France

Thursday 19^th September. 

50kms. Hotel Grand est, Myieux to Morestel. Great day. We packed up and left the hotel. Made it through the industrial area. A bit tricky trying to find our way with the Google map directions and stopped in Janneyrias for lunch in a park. A man came over and insisted on giving us bread for lunch – he went away and bought a gorgeous big baguette from the bakery. He was a cyclist and it was a lovely act of generosity in his lunch break. Really cheered us up as were finding the navigation a bit stressful. Carried on and got totally lost and fed up in Charvieu-Chavagneux and even with the phone we struggled to sort it out. Coninued to Pont-de-Cheruy where we resorted to going to McDonalds just to get the Wi-fi to have a good look at the map. It was great - it suddenly occurred to us that Google was pointing us to everysmall off-road possible to avoid traffic, and that if we took the actual D roads connecting the towns we would have more traffic but it would be more direct. Gave it a try anyway and certainly started to make good progress. Traffic no worse than any New Zealand road and just a relief to know where we were as the signposting also improved dramatically.

Soon arrived in a town called Cremieu – a beautiful Medieval town complete with fortified castle and restored buildings – simply gorgeous and likewise the scenery from there on was absolutely beautiful and great riding just as you would imagine from village to village in France. After looking around Cremieu we made good progress, arriving into Morestel about 5pm. Bought groceries and found the camp easily. It was very low key in the centre of town and we were the only ones there apart from a nice French couple. Very quiet. Remembered that European campgrounds have no tables or seats – or toilet paper – so had to adjust. John went back to the shop for the toilet paper. Dark about 7.30pm so early night. 

Pusignan

Janneyrias

Cremieu

Castle above Cremieu

Biking towards Morestel

Watch for children with footballs!

 Friday 20^th September

Morestel to Chanez. 50kms. A second fabulous day of French cycling. Incredible. Left quite late after a dewy morning. Entertained by the French PE classes taking place in the adjoining sports field.

Got away about 11am and climbed very gently all day and discovered the Via Rhona (Rhone Cycleway) near Evieu and jumped on it. Gorgeous and relaxed since it became obvious that there were multiple free-camping sites on the trail. Were on the cycleway almost 30kms and then the bridge to Belley was closed (near the amazing fortified castle on the hill) so ended up in Yenne and that was lovely as we took the absolutely gorgeous road through the town of Lucey! 

Were heading to Culoz but arrived in the tiny village of Chanez and it was truly so beautiful – on a canal with a little bridge across – and there was a campground right there on the other side of the canal – that we decided to stay. Checked that there was a food shop and there was and then went and had a beer at a bar on the canal. The barman was mad! Certainly entertained us… We were abit stuck as to how to get to the camp so thought we would just take the bikes across a bridge when a guy came up and indicated to us that there was another bridge just a wee way down – very helpful as we thought it was several kms away. Biked round and camped and then went back to the shop and had bread and cheese and ham and salad on the picnic table by the river – lovely. Happy time after the stress of the last few days. 

Drying out after dewy morning

French PE class playing Le Rugby!

Via Rhona (Rhone Cycleway) rest area

View from Via Rhona

Via Rhona

Via Rhona

Large fortified Castle at top of cliff!
Cornfields and more cornfields

Gorge (and tunnel) between Via Rhona and Yenne

Turning onto road to Lucey!

Chateau de Lucey

Town of Lucey

Auberge de Lucey (restaurant/ hotel)

Chanez - beautiful

On top of canal bridge at Chanez - camp on right bank underneath

Bar in Chanez

 Saturday 21st September

Chanez to Marceau, Doussard, Annecy. 60kms. Another dewey morning packing up but departed Chanez in the sunshine at about 10am. Big morning – but beautiful – riding to Chindrieux and then over the Col de Chambotte. Weren’t really expecting such a hilly climb and it was certainly steep and precipitous but also amazing. There was a rocky summit with a big cross and a tunnel in true European style. The pass was 650 metres and we had lunch at the top. Then a gorgeous ride down through the valley – stopped for coffee and the kids had amazing meringues at Albens. It was a nice break. There was a fountain and a church and straightforward from there to Annecy in terms of route-finding.

Carried on after that on a steady climb upwards and near the top of a hill a van pulled over and it was a couple from Alby who we followed down (really steeply down!) into the gorgeous Medieval village and they gave us apple juice and we met their neighbours who gave us plums and then the other couple arrived who had just come back from cycle-touring with their three children in New Zealand. Spent about an hour there in the street chatting in half French and half English. It was such a random spontaneous detour and they were all lovely people. The town had its own well and a wedding went past and everyone seemed to live in the main street.

We then crossed out back onto the busy main road into Annecy and it was rather uphill until Seynod, where we stopped to check directions and get groceries – which took ages as I got to the counter to find out that I needed to weigh the vegetables and fruit so had to queue again, though the guy on the checkout helped me heaps by holding and putting through the other stuff. Got through Annecy after that – very busy and another wedding waving and tooting at us – funny. Onto the cycleway around the lake – relief and a lot less busy.

