Continuing through Rural France

In the last blog I had arrived in Guillestre and looked forward to catching up with Brad, who in fact drove up from the coast to see me. We missed out on lunch, he was held up along the way, and it is impossible to get a meal between 2.30 pm and 7 pm in France. So we got the last 2 filled rolls at the bakery and had an ice cream after a walk around town. Dinner was better and so was the breakfast next morning. We talked and laughed a lot, or maybe I should say, I talked a lot, because a solo bike tourer hasn't always the opportunity to talk much.

We said our farewells after breakfast and went our separate ways early as a busy day lay ahead. I got as far as Briancon, when I realised I did not get my passport back at the hotel after paying the bill. My first thought was I am getting senile, but Brad who is many years my junior had done the same, which was reassuring to say the least. I decided to stay in Briancon, book into a hotel , store the bike and take the train back to Guillestre to collect it. That took the rest of the day as the train stops at the nearest village, which took some doing to find out how to get to Guillestre. After getting nowhere with a very unhelpful station attendant trying to find out about the bus service, and not having seen a bus for a good hour, I thumbed a lift and got to the hotel where they were very apologetic about it. After lunch the train back was at 3.45 pm the hotel receptionist was unable to find out if there was a bus going there and trying to get a taxi was no better as 5 taxi firms flatly refused to take me! At least she speaks French and could not get an answer.

In the end the receptionist took me in her car and delivered me to the station. Not a day to remember.

Saturday 10 August I leave Briancon and climb from the outset for about 3 hours to the Col the Lautaret, which is 2058 m high. The gradient is good at an average of 7.5%. The wind is fresh and it makes quite a difference after riding in the heat. At the summit  I indulge in a pancake and coffee, before I put my jacket on and start the descent. It is magic, 35 km downhill through half a dozen tunnels some a km long. I am pleased to have my tail light going, although there are many people on racing bikes riding these cols without any lights at all. The motorists are very good, they do not pass in the tunnels and on the open road they are very considerate and slow down before overtaking. I arrive at Bourg de Oisans by noon and book into a small hotel. I email our friend Olivier who runs a camping 4 km the other side of the summit of the Croix de Fer, to make sure they can accommodate me before I climb this col. Confirmation arrives so on Sunday morning 11 August. I ride to the summit of the Croix de Fer, 35 km climbing with  grades up to 17%. I arrive just in time for lunch, and it is great to see Olivier and Aniqu again. My initial plan was to ride on from here through the Alps via Albertville, but with my slow progress because of the heat and the delay with the passport, I decide to ride the same way back again and leave the Alps via Grenoble. I still have this potential problem that the front carrier is still held together with a shoelace and I need a little time up my sleeve in case of trouble. This may sound like an excuse, and in hindsight it may be, who knows!

An early start on Monday 12August, I climb the 4 km back to the summit and descend more or less for 135 km all the way through Grenoble then through Vorseppe, Voiron, Les Abrets to Les Aveniers. It is not all downhill I still climb 1190 m but that is offset by 2874 m of descending. It is not all plain sailing either as I strike 15 km of roadworks through Grenoble and the state of the road surface is terrible. I am lucky not to have broken a few spokes or worse. My backside may never be the same again! I try to avoid big cities, for the obvious reasons, but one cannot always avoid them.

Tuesday 13August takes me from Les Aveniers through some big rolling hills via Morestel, and Lagnieu across some serious traffic situations where several motorways and toll roads interchange near Amberieu. Still in heavy traffic I cut across to Chalamont, leaving Bourg en Bresse on my right through Montrevel to Cormoz in the Bresse district, famous for their poultry. I found the Alberge du Grand Ronjon via my GPS having to backtrack a few km.

It is a big place part of a traditional farm and they serve traditional dishes from the Bresse area. The waitress is dressed in traditional dress less clogs and the waiter has the traditional handlebar moustache. On arrival the place seemed deserted, but once I am discovered I am served a litre of beer from a corked bottle, which is heavenly after the long bike ride. Although it nearly put me to sleep! The accommodation is in a small mobile home, with everything there one could wish for. At dinner I sit next to a lovely Dutch couple, who write down all the recipes they are able to extract from the hostess for future dinner parties at home. The food is indeed lovely.

After a good sleep I have early breakfast with the hostess and set off on Wednesday 14August for the next leg of the journey. Today is a treat, rolling hills via small back roads well away from traffic. 120 km of silence, apart from the odd motorbike or farm tractor. I travel through Louhans, Muntret,St Germain, missing the city of Chalon onto Autun. The weather is hot with a cool breeze against as usual. That is how a biker knows he is going the right way, if the wind is behind, there must be something wrong and it is worth checking it out! The other reminder is, when your traveling North in the Northern hemisphere, to check you are going the right way is that all the sunflowers are facing you! 

Anyway this will do for now, I am a little behind posting because Google France doesn't always recognise me, so here we go I hope it get's posted.