The Alpine: Thonon-Antibes (Jean-Marc Lefèvre, CC 3331)
Foreword
On Monday 5 August 2002, that long-awaited day finally arrived!
6 months! For 6 months now, I've been consulting the maps every day, tracing, modifying and consulting my documentation. 6 months preparing for this trip. 6 long months waiting, dreaming about what this new adventure on my bike will be like. It's often said that a trip is lived before, during and after. Perhaps, but I much prefer the phase that starts today!... and today we're off again for 12 stages in the Alps!
What a joy it is to hang your panniers on your bike, what a joy it is to get on your bike, set your computer to zero, point to your logbook and say:
-" This time I'm gone!..."
3th part of my great Alpine Adventure, the Thonon-Antibes Alpine Tour was the high point of my 2002 season. To tell you the truth, it was the 3th attempt. The first one in 1988 failed in Briançon, the fatigue, the length of the stages, my morale at zero, I gave up dead in the soul (a youthful error no doubt).
The second attempt, which didn't even see the light of day on the bike but just in my head and on paper (see my report on Thonon-Antibes through the Pre-Alps). But this year I'm determined to go all the way and cross the Alps.
departure
The 1ière he 109km Thonon-Megeve stage will take place against a backdrop that may not be familiar, but one that I know. The Moise, Terramont and Jambaz passes remind me of the recent brevet du Chablais I did in June with 2 friends.
The first difficulty of the day was the Col de la Ramaz, which seemed endless to me and I wasn't in great shape. I had lunch at Praz de Lys, where I made the mistake of eating on the terrace; it was cold and I was freezing. The descent of the terrible Col de Savolière did nothing to warm me up. It was 5.30 pm when I arrived in Megève, and the weather was taking a serious turn for the worse, with thunderstorms and heavy rain.
It's so good to be back in the hotel tonight!
Capricious weather
For the second stage I had planned to go from Megève to Bonneval/Arc, but the weather would decide otherwise.
It's an early start at 6.15 a.m. After a good breakfast in my room, I leave the «Chalet de l'Ancolie» nice mountain hotel. It's not raining yet, but it will soon be.
The ascent of the Col des Saisies was dry, and the 12km climb was made in the calm of the morning, with no noise, just the clatter of my bike, which was pleasant. The descent, however, was a completely different matter, with the rain only just beginning to make an appearance, soon to be followed by a thunderstorm. I stopped to put on my «rain gear» - in other words, my goretex, overshoes and leggings - in short, winter clothing was de rigueur.
I had breakfast in Beaufort, where the bistro patrons were full of compassion and the warmth of the place did me a world of good. The climb up to Arêches is rained out, and the same goes for the Col du Pré, with its severe gradient (10 % for 7 km). I'm glad to see the sign for the summit!
A slight descent to the Col de Meraillet, then I tackle the superb Col du Cormet de Roselend (1968 m) without rain, but it's very cold. After the ritual souvenir photo in front of the pass sign, I start the long descent to Bourg st Maurice. 20 km of sliding, a treat when it's hot, but I can hardly apply my brakes now, my numb fingers forcing me to be extremely vigilant. I arrived in Bourg St Maurice at just after 1pm, freezing cold. I had to eat, preferably hot. After some hesitation I head for a snack bar. No sooner had I put my bike down in front of the shop window than another cyclist, also wearing panniers and riding a superb Berthoud randonneuse, arrived at my side. Like me, he's freezing cold and can't wait to eat and warm up.
I explain where I'm from, and he tells me that he started this morning, and that he's mainly looking for the BPFs because he's finishing this year's grand Brevet de Cyclotourisme.
Our man's name is Roger, and he has a very nice physique. I could tell straight away that he was a real hiker, just like I like them. We sat down at the restaurant table like old friends and chatted for a good hour, Roger explaining his journey and me mine.
The climb to Val d'Isère
We shared the same route for a while, and it was together that we tackled the day's major difficulty, the climb to Val d'Isère.
The weather hasn't improved, it's still raining, but nonetheless I'm in good shape. Roger is more reserved, and he's quick to tell me, as he usually does in these cases:
-" Go on, don't wait for me, I'll see you up there!"
I know from experience that in these cases, waiting is not the best thing. Roger, like me, is a loner, he climbs at his own pace, and having my wheel in his sights bothers him, just as it does me when I'm in the opposite situation. I listen to Roger, I don't wait for him.
