Boring as it might be to mention it, but another fantastic day – weather-wise.
Today’s driving was PLANNED to be from Espinasses via Gap to Grenoble, the next overnight stop. But you never know what might happen along the way……..
So back onto the proper Route Napoleon and on to Gap. In comparison to some of the roads I’ve been on in the last few days, this was almost like being on an autoroute !
From Gap, it was full speed towards Grenoble – well sort of ! Those bikies were out again in force, spewing even more two stroke fumes into the atmosphere. Well, I guess everyone is entitled to a bit of fun on a national holiday weekend.
So it was up and up, getting nearer and nearer to them thar mountains.
Then it happened… On the way, I’d spotted a sign for Alpe-d’Huez, one of the fanatical cyclists “must do” places. It’s 13.8 km of continuous climbing with 21 180 degree virages. Also a big ski resort.
So when I got to La Mure, it was onto the minor roads again, through Valbonnais towards Le Bourg de Oisans (at the foot of the Alpe-d’Huez climb) – following the bikies…. I thought that if it’s good enough for them, I’ll do the same. Not disappointed, fantastic scenery – again. Stunningly beautiful.
Onr thing that amused me was the way that the meeting of road and mountain torrent was tackled – head on ! With a bit of cunning engineering and dropping the road down a bit, the need for a bridge disappeared. In the summer months, the flow used a small tunnel under the road. At other times, it just swept across the road.
More fantastic scenery – as you can gather, I rather like it here……
What got me was that all this fantastic scenery stuff was a complete surprise. I had no idea that this part of France was so beautiful – in the sunny Summer, anyway. Then it was down the mountains to Le Bourg de Oisans (including a spot of lunch), which obviously caters for the mad cycling fraternity – more bike shops than you can poke a stick at !
After lunch it was the ascent to Alpe-d’Huez. For me, the easy way by car. For the cyclists, the hard slog to the top. Well worth it, I guess. It’s also a big ski resort, so at the top they’ve sort of flattened it out a bit, got busy with the tarmac machine and built loads of chalets, etc. Hmmm.
Nevertheless, some fantastic scenery……and the weather – well look at that blue sky, nicely warm, even at this altitude
There were a few cyclists around, presumably enjoying a bevvie or two. I can’t blame them after all that hard work.
So down the mountain (another recurring theme, it seems…..) and on to Grenoble. Along the way the road followed the La Romanche river, so more hydroelectric installations.
On one of my “comfort” stops, I came across an old system that looked well neglected. Looking at the river upstream, I could imagine it was pretty productive in its heyday though.
After a long, full and interesting day (for me anyway !) I landed up at the Campanile Hotel at Seyssins, just west of Grenoble itself. Like many Campanile’s, its located on the edge of an industrial area, but I couldn’t rests a final pic of the nearby mountains, especially in the sunset. Sorry about the lamp posts……
Tomorrow – south to the Luberon…….Day 20 already – eeek !