Alps 2009 Tuesday 23rd June - Back to Blighty

Well, we're back. Left Briancon 07:30 and arrived back in Lincoln 21:15 - 848 miles, 13 hours driving, 2 hours stopped for fuel & tunnel, average 65mph.
Tunnel booking was for 18:20, we got there 17:45 and went virtually straight on.
Steve did a few more miles than Al on the way home - we normally turn north on the M11 at J27 of the M25, but apparently he hasn't been south on the M11 from there and decided tonight was the night for seeing something new!!! Al gave up waiting at Stortford services and we made our own way home.

Overall an excellent trip, weather could not be bettered.

• All the hotels we stayed at we'd use again and we'll certainly be back to the Residence de Temple & Spirit Bar in Briancon.
• Total miles 2744 and about 25 passes with Col Agnel the favourite.
• We also found out once again that 850 miles days are possible but not something you want to do every day, but worth it to gain that extra day in the mountains.
• You can't beat tesco clubcard tokens to book the Channel Tunnel - cost us £1 cash and £15 worth of tokens for a £61 return ticket booked about a month in advance.
• You can turn off on the A16 at Eurotunnel in France and be on the M20 in England 65 minutes later.
  

Doesn't look too happy to be going home?

On our way

Alps 2009 Monday 22nd June - Last day & miles galore

The bar next door didn't shut till 06:00 this morning, but that didn't stop us getting on the road for 09:30. We weren't drinking in that bar may have something to do with it. Drunks were littering the churchsteps when the cleaning lady turned up at 07:00 but that's how it goes - it was a special occasion and you make the most of it.
An early check of the pass status website shows Col Agnel now open so thats a must. Today we went back over Col d'Izoard,the into Italy via Col Agnel which was probably the best of the trip. Once in Italy, along the road to Casteldelfino where we stopped for a coffee at a petrol station/coffee shop/old folks home/sex emporium. Three archetypal Italian old fellas already half cut, drinking wine and taking the piss out of us at 11 in the morning, but very nice with it (we think).


Turned off this road on what eventually seemed to be a footpath with grass growing up the middle!! Apparently it's the Colle di Sampeyre, and well worth the trip up for the all round panaoramic views at the top. Down the other side (which is marginally better) and a run in with the law at Stroppo!!!!

Steve was the guilty party - he had blocked in the local Chief of Police's cruiser with his bike and resolutely refused to move -shouting "you'll never take me alive copper". (actually we pulled up behind a Fiat punto and a very nice man in a police uniform asked us if we would be long as he needed to be somewhere else shortly).

After that, around Cuneo and back over the Col de la Lombarde again (it was sleeting at the top, 8c), over the Col de Bonnette (again - but this time it seemed even better 17c), and then towards Col de Vars (again - but this time it was shut 'till 18:00 so we had to wait behind a chain barrier), then back to Briancon via N94 - 251 miles all in.

Briancon on a Monday night resembles a town that has recently suffered a germ warfare attack - no living souls on the streets after 19:00 - or perhaps they had all been in next doors bar all last night.
Thank goodness the bar at the digs was open and friendly and we'll certainly be back.





Col Agnel


Steve as Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music!!