About 5kms before the cycleway ended, a road cyclist rode up and asked where wewere going and if we were staying at his friend’s house – Mondher!! And it turned out to be Mondher’s friend Stefan who then rode with his other friendall the way to Doussard with us and then Stefan took us all the way to Lee and Mondher’s which was amazing as it was a long way and we were slow getting up the hills at the end – very worn out after the Col de Chambotte… Got here and it was 7.30pm by then and still Stefan helped us to get the key which was lovely of him.

FABULOUS apartment with gorgeous surroundings and we had a lovely meal and looked forward to a day of doing nothing the following day.

Morning on canal

'Fishing' in the canals of Chanez

Croissants with a friendly dog

Climbing the Chambotte...

Still climbing the Chambotte

Col de Chambotte

Lunch with Lucy biscuits at the top

View back down to lake and castle

View back behind us

Our friends in Alby sur Cheran

Sunday 22^nd  September

Did nothing! Got up late. Went to the Patisserie which was most satisfactory. Updated the blog. Did laundry. Had a nice meal. Enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. Hugh spent a lot of the day fishing with his clothesline off the deck. Rang Lee and Mondher in the morning.

First lunch at Lee and Mondher's

John preparing dinner

Relaxing

Sunset 

 Monday 23^rd September

Rang Dad on Skype. Went hiking to la Combe. Just an absolutely perfect day in the French Alps. Left about 10am from here and walked up to the village of Saury just up the road and then about three hours up to the Chalet de la Charbon. Absolutely perfect weather and we had lunch with a guy from Dijon and then went further up for a perfect view of Mount Blanc and the surrounding alps and came down again about 3.30 or 4pm. Back in Saury about 6pm. 

Kids did really well as was a substantial walk and some technically challenging rock paths at the top. Dramatic and beautiful walk. Some older men were having a ball at the chalet eating raclette and a big French lunch and drinking red wine – they struggled a little on the walk down – but very friendly. Got back and John had to go to the shop and then we had dinner. All quite tired. 

La Combe in early morning

River on walk to Saury

Stop on the walk up to La Combe

Forest

Hugh attacking the limestone band

Lucy on layback...

The actual route up - spot us halfway up on path!

The path through the limestone band

Arriving at meadow below Chalet du Charbon

Leaving Chalet de la Charbon after lunch with the cows

Mt Blanc from above the chalet

Route up to col above the chalet

Above the chalet

Hugh and Mt Blanc

Sound of Music

Above the road we will be biking out on to Chamonix

Looking towards Annecy from near La Croix de Roi

Us

View towards west

Lucy on way down

La Combe

 Tuesday 24^th September

Another relaxed day waiting for John’s bike tyre to arrive on the courier. The children and I will go the village and get crosissants for lunch.Some schoolwork and fishing off the deck.

John’s bike wheel arrived by courier which was great. Later in the day we went into the village and we had a drink and the children played fishing in the stream. Had a relaxing dinner and a nice evening.

Dessert from the Patsserie in Doussard

Croissant lunch

Hugh's pink cochon - basically iced pink pavlova!

Lucy's strawberry and white chocolate dessert

Tart au Citron!

Wednesday 25^th September

40kms. Went into Annecy about 10am. Really good quick ride in and made it in time to look at  a few shops before siesta. We went to a patisserie and bought lunch and sat in the park – really nice. Looked around Annecy some more and biked back by about 4.30pm and watched parapenters land and then went into the Shopi and then home. Another nice evening. I made quiche which was a treat! 

Annecy

Annecy Cycleway - a dream - 20kms on the lakeside!

Thursday 26^th September

Packed up and rang Mondher and later Lee to finalise everything and sadly left our little haven in Doussard. It really was a lovely time there and so good to recharge with the comforts of home. Left the house about 11.30am and went into the patisserie and the supermarket one last time and then set out on the cycleway to Ugine. Very flat easy going and made good time despite being a bit windy and overcast. At Ugine we had a late lunch and went to the visitor information which was great as we found some open camping at Demi-Quartier after the lady rang several places for us.

The afternoon turned into quite a challenge with the road up from Ugine to Mageve through St. Nicholas de Chapelle. Jeepers! Hill and a half winding up around the gorge and hillside. Really mountainous with several tunnels at the start and then sunnier and hillier after that into St Nicholas de Chapellle. Glad to get to Flumet after about 15kms of quite steep climbing. A bit easier after that. Got groceries before Mageve and then through Mageve to a gorgeous campsite right up on the hill in Demi-Quartier. It was small and had a wee chalet for the laundry and toilets and was cute and yes – had a table! Even better – especially since it was a cool morning. 

Leaving Lee and Mondher's

Last visit to the Doussard patisserie

Cycleway to Ugine

Climb up above Ugine- reminiscent of Otira Arthur's Pass road

Climb up to Nicolas de Chapelle

Looking back down...

