We got into L'Alpe-D'Huez a day earlier than expected as the distances are short, even though we do not use the freeways,
only the back roads. We checked into a hotel at the bottom of the mountain & were the only guests in the hotel for the night.
As it was only 4 pm & we had 6hrs of daylight left we drove the 16klms to the top of the Col with its double hairpin bends &
very steep gradient. The Tour De France will be coming up here in 18 days, but it will be far too crowded for us by then &
parking anywhere on the mountain road will be impossible. The road up the mountain had hundreds of cyclists struggling up &
just as many zooming down at breakneck speed. TDF fever is begining to grip the area. We intend picking up a leg of the TDF
in a couple of weeks.
Today we are continuing East on our journey through the French Alps toward Briancon. The scenery is breathtaking & we have had
several stops and a short walk. I am currently typing this at 10.30 am under some lovely fir trees with a vista of snow
capped mountains in front of me. The temperature is about 18 degrees, & I am wearing a light jumper. If only we had
something like this in Australia, it would be great.
From Briancon we intend to head South toward the Mediterranian coast, getting there late today or maybe tomorrow.
We will then head South down the West coast of Italy, where I am sure things will start to get much warmer.
The language barrier continues to be a challenge, with no Enlish spoken at all at the hotel last night.
We are just scraping through with French, but I am dreading Italian as we have no idea of any Italian words at all.
Later in the day.....We have arrived in Briancon & decided to stay tonight & tomorrow night as we are totally stuffed.
The Hotel ('Grand Hotel'for Mark & Sues' benefit. The furthest one we might find) is very nice with a verandah looking
out over the Alps. We haven't stopped since leaving Howard & we are exhausted with late nights and travelling.
We had an afternoon nap which went down very well. The hotel also has half a dozen English & many German TV channels.
We watched Green Edge take out a stage win, live on German television.
Tomorrows agenda...Sleeping in, shopping & an afternoon nap.
Alpe-D'Huez.. R
Briancon.. M
only the back roads. We checked into a hotel at the bottom of the mountain & were the only guests in the hotel for the night.
As it was only 4 pm & we had 6hrs of daylight left we drove the 16klms to the top of the Col with its double hairpin bends &
very steep gradient. The Tour De France will be coming up here in 18 days, but it will be far too crowded for us by then &
parking anywhere on the mountain road will be impossible. The road up the mountain had hundreds of cyclists struggling up &
just as many zooming down at breakneck speed. TDF fever is begining to grip the area. We intend picking up a leg of the TDF
in a couple of weeks.
Today we are continuing East on our journey through the French Alps toward Briancon. The scenery is breathtaking & we have had
several stops and a short walk. I am currently typing this at 10.30 am under some lovely fir trees with a vista of snow
capped mountains in front of me. The temperature is about 18 degrees, & I am wearing a light jumper. If only we had
something like this in Australia, it would be great.
From Briancon we intend to head South toward the Mediterranian coast, getting there late today or maybe tomorrow.
We will then head South down the West coast of Italy, where I am sure things will start to get much warmer.
The language barrier continues to be a challenge, with no Enlish spoken at all at the hotel last night.
We are just scraping through with French, but I am dreading Italian as we have no idea of any Italian words at all.
Later in the day.....We have arrived in Briancon & decided to stay tonight & tomorrow night as we are totally stuffed.
The Hotel ('Grand Hotel'for Mark & Sues' benefit. The furthest one we might find) is very nice with a verandah looking
out over the Alps. We haven't stopped since leaving Howard & we are exhausted with late nights and travelling.
We had an afternoon nap which went down very well. The hotel also has half a dozen English & many German TV channels.
We watched Green Edge take out a stage win, live on German television.
Tomorrows agenda...Sleeping in, shopping & an afternoon nap.
Alpe-D'Huez.. R
Briancon.. M
Todays blog write up location
Scenery
River flowing down hill
One of several hydro dams. This one drained for repairs.
View from the main street of the village Yvonne bought some post cards.
Yvonne shopping
Scenery.
Grenoble to Alps road.
View from the col.
Col view,
Col view
Grenoble
View from the ridge
Many cyclists on the mountain.
Me.
