Up to Grand Maison

I'm in Tour de France territory now: at sniffing distance from Alpes Huez with its mythical 21 bends - a mecca for cyclists. Luckily, I'm not a cyclist and don't care about the tour.

So I decided to go up a more scenic route of the 'Grand Alpes' instead. This was a beautiful sunny day (finally) and the climb.... well kept going on all day. At one point the road was barred because the mountain pass is still closed - but well, you can just cycle past the barricades. Many cyclists are on the road today because it's a holiday and sunny.

Soon they all left me behind with my loaded panniers, and I just pedalled on and on... riding past glaciers, snow banks, rock falls and water falls on the way up past the barrage Grand Maison. This was a desolate and beautiful mountain country!Read more