One Wheel Each: Switzerland and the Col du Grand St Bernard

Monday 30^th September

Chamonix to Martigny. 50kms. Hard to believe it is October tomorrow and that a month ago we were at Stockton Delta KOA! Big ride over two cols today. The first was the Col de Montetts – quite a hill up to Argentiere and over the top to Vallorcine. Then down over the Swiss border and onto Martigny. Arrived here about 5.15pm. Had a late start getting away from the camp and doing a few things in town. Left about 11.30am and then had lunch at the start of Argentiere about 1pm. Had a coffee just over the border in Charlten. BIG climb up to the Col de la Forclaz after that although found that easier somehow than the first climb. John was the opposite. Started to rain after being very patchy looking just before the col so got to try out my new raincoat – good. So nice to have some new clothes. Cleared up just after the col and dramatic descent into Martigny. Went ito town to an information kiosk and found the camping. Went to a terrible supermarket in town but met a nice guy from New York who was biking too and had a good chat. On the Col de Montetts the friendly waves from cars and the encouragement from a couple of road cyclists and the odd ‘Bravo’ from people we passed really kept me going. Really considerate traffic too. Great to be in striking distance of the Grand San Berdardino and Aosta and to have the first hurdles out of the way. Early night next to the Village Fair. Spag Bol. Good.

Leaving Chamonix

Cyclist and pedestrian avalanche tunnel all to ourselves

Col des Montets

On the road to Col de la Forclaz

Swiss village at start of Col de la Forclaz

Grinding up the Col de la Forclaz

Col de la Forclaz

Road down to Martigny

Martigny - steep descent!

Tuesday 1^st October

Martigny to Bourg St-Pierre 35kms uphill! Big day but a great one. Left Martigny around 9.30am after getting through town and stopping at a bakery. Started eagerly into the climbing which went really well out of Martigny even though the road was big and a bit busy with some tunnels. Got to Semibrancher and a supermarket about 11am and had a snack before turning right up into the valley. Well! Soon reached Orsieres and the gradient steepened considerably into 8-9-10% and kept thinking it would ease off and we would have lunch but it didn’t so we stopped for lunch around 1.30pm anyway.

Back up onto the steep gradients after lunch and it proved unrelenting in the steepness so we kept going to Liddes and then thought we would stop and go to the visitor info – partly because it was getting later – 3pmish and while we were confident about getting to the pass, getting to Aosta was another thing! So we went in and asked about camping up the valley and there was some in the next village about 7kms up so that was too good to be true – and open as she rang to check! Very relieved and stopped and had coffee and Smartie icecreams to celebrate.

The 7kms took some focus and the weather clouded over into a chill but we were ecstatic to get camped at Grand St Bernard campground – right in the mountains – beautiful - and it was lovely! Decided to splash out further and go out for dinner. After a gorgeous walk through the medieval village we found a restarant and it turned out to be great. We all had burgers – John and I had raclette ones and we had bread and salad first and some wine and a truly happy lovely time. Such a treat. Slept soundly.

In town in Martigny

Start of the hills

Near Osieres

First glimpses of valley to the Col

The relentless grind up after lunch

In Lilles afterdeciding to camp in Bourg St-Pierre

The beautiful village of Bourg St-Pierre- campsite in flat paddock at rear

Hugh and Zundapp

Raclette burgers for dinner! Oh and yes Hugh- salad first!

Wednesday 2^nd October

Bourg St-Pierre to Etrouble, Aosta Valley, Italy 35kms. Breakfast in the Salle de Picnique which was very flash and relaxing. 13kms to go to the Col. How hard could it be? Quite as it turned out – gruelling in fact. Started with lots of energy but fairly drained by the time we got through the very long 5km road tunnel (partially open at the sides). The traffic thinned after that but the road steepened considerably requiring frequent breaks . Stopped at two tunnel ventilation points on the way up the zigzag. Met a woman cyclist from Kent at the first one who had camped there when she didn’t make it to the col the previous night. Big gradients from then on – 9 or 10%!! Finally got some traction and made it to the Col. Felt amazing after such a two day struggle – and about 2pm when we got there. Biked on to the Italian border on the col and had a big rest and lunch after rugging up for the cool temperatures. Sunny and gorgeous though and very pleased with ourselves.

The descent was amazing – after we went for a short walk around the summit and saw two Grand St Bernards – Hugh had bought himself a St Bernard souvenir dog that morning which became his little mascot. The road down into Italy was truly spectacular and stopped halfway to have coffee at a wee stall. John’s latte ended up to be just milk so flavoured it up with some of mine! Cooled down as we descended many kilometres and met up with the tunnel traffic again and kept descending. About 4.30pm we saw a campsite as we passed through Etrouble and decided it was too good an opportunity to miss. Happily camped within a short time and had dinner at a wonderful family run pizzeria there. Fabulous celebration for our efforts and a lovely pizza each! Lucy had a pizza with fries on top which was great. Slept well.