Across the Jura

And she’s off! Destination UK. Time to try the trip properly and without any nasty aeroplane. This is to be a solo trip.

The first hill will be the biggest hill of the entire journey as there is 1000m to climb to get over the Jura. Alain is tasked with accompanying me to the top. The luggage feels super heavy and my legs very off-form. Half way up I decide I should trim my load and donate it to Alain to take back. Despite the reduction, its still a struggle to the top. And after a rather tardy afternoon start, it’s practically dark when we get to the col. I give Alain the spare front light as a gesture of good will and he bravely pedals down in dark and chill. I am tucked up asleep before he is home.

It is very sombre and heavily wooded on the col and about as pitch black as it gets. There are no views what so ever. In the morning I am awoken by the planes crossing low over the Jura en route to the airport.

Just below the col is a tiny cabin. With a notice explaining how an employee of the electricity company was posted here. If the main lines came down with snow he would telephone the news so they could cut the power and then send help.

Its a grey damp drizzly day. Although I have not cycled this col before, the next leg is not so far from Bellegarde and is familiar. I pass the old tramway and the impressive bridge of the rocks and then follow a lovely high route with views down to the main valley with railway and motorway - the one that links our corner to the rest of france and which I am happy to avoid. Its raining so no photos.

I have a plan to camp at Lake Ginan… but when I get there the campsite says its full and only takes annual bookings. I call one or two hotels and they are all full, so its time to seek a discrete spot in the woods. It’s very steep and the woods have dense undergrowth. I am almost out of time and options when finally I find a small stream with benches and a walkway. Phew. I tuck in ready for a very wet evening and night.Læs mere