Alps − Southern France, September 2016 − Travels − Captain Tom

Alps - Southern France, September 2016

I do a repeat of the Southern France tour Alpenglühn with Extreme-Tours, which I have done last year. It takes 6 days to go over more than 100 passes in Switzerland, France and Italy.

The weather was great and I enjoyed brillant roads, views and good food with my co-riders.

In total I did 2656 miles of which 1452 miles belonged to the 6 days of riding the Alps (yes, I have a long journey to/from the Alps). In total we climbed 37 miles.

Co-riders were aside me (Tom) Beat, Marcellus, Claudia, Micha, Sven and Klaus.

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1 Day #1

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After work in the afternoon I go onto the Autobahn and ride to Oberhof in Thuringia. It brings me 220 miles closer to my destination.
2 Day #2

We meet in the Swiss village of Morgins south of Lac Leman. A long day.

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On my way I meet Kurt from the KTM forum and we ride a little while together
We close the evening with (quite unusual) canned liquor.
3 Day #3

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First leg. The box with swiss chocolate is always with us
Pont de la Caille is a very old and beautiful suspension bridge
Claudia and Sven on the bridge
Le Revard is a nice vista with view over Lake Lac Bourget
At the mountain ridge on the other side of the lake we can see Mont du Chat which we will visit next morning.
The bikes are waiting
4 Day #4

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First stop in the morning is Mont du Chat Beat reaches the summit
The view over the lake back to Le Revard
Coffee break with a pet
Claudia
We have never done Route de Presles before. Quite impressive
Col Gaudissart
Col du Rousset
We get good French food in the evening in Gresse-en-Vercors
5 Day #5

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The morning in Gresse-en-Vercors is promising. The fog will dissolve quickly.
Pont de Monteynard-Avignonet is a nice little suspension bridge
The gorge of Gorges des Gats
We arrive at Col du Festre
There is good food waiting as always and there is a dog demanding attention
Claudia and dog
Best weather on Col du Noyer
Der Lac de Serre-Ponçon shines blue in the sun
We have to do the gorge of Gorges de la Blanche twice as the road is closed
Back to the lake. If you climb this goat path (D7 via Col du Pontis)...
... you will get this vista as reward
The videos
 
6 Day #6

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The southern loop starts with Col de la Cayolle
Fortress of Entrevaux looks quite picturesque
Entrevaux
We can see the Mediterranean Sea in a distance from Col de la Faye
The mandatory coffee break in Castellane
On the way back we go over Col d'Allos
7 Day #7

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The top leg with my favorite pass and some hours in Italy starts with the peak point at Cime de la Bonette
Quite cold up here (5.5 Celsius is about 42 F)
Marvelous vista
Next stop in Italy: Col de la Lombarde
Coffee break in Italy
with Italian coffee prices
Climbing Colle dei Morti with surprises
Brilliant vista on Colle dei Morti
The group approaches the summit
Cowbells at a cheese dairy on the northern ramp of Colle d'Esischie
Italian lunch. It can't get much butter
Vallone d'Elva is closed. We encounter a construction site on the detour route. We are faced with an excavator removing the road surface.
The operator finishes his work...
...flattens the open road...
...and lets us pass.
Col d'Agnel gets us back to France
The we go over Col d'Izoard
Col du Galibier is another well know pass
8 Day #8

The last day brings us back to where we started the tour

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Morning starts with an amazing mountain sunrise
The iron cross on Col de la Croix de Fer
View to the mountains
Beat arrives
Col du Glandon
Col du Pré captivates me every time I am there
The group passes by
There is a big wooden Ducati on Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard
Passing Mont Blanc Tunnel
The memorial for the big fire desaster
9 Day #9

I ride home in one go.

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On the way I have some fun in the Black Forest
At the end there are almost 1200 km (745 miles) on the odometer