Miserable git wants to know why we've stopped

Alps 2009 Sunday 21st June - into the Vercors

We're within 50 feet of the biggest church in town and it doesn't seem to have bells - how lucky is that? We actually got a bit of a lie in.
Today we covered 250 miles having a look around the area south of Grenoble. Went through Gap on the way,then up the Route Napoleon to Poligny and then up the Col du Noyer, over Col (Uncle) du Festre, and over to Veynes and heading for Col de Grimone , Gorges des Gats (this has manicured hedges along the roadside - topiary is practised in these parts according to Steve, I thought he was being rude)
Col de Menee was next which didn't have more than 20 meters of straight road on it on the North side - we couldn't stop grinning for ages.
Through Clelles and Mens to la Mure over the Col d'Orno and a blast along the N91 from Bourg d'Oisans to Briancon. The area around Mens is smooth tarmac and fast sweeping bends - so a mecca for literally hundreds of sportsbike riders and you get to witness the craziest overtaking manouvers and hard braking into corners and scratching as only the French bikers can do.
Overall, the Drome area is very scenic - woods and valleys etc with single lane roads and nice and quiet. Worth another visit.
Things we found out today - Don't let air out of your tyres on top of a mountain without some means of pumping them up again. Don't trust anyone elses pressure gauge without a calibration certificate. Don't eat raw chicken. Always check your bar bill as you may have been undercharged and will no doubt wish to inform the bar of their error. Jazz gets on your tits.
(To make this all clear, we had a dodgy bbq whilst a local jazz band played and didn't get asked to pay for all that we drank in one of the bars!!!!)

Alps 2009 Saturday 20th June

What is it with French towns - church bells again at 07:00 plus someones bike alarm going off for 10 minutes,, then the bin men followed by street sweeper - on a Saturday? Als up and showered by 07:45, Steves pretending to be asleep and eventually rouses himself shortly after. We're last out for breakfast and the old biddys have to relay the table with much French muttering. Come to think of it the yoghurt didn't taste the freshest. We're off to the Col d'Izoard then Combe du Queyras gorge, Col de Vars, then over the Col de Larche to what seems the arse end of Italy (it was horrible),but ten miles down the road it improved. The turn off for the Col de la Lombarde was just before Vinadio, and this col was one of the best so far - sneaky little road and a nice detour up to Santuario de Santa Anna where we had a coffee and counted the crosses on all the peaks - some major religious activity in this area me thinks. However, the crosses didn't seem to work according to the amount of avalanche damage we saw on the way. Back into France and up the Col de la Bonnette and the Col de Restefond - the loop at the top of the Bonnette was still shut.( the Cime de la Bonette). There are several claims as to the highest tarmac pass in the Alps, but this one actually wins at 2802m, because the French cheated by building an otherwise useless loop above the actual pass. This actually makes the road another 87m above the real pass. There we met a Belgian guy (Eddie) by informing him his Pan's radiator was leaking. He already knew this, and then started to relate his numerous other misfortunes on this particular trip. We gradually kept backing away so that nothing would rub off on us - poor sod!!! Steve must have not got away quick enough as his clutch is staring to give a few problems. Back to Briancon and our luxury penthouse - Al knew his way to it, lets say Steve took the scenic route after trying to negotiate a roundabout english fashion, but then opted to follow Al along a foot path!!!



Col d'Izoard

Al doing riverdance at Col d'Izoard

It don't matter how many crosses you have, you still get all this crap on the road

Col de la Lombarde with proper GS in foreground


'Our' luxury apartment - two windows on right above the bar

Alps 2009 Friday 19th june - High stuff and a stroke of luck

Nearly couldn't do this post tonight - laptop keyboard playing up, random keys not working. all right now though? Right, left BSM at 09:30 and out over the Col d'Iseran, cracking road briliant weather and saw some marmosets running around. After Iseran, into Italy again via Col du Mont Cenis and down to Susa with the intention of going over Colle delle Finestre to pick up the R23 to Sestriere and Col de Montgenevre back to France and Briancon. However, got half way up Colle delle Finestre, and it was closed, so back track to Susa (theres a junction there with the autostrada that puts spaghetti junction way to shame - totally confusing and we went around twice just to make sure we were thoroughly mesmerised, but ended up going along the S24 to Ouix as planned. There we had a gelato (ice cream) and then headed to Briancon over the Col de Montgenevre. The first hotel we saw - Hotel de la Chaussee- had a room and very nice it is smack in the middle of town, but our luck was to change........... Shower and changed we're off for a look around. Up to the walled citadel and it then starts raining. Dive into the nearest bar, very nice english lady serves us after letting me try my terrible French to order beer. Turns out that this bar has a number of recently renovated apartments and it just so happens they have some available and guess were we are staying after tonight? Two bedroomed apartment lounge/kitchen/diner and en suite, park the bikes right outside - sorted. The very nice lady did us a deal and even upgraded us - Asda price!! Spirit de Briancon - Residence du Temple - google it

