In my previous report, I described a fine tour where I served as a guide for a small group of motorcyclists in the Pyrenees. Here is another story with more adventures, this time in the French Alps! Our alpine itinerary is essentially made of mountain roads, and it’s got it all to fulfill the highest expectations of seasoned motorcyclists looking for great sensations: tons and tons of curves, plus totally enchanting landscapes. We’ll even make short jaunts in Switzerland and Italy!
The plan is to make a loop around Mont Blanc, ride the Route des Grandes Alpes (RGA) high mountain road, plus part of the Route Napoléon. The statistics for the RGA alone are impressive: 720 km of exceptional roads, 12,000 curves, including quite a few that can be redoubtable, and 17 mountain passes (“cols” in French) with absolutely incredible vistas. That road is carved alongside the French side of the border with Italy, and we’re gonna ride it almost from one end to the other.
Before leaving Visan where we spent the night after a joyful and festive evening (see story on the Pyrenees), two new participants join forces with us: Marco, and Nick “the Californian”. Back on the road, a few kilometres is all it takes to start anticipating the upcoming rides in a landscape that’s getting more and more interesting. We go through Bourdeaux and continue towards the imposing prealpine Vercors Massif. It’s hot, our thermometers show around 35 degrees. We stop at Vassieux-en-Vercors for lunch, a motorcyclist’s paradise, where we are warmly greeted. The nearby Combe Laval cirque, a spectacular natural amphitheatre, deeply impressed me; a strong personal favourite! We then continue to Grenoble where we spend the night.
Continuing east, we are now heading towards Switzerland. The Alps are renowned for their high summits, including the best known of them all, Mont Blanc. It acts as a beacon firmly anchored on the France-Italy border; it’s visible from far away with its bright imposing white cap. At our first morning break, the inspiring panorama makes us all want to improvise a Swiss-style yodelling session… “yadilaitiii yadilaitiii”… We laughed a lot!
A little before reaching Lac du Bourget, I see a small restaurant with a truly spectacular viewpoint on the left side of the road. Judging by the number of motorcycles parked here, this must be a real biker’s hotspot! I stop and check inside but, unfortunately, there are no tables available. But it’s certainly worth a photo stop: Mont Blanc is in direct sight and is now part of our riding décor! We’re hungry, so we have to continue down to the city of Bourget-du-Lac through countless twisties… Indeed, we are in July, it’s vacation time, so we should plan ahead and make reservations to have lunch in the most popular spots.
Finally, we end up in Tresserve and I order a tartiflette, a rich traditional dish combining potatoes, onions, lardons and reblochon cheese. There’s nothing like local dishes to enjoy a new region! Mmmm! The Haute-Savoie is impressive: perfect roads, totally blue skies, magnificent landscapes, alpine flowers, traditional villages, tight curves…
Then, still on the French side, we get a superb view of Lake Annecy. As for the city of Annecy itself, it’s absolutely charming but there are so many people (and no place to park) that all participants just want to get out of town as soon as possible… There are many activities going on but, as I said earlier, it’s scorching hot, so every single body of water is occupied…
We then head to Thônes where we will spend the night. Wasps are still with us; I was stung four times last week and these flying monsters keep visiting us when we have lunch outside. While waiting for our supper to be served, a young local guy tells me how much he loves Québec. I give him a key chain with a fleur-de-lys emblem, and he gives me a nice blue stones bracelet.
The next day, we ride in a full-fledged Alpine décor. The colours of nature are unique in this region: the greens, the blues, the reds have something different, almost unreal. We hear the music of cowbells; it’s a dream come true and it’s absolutely marvellous! The col des Aravis is stunningly beautiful! It’s early in the morning and while filling up our gas tanks, we see tens of hot air balloons in the sky… which makes things even more magical! We then stop for coffee in Chamonix with the majestic Mont Blanc right in front of us; it would be hard to estimate the distance that separates us from that white colossus. Later, we learn that there is a problem further on the road; the exit to the Mont Blanc tunnel leading to Italy is completely blocked. We are not headed that way, but the collateral damages are major. When there is a traffic jam in here, it really does jam! Luckily, riding between the lanes, we are able to escape the worst part of the jam.
Later, when stopping for a break and pictures in a curve overlooking Martigny, we realize that most of the vehicles on this road are motorcycles, that’s incredible! We then head back to our great two-wheeled machines, still a little dizzy by so much beauty.
A little later, we reach the enchanting Col du Grand Saint-Bernard that connects Switzerland and Italy. I step ahead of the group looking for a place to have lunch when a kind Swiss gentleman salutes me in five or six different languages, a fine way to start a conversation without knowing my own language. He says I am welcome and offers a plate with cheese and cold meats, plus a glass of wine. He explains that today, August 1st, is Switzerland’s national holiday, a day to celebrate friendship, he adds. I then invite the group to join us and enjoy that fine opportunity to fraternize with very likeable local people! We continue on to the col du Petit Saint Bernard, in Italy, and stop by a restaurant. It’s still very hot outside and the restaurant is closed now, but the owner takes pity and opens his kitchen for us! After a fine meal, we head to Bourg Saint-Maurice where we will spend the night. What a day! We had coffee in France, enjoyed fine roads in Switzerland, had lunch in Italy and supper in France!
Cycling is highly popular in here, and the numerous cyclists enjoy rides on a perfect pavement! We will be dancing on the RGA all day today. Piloting a motorcycle on mountain passes can be quite technical because some turns are extremely tight and fear of heights sometimes can be an issue. A clear advantage at this time of year, though, is that high mountain roads are cooler and more pleasant than sea-level roads. Val d’Isère, as well as the Iseran, Galibier and Télégraphe passes, to name just a few, were part of today’s extraordinary playground. Writing about it now makes me dream of only one thing: go back there again!
Anecdote. We’re taking a break by a small mountain inn and restaurant, a cyclist comes to us with deep distress in his eyes: his girlfriend had a problem with her brakes in a curve and she flew right into the precipice… She needs help… Instinctively and without any hesitation, two guys from our group (Éric and Martin) run to her. Through steep escarpments, rocks, snakes and other obstacles, they rescue the newlywed British young girl, which made her – and her husband – quite happy. Fortunately, she was not hurt too badly: broken helmet (that did make its job), deeply bruised back and open wounds, but no broken bones. The luggages were ejected and the bicycle did not look good at all, but in the end, one can say that she was more frightened than hurt. Wow! These two guys who rescued her are heroes to me, and I am so proud they were part of my group!
Then come the Cians and Daluis gorges, followed by the col du Noyer, to complete that incredible week! Along the way, we also take a break at the Pas de la Graille and chat with a shepherd (GAEC De LURE) taking care of her fine white sheep. We are in a UNESCO reserve, so you can imagine that the landscape and flora are incredible.
We then headed back to Road2Luxe’s Marseille base through a short section of the Verdon gorges that I had never seen, but turned out to be equally impressive.
Travelling on a motorcycle is very rewarding: roads, landscapes, food, scents, wind, and especially, people! Lots of laughs and pure enjoyment.
Have a fine winter and see you on the road!
