DIGNE LES BAINS

Today, after a wonderful four days,  we parted company just for a short while with Jim and Jenny, they headed north to Annecy and we took the south road and camped a night at Digne les Bains at Camping du Bourg. Supposedly a spa and tourist town but seems t have had its heyday and is now full of university students. Good chance to catch up with internet stuff.

South again to Castellane tomorrow and new horizons!

VILLARD NOTRE DAME WALK

A hair raising ride by car up a narrow road into the mountains to do a lovely panoramic walk on a quiet road. Cow bells ringing, fabulous views of the peaks and the 21 bends of the L'Alpe d'Huez. Lunch on a log then drove back down via another tortuous road.

End of a perfect time here.

                        LOOKING ACROSS TO THE ALPE D'HUEZ AND THE 21 BENDS

LAC DU LAUVITEL HIKE

We all set off in our car, Lola included and tried to find the start of this hike, after an hour and about 10 km distance from where we set out – we found it!

Almost as soon as we started a French woman informed Jim that dogs were not allowed in the national parks, so sadly Jenny, Lola and then Jim (because Lola wouldn't move without Jim) returned to the small village. Jim then came back up to join us at the top of the hike at a pretty lake surrounded by mountains. We then returned to Jenny who had a whale of a time chatting with locals and enjoying the vino and soup!

We stopped at the pretty mountain village of Venosc where Jim and Jenny almost bought a mountain retreat!

Another fabulous day in the sunshine of the mountains.

no dogs allowed!

come on Lola!

VENOSC

JIM & JENNY'S NEW ALPINE RETREAT?

L'ALPE D'HUEZ BIKE RIDE DAY

We are camped with Jim and Jenny in Bourg d'Oisans at La Piscine.
Jim, Jenny Roy and myself drove up to L'Alpe d'Huez and the guys sorted out their bikes and road down the 21 hairpin bends back to our campsite, while Jenny and I looked round at the top. The idea was Jim would come so far back with Roy as he's done it many times, then he would go back to vans to keep Lola, their dog, company.

The atmosphere as the riders came in was great and finally Roy arrived, doing it in 1 hour 25 minutes with no stops.

We were just taking photos and then suddenly Jim arrived, he's decided as he'd started he may as well finish.

We had lovely drinks and Croque monsieur as celebration lunch.

The idea was that Roy would be driving back down but Jim said he was going to ride down so I bravely volunteered to drive the car down with Jenny! Brave lady as I've never driven in France before and especially not down those hairpins. We set off first, the guys didn't pass us but they were back before us.... somehow we managed to get off the main road and went through the tiny village of Huez!

A fabulous day for all!

READY TO GO DOWNHILL FIRST

                                                        almost at the line

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GETTING READY AT TOP TO GO DOWN FIRST!

HERE HE COMES!

COL DU LAUTARET DRIVE

We left the campsite at Iscle de Prelles near Briancon and took the road to the Col du Lautaret, clear blue skies and hot sun and stunning views. Saw the road up the Col du Galibier, we've watched the Tour de France go up often so good to see in real life.

Had lunch then passed through La Grave and noticed signs which we took to mean no trucks over 3.5 tons but oh no it then had us drive through a tight chicane which supposedly meant you were OK to proceed. We then came to a road closed sign barriers across the road and a diversion which certainly was not made for caravans. Fortunately a British couple on a motorbike stopped and said they would drive up the diversion and see if it was OK for us. While they were gone another English couple drove along the diversion, turned round and came back to us saying don’t go that way, you wont make it.

The road has been closed about 2 years when the tunnel collapsed, they are now building a new one through the mountain which will be finished in December.

The motorbike couple came back while we were talking to the other couple and they said it would be OK. Having listened to the car couple who lived in Briancon we decided to turn around. So after I'd moved some barriers Roy backed into the closed road and away we went! Plan B did not work as we went back to La Grave but both campsites there were closed. Plan C – we drove back to our campsite of last night.

New plan – in the morning we take the detour down to Gap and back up to L'Alpe d”Huez as I really want Roy to have his bike ride up this famous climb, we just hope the weather holds.