Col d'Iseran



Gelato in Ouix ( table it was on)



hotel de la Chausse

and------- bit wobbly but he's one handed with certain death over the edge

Alps 2009 Thursday 18th June - Around Mont Blanc

Up at 07:00 - no choice really, bloody church bells ringing for ten minutes and a pigeon cooing its head off.

Anyway, we're up and out for 09:15 or a 200 mile trip around Mont Blanc via Cormet Roseland, Col du Pre, Col des Saises, Megeve, Chamonix, Col des Monets (stopped for lunch at 3 bears restaurant which was in a working farmyard!!), Col de la Forclaz and into Switzerland. Just before we left Switzerland, Al pulls into a petrol station to top up - didn't need doing but Switzerland petrol is 20% cheaper than France & Italy. Steve didn't want any at first until the price was mentioned, and then the true spirit of Yorkshire came to the fore. Actually Steve was an illegal immigrant having sneaked into Switzerland without a passport which he had left behind. Al had plans to deny all knowledge of any acquaintance, especially when compounded with taking advantage of the cheap fuel.

Back over into Italy via Grand St Bernard Col, down to Aosta and then along the S26 towards Morgex and back over into France via the Petit St Bernard, which ends at Bourg Saint Maurice.

Early bar closing has been circumnavigated by a visit to the InterMarche!! Steves on cider and Als on wine.

Temperature peaked at 36c and Als wearing suncream



Cormet de Roselend



Three Bears farmyard delight


Fugitive from Swiss justice before succcessful re-entry into Italy at Grand St Bernard


People Smuggling Accomplice


A 'Long Way Down' moment

Alps 2009 Wednesday 17th June - The Longest Day

Left Lincoln as planned at 01:20 and was in the hotel in BSM at 20:00. Could have been there earlier at around 17:30, but we went to Annecy for tea!!!
According to the sat nav, 836 miles (881 for Steve), 13 hours 52 minutes driving, 3 hours 42 mins stopped (breaks, petrol, channel tunnel), giving 17 hours 34 mins in total with an average driving speed of 62.2mph - geeky or what.
all we know is that it was painful towards the end.
We're in the Hotel Angival tonight which is o.k . The Autantic which we've used before (with pool & sauna) was full, and so was the Petite Auberge which is another of our favourites. Later found out there was a load of bikers from some guided tour company staying for the week.
Bar in the Angival shut at 21:00 and the rest of Bourg-Saint-Maurice wasn't far behind.

Steve on the Chunnel @05:30 ish



Luxury accomodation - our own balcony

Why & Where

We (Al & Steve) have created this blog so that we can keep the families updated with progress etc during our trip. If we get internet connection and have the time then it should work.
Al's better half Jannette reckons its a holiday but he keeps on insisting its a trip!!!!
Anyway, we're off to the Alps from 17th to 24th June.
We've both been before a couple of times and this time we're working our way North to South over as many mountain passes as we can from Bourg Saint Maurice to Monte Carlo and back. It's a well worn route with elements of the Route de Grande Alpes and the Route Napoleon mixed in with a few diversions.

Wednesday 17th June we are travelling in one hit from Lincoln to Bourg Saint Maurice - an arse numbing 840 miles - done it before and it's not too bad.
Thursday June18th, proposed route shown below. Approx 200miles taking in Petit Saint Bernard, Colle San Carlo, Grand Saint Bernard,Col des Saises, Col du Pre and Cormet de Roseland.
We'll have to see how it goes - three countries in one day - Switzerland, Italy France.
Staying the first two nights 17th & 18th at Hotel Angival in BSM.


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