Day 2: Fri 30th June 2006
Ride: Laon to Chamonix - 429 miles
Phil's plan today was to drive down to the tour base in Chamonix arriving sometime late afternoon. He'd then get his bike off the trailer ready for the ride back up through France tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the group in Heudicourt. After an uneventful but pleasant drive down Phil finally approached Chamonix and caught his first glimpse of Mont Blanc from the motorway near Annecy.
Below is a view from the car, you can just make out Mont Blanc in the background.
There's a lot of tyre squaring motorway on the way down to Chamonix
Phil arrived at Chalet Le Bois Rond in the early afternoon. The chalet, that was to be our base for the next week, is owned by Kyle's brother-in-law Mark who had intended making the trip himself on his Pan European. However a new job had intervened at the last moment and sadly he couldn't make the trip.
Chalet Le Bois Rond: Front view (L) and rear view (R)
Ride: Col du Grand St. Bernard - 112 miles
Having unloaded all the luggage, stocked up the fridge with beer, wine and the other essentials of life, Phil got his bike off the trailer and decided that it was time for a ride. He headed the two miles from the chalet to the Mont Blanc tunnel, filtered to the head of the queue, paid his €21.70, and headed for Italy. Running down to Aosta he then picked up the signs for the Col du Grand St. Bernard and headed up the valley.
A view taken from up the valley a few miles north of Aosta
Climbing up the valley the road to the pass is clearly marked with a turn off to the right whilst the traffic wanting to use the tunnel heads straight on. The lower slopes of the pass climb through woodland but eventually emerge above the tree line about the point where the tunnel crosses the valley - this sounds odd and it looks it since the tunnel emerges from one side of the valley and crosses the pass road totally enclosed in concrete before diving into the other side of the valley.
The pass is clearly marked as you climb up the valley
The pass continues to climb and just when you think you might be near the top another raft of hairpins emerges.
A view taken from the pass about 1,000ft below the summit
The road was quite narrow with just enough room for two cars to pass. On the Italian side extensive roadworks were in place and care was needed because of loose gravel and a badly deformed road surface in places. Apparently there are a lot of marmots in this area and for those that are alert enough, and know what they're looking for, you might spot some. Phil spotted two but that was the only sighting of the entire week!
Below are a couple of photos that were taken at the top of the Grand St. Bernard.
A view taken from the Swiss-Italian border looking up to the hospice (L) and another looking from the hospice back over to the Italian side (R)
When Phil finally reached the top he headed down the Swiss side towards Martigny. From there he turned left and headed over the Col de la Forclaz. The run up is a fantastic road with tight hairpins on the lower stretches that open up and become fast sweepers as you start to climb. The pass over the Forclaz is an important link to Chamonix and is a very popular destination for weekend excursions and bicycle and motorcycle tours. There is a busy bar-restaurant and shop at the top.
From the top of the Forclaz it's a twisting run down to the Swiss-French border and Vallorcine, and then over the Col des Montets and into Argentiere. From there it's only a short run down the valley and you're back in Chamonix.