31 km separate Bourg St Maurice from Val d'Isère, 31 km of climbing, easy at the start and increasingly steep at the end. But the gradient is nothing, it's a mountain hiker's cup of tea, it's why we're here, but the cars, lorries, motorbikes and buses, my friend, on the climb up to Val d'Isère are something else. In 20 years of cycling, I can't remember ever having done such a tough route. The higher you go, the colder it gets, the more it rains, a mixture of melted snow and rain, pouah!...
The last few kilometres are a real horror? I knew the route because I'd already done it by car and by bike (randonnée de l'Iseran in 1988), so I knew that at the end I was going to encounter tunnels. Once I'd passed the famous Tignes dam, the adventure began and, to top it all off, roadworks got in the way. The tunnels, with little or no lighting, are chilling. «We've got to get off our backsides! To add a little more sordidness to this journey, motorists take great pleasure in honking their horns in the tunnel, which is becoming a nightmare. Above all, don't turn round, keep to the right, look straight ahead, try to see the end of the tunnel, get out quickly, and start again, cling to your bike, pedal, pedal as fast as you can to finally get through this damned passage.
It's 18:15 when the first houses in Val d'Isère come into view!
Phew! That climb was really tough.
And Roger?
And Roger! Where is Roger? Far behind, or a few hundred metres away? I wait for him outside the hotel for a few minutes, but I'm so shivering that I give up. I enter the hotel and throw myself in the shower, hot this time:
God, it's good!...
I would later learn that Roger went all the way up to Val d'Isère, but when he couldn't find a suitable hotel, he went back down through the tunnels to Tignes, where a youth hostel was waiting for him! You said «Strong the Roger!»
Val d'Isère is a well-known holiday resort, but it's a cold one nonetheless, not because of its warm welcome but because of its climate. Val d'Isère is at an altitude of 1840 m, and today it's particularly cold for 6 August. The hotelier told me that the Iseran road was closed because of the snow! Yes, even if I'd wanted to go up, I'd have had to stop.
Tomorrow will be daylight.
L'iseran
The stage got off to a strong start and I waited 45 minutes in the hotel lobby for the hotel manager to finally release my bike. The day before, I'd packed a breakfast tray so that I could set off early to tackle the Iseran. I'd forgotten that the bike was locked up - safe, of course, but locked up all the same.
As soon as we leave Val d'Isère, we attack the slopes of the Iseran. It snowed last night and it's very cold, so I suspect I'll be shivering up there. The climb up to the Iseran (2764m) on this side of the mountain isn't very hard, fortunately, because in the morning, in the cool ...
With very little traffic, and even fewer cyclists (no Roger in sight?) 4 km from the summit, I make my way in the fog and winter cold. Signs on the side of the road read: warning: "beware of black ice", There are patches of snow all over the road, making the ground slippery. I finish the climb in the "pea purée terrible :
Now that's a real pass!...
«Right to Val d'Isère, left to Bonneval».
I try to get the souvenir stamp from the restaurant. There, 2 young men tell me that the restaurant is closed, and that it doesn't open until 10am. I don't feel like waiting, the photo on the sign is more than enough.
The youngsters offer me some sweets, I get changed and put on everything warm I have. At this hour it's 1 degree: Incredible!
The 2 guys went hiking and spent the night in the chairlift cabin, where it snowed for most of the night! Great memories to share!
The descent is freezing, but I'm glad to get to Bonneval, then it's an easy climb to the Col de la Madeleine and the sunny finish at Lanslevillard. It's a busy market day. Sitting on the terrace of a café, it's great to warm up in the sunshine, enjoying 1 coffee and some pastries.
In Italy
The Col du Mont Cenis marks the crossing into Italy on this tour. The slope is steep, but the fine weather is back, and the descent on the Italian side is a thing of beauty.
The organiser has made 2 proposals:
- Or take the Assietta ridge (a former military road with panoramic views, reaching heights of 2,000 and more for around 40 km),
- Either go from Suza to Cesana Torinese by road. I opt for this version (easier, safer), reserving the ridge section for another time, without a pannier...
The road from Suza to Cesana is reputed to be very busy, but in fact it's not as bad as all that. The downside is the roadworks, which sometimes get in the way.
The final difficulty of the day is the Col de Montgenèvre, which rises to 1850 m, and then it's off to Briançon, the highest town in Europe.
The surprise of the day!
After some hesitation (at the end of the stage, it's better not to make a mistake in Briançon, whose steep streets sometimes resemble those of St Francisco), I arrive at the Hôtel de Paris. It was fully booked, so I was right to make a reservation. A good shower, a good meal, and before going to bed a final breath of fresh air and a few steps (ideal for digestion).
I'm walking past the hotel, it's dark, suddenly I see the glow of a bicycle headlight a few metres away, no, it can't be true, it's ROGER!
