We have some new or rather rare participants with us.
Marcellus, Beat, Michi and I are frequent participants. Andreas and Gerd are on the tour for the first time.
Hartmut is a former participant and now drives the route with an electric car.

Michi, Gerd, Hartmut, Marcellus, Beat, Alexander, Thomas, Horst, Andreas, Tom, Franz

I have compiled a video with all pictures (Franz, Michi, Gerd, Marcellus, Tom)

All pictures in 4 minutes

This year I make a stopover in Bietigheim with Susanne. We use one day for some sightseeing.
Then, on a rainy day, I continue over the Swabian Alb and from north to south through Switzerland to Champéry on Lake Leman.
Gerd, Franz, Thomas and Andreas travel with a car trailer or van.

I go through Thuringia and Bratwurst is a must.

Sightseeing with Susanne goes to Castle Lichtenstein

We visit an exhibition in Stuttgart. There are more pictures in the second part of the previous day tracklog.

Marcellus, Horst and Michi come from Munich and pick up Beat on their way.

There are rain showers again and again

I meet Thomas close to destination

It is raining cats and dogs. We shorten the route to almost direct route and see that we get to the hotel in Aix-les-Bains as soon as possible.

Departure in pouring rain

Pas de Morgins - we are in France

The group follows closely

Gerd at a gas station

Arrived

We have a nice dinner in the evening.

We proceed. It is still cold and wet in the morning but the weather improves significantly over the day.

We go up to the viewpoint Le Revard. There we find fog and quite low temperatures

The other group drives up the Mont du Chat. The track is closed for rallye car tests but Marcellus negotiates a passage.

There is alredy sunshine on Col du Granier

In the Isère valley we see the chestnut farms. Unfortunately, the road through the Gorges du Nan is closed and we miss the impressive rocks.

We get to Pont-en-Royans...

... and get a nice lunch

Then we go over Col de la Machine to Col Gaudissart (Combe de Laval)

Fast ride up Col de la Machine

We get to the viewpoint of Belvedère du Col du Rousset

The hairpins downhill allow for high speed riding

We have an afternoon coffee at Col de Menée

In the evening we gather for a group photo with Cécile, one of the owners of the hotel Le Châlet in Gresse-en-Vercors

We have a brilliant dinner

Dessert

Fruit schnaps in the end

It goes further south.
The Col de Grimone is closed. Therefore we drive again the Col de Menée.
In the afternoon we reach the magnificent Lac de Serre-Ponçon reservoir before heading to the hotel near Barcelonnette.

Blue sky and sunshine in the morning

Pont de Brion needs closer inspection

Under the bridge a side part of reservoir Lac de Monteynard-Avignonet

We are a little shocked when we find this. But there is no one in the car.

Morning coffee

We go quite fast over Col de Cabre and Col du Festre

View on Col du Noyer

Franz and Tom

The other group gets lunch on Col du Festre

We get Lunch on the bottom of Col du Noyer in La Fare-en-Champsaur

Andreas enjoys the view on Col du Noyer

At Lac de Serre-Ponçon we can see the ramp to Col de Pontis

View on Col de Pontis

Beer upon arrival at the hotel

The day was exhausting

We are taking a new route south. We want to see the Mediterranean Sea.
Before that we have to cross the high pass Col d'Allos. Then it becomes very Mediterranean-like: hills, pine trees and warmth. We touch the Grand Canyon du Verdon and also drive through the Gorges de Daluis, which is very impressive because of its rugged red rocks. The day ends with the again quite high Col de la Cayolle

The hotel in the morning

Brilliant sunshine on Col d'Allos

The group on Col d'Allos

Morning coffee in Castellane

We find a nice place for lunch

Mediterranean scenery

On Col du Bel-Homme we can see the Mediterranean Sea in a distance

Grand Canyon du Verdon

Gorges du Daluis

Gorges du Daluis

Afternoon coffee on southern ramp of Col de la Cayolle

On Col de la Cayolle

Us four on Col de la Cayolle

On the northern ramp of Col de la Cayolle we run into a big group of motorbike riders

Northern ramp of Col de la Cayolle

There is a nice full moon in the evening

The royal stage. The really big passes are coming up: Col de la Bonette, Col de la Lombarde, Col d'Izoard, Col du Galibier, Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer.
Since the other group will be changing tires in Barcelonnette, our tours are not quite the same this day.

First thing in the morning is birthday celebration for Beat

Brilliant sun on Col de la Bonette

Cime de la Bonette

On Cime de la Bonette

The group on Cime de la Bonette

Michi records the fast ride up Col de la Lombarde

Cows come towards us on Col de la Lombarde

Cows on Col de la Lombarde

Franz on Col de la Lombarde

In Italy we want good Italian morning coffee. Without further ado I deviate from the route and drive to the mountain village Sambuco

Jackpot

The other group goes back to Barcelonnette for tire change

Marcellus watches a presentation of historic rallye cars

We find lunch after Col de Vars

We proceed via Col d'Izoard...

...to Col du Lautaret

The other group at Col d'Izoard

A happy goat on Col de Sarenne

Sheep block the road

Andreas, Horst and Marcellus on Col du Galibier

We are on Col du Glandon...

...and right afterwards on Col de la Croix de Fer

On the way to the hotel sheep block the road again

Beer upon arrival at the hotel

The old lady serves dinner

Franz noticed a Google vehicle in Italy. In fact, we are now on Google Maps Street View. Let's see for how long.
Here is the link to Street View.

Already the last day.
According to the routes of the previous day we go via Montvernier and Col de Chaussy to Col de la Madeleine and the other group goes via Col de la Croix de Fer and Col du Glandon.
Then we pass Albertville to get to Col du Pré and Cormet du Roselend.
A short stage through Italy brings us back to Switzerland to the starting point of our tour via Petit and Grand Saint-Bernhard.

Breakfast in the morning

Brilliant weather

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col du Glandon

On Col de la Madeleine

Nice view to Mont Blanc

Nice montain panoramic view

Col de la Madeleine

Morning coffee on Col de la Madeleine

At Col du Pré

Col du Pré

Col du Pré - View to Lac de Roselend

We get lunch in a ski village on Col du Petit Saint-Bernard

Lunch

The other group finds a nice place on Cormet du Roselend

Lunch

Col du Petit Saint-Bernard

We get into Italy

Final Italian coffee with ice cream and panacotta

Col du Grand Saint-Bernard

Col du Grand Saint-Bernard

Col du Grand Saint-Bernard

Back to the hotel the bikes get loaded onto the trailers

In the evening it rains again. The rain radar shows a single rain shower right over Champéry

The final dinner...

...traditionally with cheese fondue

Gerd has offered to take me with him to Berlin. Therefore, we can have breakfast together with the others.
Then it goes on the 1200 kilometer (745 miles) tour back.

Breakfast

Ready to go

The motorbike riders are also ready to go

Break

Back to Berlin

The bike has been unloaded

In the evening a final Pastis