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Thursday 12th May
Spent Sunday night on a vineyard near Bellgarde sur Valserine with the most amazing views, then off to visit Annecy. We planned to overnight near the lake but although there were plenty of camp-sites the only free parking for camper vans was either, in a very small lay-by or, in the official Aire which was so rammed with vans you could step from one van to another without touching the ground ( That reminds me of a game we used to play as children, …...don't tell my Mum!).
We opted for parking out of town and walking in.
Annecy is beautiful and we wandered around doing the tourist bit and taking loads of photos.
The night was spent in another Passion France site, an apple orchard near Albertville, where we bought the owners home produced pear juice (very tasty) and honey before setting off into the hills.
Good old Myrtle has been beavering away up the hills, no problem, brakes get a bit hot on the way down though!
When we got to the Col du Telegraphe I dropped Phil off with his road bike to work off his crisps (the only person I know who
eats six bags at a time!).
All I can say is “Good Luck” to my brother in law, Brian, who is going to do the Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier and L'Alpe d'Huez in the etape cycle race in July.
The ski resorrt at Valloire was deserted so we had the whole car park to ourselves for the night. Out came the mountain bikes the following morning and Phil finally learnt just how bad I am at cycling up hills, he even had to carry my bike for me up one hill!
On to the Col du Galibier which was ….CLOSED! The navigator lost all her brownie points, she obviously missed the Fermé sign yesterday. So after lunch halfway up the Col du Galibier Phil took advantage of the about turn and cycled back to the bottom of the Col and over the Col du Telegraphe where he had to wait for me at the bottom whilst I nursed Myrtle and her hot brakes down the hill.
So, Plan B,we take the tunnel du Frejus into Italy, but another blip here.........48 Euros toll. I blanched a bit, but Phil flatly refused to pay it. There followed
a bit of an altercation about hang-glider pilots and long pockets and my ability to make four cups of tea out of one tea bag. It was decided that we would rather have a full tank of fuel instead and take the scenic route to Grenoble where we were hoping to get a more comfortable mattress for the bed. We would then go to the Vercors and save the Queyras for later
Plan C, back up the road and over the Col du Glandon which was (yes you've guessed it) ...closed.
Plan D, we head back up to Grenoble along the main road.
Saturday 14th May
Hurrah! at least we managed to get the new mattress which means I will stop walking around like Quasimodo but it also means Phil needs a bit more encouragement to get out of bed in the morning!
Staying at Lans en Vercors. Yesterday we took a 185km tour around the Vercors on the motorbike, after a brief blip with leaking petrol (Mr fix-it saves the day) we set off. A grand tour taking in all the narrow roads, forest trails, hairpin bends and tunnels which Myrtle would never fit
through. A wonderful day with stunning views and a very numb bum! Phil said that the Vercors look totally different from the ground than when flying over them in a hang glider. From the air it looks like just a flat plateau of mainly forest, but there are lots of green fields and pretty villages and is excellent for cycling.
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Heather Mull
non-member comment
Hiya
Hi Wendy & Phil, lots of laughs following your blog - keep up the good work! Another 3 weeks until we fly to Europe - can't wait!! Was snowing here last week, so not accustomed to that anymore at all:-) Really looking forward to Laragne, & hope to catch up with you both at some stage... would be very sad not to! Take care & enjoy yourselves, love, Heather xoxo