View across valley from campground at Demi-Quartier

Demi-Lune camp at Demi-Quartier

The little chalet for showers and laundry

Friday 27^th September

Feeling confident after the hills the previous day and got away at 10am sharp for Chamonix! Made very quick progress to Saint Gervais and it was mostly steeply downhill for about 17kms. Rode confidently on to find ourselves on a major autoroute to Chamonix but sensed that we weren’t supposed to be there so rapidly u-turned and got off it – only to have an official autoroute official pull over with lights flashing to ‘assist’ us off the road… Pleased to get off it and biked back into Passy where we had come from and were about to go into a café to internet our route again when a Gendarmerie van pulled over and asked us about where we were going and how. He then offered the directions and then offered to escort us 2kms to the turn-off! It was too good an offer to refuse so we raced behind the policeman and policewoman and their little van until the steep uphill turnoff to Servos, where we said our friendly goodbyes and took some pictures…Even though the hill was a rude shock, we laughed all the way up it! Stopped at a waterfall and carried on up! It was really hilly. Think the first part was a shortcut so cut straight up the hill.Eased off after that but still steadily uphill until Servoz where we stopped for lunch.

Carried on after that and rode up over to Vaudagne – which both the official and the policeman had warned us was very steep. Well it absolutely was – and for a long time. Zigzagged up through a tiny settlement and we though we must have been lost at one stage. Emerging views of Mont Blanc though and finally seemed to reach the top of the hill and descend down the other side. Got to Les Houches on the descent and went and had a coffee in a restaurant. The bar lady had cycled in NZ last year and was lovely. Got groceries there and carried on an easy 7kms to Chamonix Mont Blanc! Hard to realise that we had made it. Lovely to be back here.

Went right into the Visitor Centre and the woman was great and we found the campsite easily after a celebratory beer in the square. Very close to town and met a guy called Brad when we arrived who is from Nelson so chatted to him over dinner. Bed.

Descending from Demi-Quartier to Saint Gervais

Still descending to St Gervais

Photo taken by road workers on descent

And towards Mont Blanc

Gendarmerie (Police) escorting us out of Passy towards Servoz

Climbing the steep shortcut to Servoz

Lunch at Servoz

Coming up to turnoff to Vaudagne

Steep and winding road up through Vaugagne

Camp at Chamonix-Mt Blanc

Saturday 28^th September

Aiguille de Midi. Got up early and caught the gondola up to the Aiguille de Midi at 9.30pm. I was a bit totally freaked by the steepness of it to be honest – made somehow worse by worrying about the children. All made it to the top and the sun came up and it was phenomenally spectacular and beautiful and amazing. Spent ages at all the viewing terraces and corridors and then descended to halfway and had lunch at the Plan de Aguilles and saw some donkeys which was a highlight for the kids.

Walked to the Montvers Mer de Glace which was about three hours in the end and then trained down on the cog railway at 4.30pm. Watched a wedding party arrive just before we left which was entertaining. It was a fabulous day. Had to go in and get food and then back here to make dinner and in bed very early.

Boarding the telepherique to Aiguille du Midi

Looking up with trepidation

Aiguille du Midi

In caved walkways at top

On terrace

Looking out at climbers

Looking northeast

Hugh on steps down

Looking over valley

Hugh, Lucy, John and baguette

View from terrace

-2 degrees outside

Looking back at the visitor complex

Hugh

Glacier plunging into valley

Keeping Hugh warm

Descent to Plan de l'Aguille!

Glacier descending to valley

Descent to Plan de l'Aiguille

Lucy with donkey friend at Plan de l'Aiguille

Another donkey

The telepherique passing overhead

Three hour walk to Montvers Mer de Glace

Refuge on the way

Les Drus

Parapenters

Approaching Les Drus

Les Drus

Mer de Glace Glacier

View of glacier from The Signal Point

At the top

Hobbitville

Descent to Montvers

Lucy and glacier

Hugh, John and glacier

Cog train arriving to Montvers

On way down - another train ahead

Camping Les Arolles, Chamonix

Sunday 29^th September

Cruisy day today shopping in many outdoor shopsfor jackets and fleeces. Found some bargains amongst many expensive and exclusive shops and all good now for some comfort in the winter. At siesta we went on a spontaneous trip on the train (free with a card from the campground) to Servoz and back which was great as realised how steeply we had climbed on the way in and also it was really beautiful on the train trip. Had half an hour in Servoz so walked into the town a bit and had a coffee at the restaurant and then back to the train. Into town again by 2.50pm and at least renewed our faith in train travel following our experience from Paris to Lyon.

I bought a goretex coat and we got some groceries and headed back. Started to rain quite steadily but hoping it will clear for tomorrow which the forecast says it should. Certainly chillier than it has been.  Hoping to get over the Col de Forclaz to Switzerland and the Simplon - or maybe now the San Bernadino Pass into Italy in the next couple of days.

Clear morning in Chamonix

Brad from Nelson leaving the camp

Glacier from train

Servoz train station

Aiguille du Midi from train

Storm brewing above from train