Practising in the Alps | FindPenguins

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Trip start
July 16, 2025
Practising in the Alps Traveler
Valloire
July 16, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Here we start for good our "training" for Peru, the purpose being to warm up to big climbs and importantly to learn how to sleep well at high altitude. First stage: Saint Michel de Maurienne, (700m) until the well-named hamlet Bonnenuit (1700m).
Alain is quite rusty, but Alice waits amicably enough. Gently and patiently, we make it to the col du Telegraph, Valloire, and then up the valley next to the torrent where we pitch the tent.Read more
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
The military road
July 17, 2025 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
The start of the climb is shared with many many other cyclists who are heading up the col du Galibier - at speed and unladen. This is a col we did in 2020. When we climbed it before we spotted another mountain track that looked intriguing. Its an old military road that heads up to 2500m and we hope that we can then use a footpath over the col to reach a hut and track on the far side (tomorrow).
The military road is steep and bumpy and its tough to keep going. But we keep at it, round hairpin after hairpin, crossing the odd military truck on our way. After the first pass, there is a secluded military encampment, then more rough track until finally a beautiful high valley with lakes. And lots of flat space for camping. It turns out we are not alone in wanting to camp high. By the time we turn in, there are another dozen tents from walkers and one other set of cyclists beside the lake.Read more
TravelerCongratulations and beautiful landscapes... And flowers!
8/27/25Reply
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
Descent in the wild
July 18, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
The pass to which the military road leads is the Col des Rochilles at around 2500m. It's a wonderful open space for dozens of marmots and bivouacing humans, who spend a fair amount of time observing each other. There are two big lakes at the top, and a smaller one, just a bit lower on the east side, that forms the source of the Clarée torrent. The pass formed a border crossing between Piedmont (Savoye) in the north, and France (Dauphiné) in the south. It must have been a nice road as we can see from big square stones and a nice border mark, but a landslide seems to have closed it a long time ago.

Traversing with the bicycles is somewhat acrobatic, Alain even ends up doing a spectacular summersault when his bike refuses to follow his wishful orders! Not much harm. The scenery is wild and deserted, the Clarée valley is closed to motor vehicles and exceptionally remote.

The main town here is the little village of Nevache, near which the traffic resumes. We are now close to another former border between France and Italy, col de l'échelle, and soon turn up in the "Vallée étroite". This is a former Italian territory, acquired by France at the end of WWII. Its rather unclear why, as it communicates well with Italy, the phone numbers and rubbish collection, and most visitors, are Italian -- never mind, it's a delightful small place of the world where we find a good place to pitch the tent.Read more
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
Climbing
July 19, 2025 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Our mission is to climb the col de Sommeiller. It is a dirt road that climbs to 3000m. Which will be the highest we have ever been on bikes. Its too much for just one day, so after stocking up in Bardonnecia we climb to 2100m and find a quiet place to camp beside a series of waterfalls. We hope that the marmot does not mind using a spare entrance as the tent is rather close to his front door.
The next morning it is more climbing. It is somewhat marred by the significant sunday traffic. Its very popular with motorbikes and 4 wheel drives- which is a pain for us- noisy, smelly and challenging when the road is so rough and narrow. We head past zillions of flowers, then into more barren scree as we near the top.Read more
TravelerC'est beau!
8/27/25ReplyTranslate
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
3000m - col de sommeiller
July 20, 2025 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
With all this effort, we end up at the Col de Sommeiller by 14:00. The Bardonecchia website claims, "The highest road in Europe is 27 km long and crosses the Rochemolles Valley from 1300 m in Bardonecchia to 3009m at the Sommeiller Col". So here we are, quite a bit earlier than we thought we would, at 3000m. The impact of altitude is not too serious yet.

While we had contemplated the possibility of crossing over directly to the Maurienne Valley, some sources suggest the route is not advised for bicycles- and we are heavily laden. We do however meet two cyclists who are planning to make the crossing.

At the top, a gorgeous lake and a superb refuge. We have time for a venture by foot over the french side of the border. This immense valley was until recently home to a great glacier. Its very barren and full of scree. A group of 20 bouquetins (Ibex) are grazing on the rocks below the glacier. Although there is rock everywhere we find an amazing collection of alpine flowers tucked into the crannies. The weather is overcast, so no Mt Blanc view! Back at the top, a lonely bouquetin kindly poses for us.

The target is to sleep at altitude, and yes, by 18:00 or so, it is all quiet up there. After dinner, we lay our sleeping bags in the dining room of the refuge, with a nice view, and undertake sleeping successfully. Bummer, around 21:00 a very polite German leading a group of several 4×4 trucks, comes to request that we move to a dormitory, as his crowd is hungry and plans to eat and sleep here. Not only eat, we realize, as they bring a few six-packs along. Oh well... It was not the best of nights.Read more
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
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Mont cenis
July 22, 2025 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
After our descent from Bardonnecia and several nights out in the wild we spend a night in a bed and breakfast. The shower is much appreciated.
The next day is a long but pleasant climb towards the lac du mont cenis and France. Its a climb we have done before. And like last time we plan to pitch the tent up by the reservoir.Read more
Traveler Beautiful!
8/27/25Reply
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Practising in the Alps Traveler
La Vanoise
July 23, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Our last day before coming home.... we have chosen to descend from Montcenis to climb to the refuge de plan du lac, 2476m, at the heart of the Vanoise. This a solid climb with views on the region of the French-Italian border that we visited a few days ago (Sommeiller, etc.). It takes us in front of the Vanoise glacier and the highest point in the massif, La Grande Casse. Neither of these great features are visible from our usual places of observation in the Jura, so it's all new to us to admire.

We bivouac next to the refuge, and have dinner there, thus enjoying a bit of refuge life. The guardian is a smily and bossy lady, and generally the feeling is that of a French grammar school. At the large table we meet new people, coming from different lives and targets. Good fun. The views from the tent are superb, clouds permitting.

Altogether, with several climbs of over 1300 m and up to 3000, and several nights above 2000m, we are itching to climb even higher in South AmericaRead more
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Trip end
July 24, 2025