) we could see what appeared to be the sea ! Not what you might expect at that altitude. Fairly strong wind was creating small waves and with the reduced visibilty it was a very strange and beautiful sight indeed.
Dipping across the border into Italy here, the road wound down the hillside for about 10 miles. It was brand new, smooth, wide, almost totally free of traffic and it was EPIC. Myself, Colin and Paul rode together at a very pleasing speed, banking side to side with the curves for ages. What a wonderful bit of road.
Re-fueling in Susa, we had the same gentle run-in to Briancon that we had the previous night. Once again, we called in at the Carrefour and bought more supplies.
After a quick shower Paul, John, Colin, Will and myself wandered up the hill to the old city in search of a beer. Finding it harder than we anticipated, we did enjoy a pint as a bar packed away its chairs and tables around us, before wandering through the old time in search of a sticker shop for John. He wanted to adorn his GSA in the manner of other global travellers we had seen. Success! some stickers procured, we spotted Clappo who had made his way up to meet us. A bar with some outside seating was chosen and some more refreshments taken before wandering back to the chalet for another charcuterie platter and an early night.