It's 10.30 p.m. and Roger has just completed the Iseran stage!
He's tired, but happy and amazed to find me.
- – «Where are you sleeping tonight Roger?»
- – «The hotel is fully booked», «It doesn't matter, I'll sleep in front of the station!»
- – «NO! Come on, I've got an idea.»
I went to see the hotel manager, chatted a bit, tried (easily) to win her over, and that's how Roger spent the night in the room specially reserved for the bikes: it was clean, it was warm, there was a sofa, it didn't take much to get a good night's sleep. Roger is even allowed to eat just before closing time.
Many thanks to " Hotel de Paris "It's a real pleasure to welcome you to Briançon and its owner, who obviously loves cyclists.
That evening, as we dined together, Roger recounted his terrible ascent of Val d'Isère, and his regulation half-turn to find the gîte in Tignes.
The Izoard pass
The 4th The stage isn't too long, 94 km, so Roger and I set off at 7.45am in the direction of the Col de l'Izoard. The weather was fine and the gradient wasn't too steep on this side. After a souvenir photo at the pass, I set off for the descent to Guillestre. Roger takes a different route to the BPF at St Véran. As we pass the remarkable site of La casse déserte, I stop for a photo at the Fausto Coppi stele.
I have an excellent meal in a very relaxing restaurant, and it's full of strength that I attack the Col de Vars, the famous Col de Vars. I dreaded it a little, because it was here that I was struck down by fatigue on my first attempt in 1987! It was the first time I'd set foot on the ground for a few hundred metres, what a waste!...
But today, my morale and my legs were up for the challenge, and I made it to the top without any major problems.
It's 5 p.m. when I arrive at the gîte d'étape in Jausiers. It's a nice place, the dormitory is rustic but clean, and the meal will be of a high standard - we'll even be treated to some génépi sugar, the owner's speciality!...
Tonight's discussion is lively, Roger has a way with words, he likes to talk about "his" bike, and our neighbours at the table are won over, even admired, by this man who in a few days' time is going to join the very exclusive club of winners of the "Brevet des Provinces Françaises".
The Bonette pass
The 5th It's a long climb (24 km from Jausiers to the pass), with a steady gradient, good surface on this side of the mountain, and a grandiose, almost lunar setting - in short, I love the Bonette. And the icing on the cake, a gift from nature (or from the DDE?), the Bonette offers the chance to walk around its summit and climb to the top: a real treat. I take one last look at this fabulous, unique landscape, and as I climb the hairpin bends, I catch a glimpse of a few cyclists in the distance: is it Roger?
It's very cold, and after the photo I start the descent, which promises to be a perilous one, as the road is in poor condition and calls for extreme caution.
It was with some relief that I arrived in Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée. I sat down on the terrace of a café to watch Roger arrive. Today is the day we part ways, he heads for Saint-Martin-de-Vésubie, and I for Saint-Sauveur-de-Tinée and the Col de la Couillole.
On the way up I'll have to endure a fine rainstorm (it's wet!).
The evening stopover in Beuil will be quite amusing. The owner of the hotel, who is relatively old, runs her business alone, so I'll be sharing the meal with the café's customers and enjoying the inimitable bar conversations!...
The Cians gorges
The 6th This stage begins with a crossing of the beautiful Gorges du Cians. 10 years ago, I enjoyed this passage through these narrow gorges of red porphyry. But this year I'm still a bit disappointed, as the route had become so dangerous that titanic works had practically destroyed the spectacle. Everything now takes place in tunnels, what a shame! In spite of everything, I tried to take the ledge route again, but I had to give up in view of the piles of stones on the road.
After a pretty passage through the lower gorges of the Cian, a succession of small passes before arriving at Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey, the end of the 110km stage.
This time I'm in Provence, so the last few kilometres of the Alpine will be swallowed up quickly, and without being a formality, it doesn't present any major difficulties. Antibes is an optional checkpoint, so I voluntarily branch off into the hinterland to avoid the endless queues of cars and the fear that accompanies them.
Tomorrow sees the start of the ascent to Thonon and, above all, a stage at the foot of Mont Ventoux!
The end of the journey
The great Alpine Adventure is coming to an end, what a great journey, what a great bit of «cranking», what magnificent passes! I've calf-roped my way across the entire Alpine arc, from Antibes to Trieste (Italy) 1883 km of mountain, and what a mountain it is! 75 passes, 38428 metres of ascent.
A great, wonderful journey is coming to an end!
3 March 2003
Français
English (UK)
Italiano
Deutsch
Español
Nederlands (België)