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John and Sheila
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  • Germany + Switzerland + France 2015
  • test Germany + Switzerland + France 2015
Day 5: On the Edge of the Alps - Avoriaz  1,800m
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Yesterday we drove to Morillon where we were to stay for two nights.

Spectacular scenery as we got closer to the high Alps, with lots of snow still on the tops (and some of the middles)

BLIMEY, they’re big.

Met the rest of the group we intended to cycle with. All of them were much too young, much too fit, much too eager and they couldn't imagine what a couple of pensioners were doing on a bike, ’cause even their parents who are obviously much too sensible for such things aren’t anywhere near collecting their pensions yet.

This was meant to be easing us into the Alps with a climb to Avoriaz via Morzine.
Avoriaz is a ski station that has been used at various times in the past as a TdF mountain stage finish. 1,800m high and featuring quite a lot of 8% climbing.

We set off as early as we could and paused on the climb when we got the opportunity of a bit of shade because it was ridiculously hot again reaching 38 degrees in the valley.
We climbed for 2 hours 14 minutes excluding roadside breather stops. Like some other French climbs there were marker posts every km telling you how far to the top and the average gradient for the next km. We are not sure if they are all that encouraging because when you have passed one the next seems a long time and too many hairpin bends before it comes into view.

At the top it was as desolate as ski stations always are in the summer, but the views were great and we could actually look down at some snow. We relaxed with drinks and snacks at the top and a picnic lunch back in Les Gets after a speedy downhill drop. The others said that when they looked down on us as we descended we appeared to be a 2-man (probably ought to be person) bobsleigh team, and we should take it up in the veterans category.

Click on any photo to enlarge and scroll through
Km marker board
A rather scrappy sign at the ski station
Relaxing at the top of Avoriaz
Relaxing at the top of Avoriaz
Relaxing at the top of Avoriaz

Day 6: First Proper TdF Cat1 Alpine Col - Colombière 1,618m
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The organised group ride for today was to “to give you the experience of a multi-cols day in a TdF mountain stage”, taking in Colombiere (Cat 1),  Aravis (Cat 2) and Les Saisies (Cat 1). The last of these was optional, but even without it there was a fierce third climb to the hotel.

We did not even give this a brief consideration as a day out on the Greenspeed trike. Not only would we be physically done in we would be nowhere near the finish in daylight. the Col de la Colombi
ère would be enough for us thank you very much. So we took the car to La Reposoir, climbed Colombi
ère, then descended back again to collect the car and drive to Aravis to meet the others for lunch and then drive on to the hotel. We were really glad we had not done the third climb, it had a wickedly steep start (1st gear in the car) giving out to melted tar and loose gravel, then a section of “trous en formation” where the road was broken up and would be really bad to cycle over on the trike, and finally a stretch where the road had been totally ripped out prior to being relaid.

Back to Colombi
ère: We had been warned that the final 3km were 13%. No worse than the climb to Hardy’s monument on the Dorset Coastlet, but a heck of a lot longer. So we took it very steady with pauses and drinks climbing through trees until breaking out above the tree line into rocky terrain.

We had also saved our ‘secret weapon’ hub gear as a final low gear, but were very pleasantly surprised to find in fact that the final 3km was at an average of 10% with some 13% sections, but not continuously 13%. Of course if we had not been expecting worse this would have seemed super tough in itself. But our final bottom gear had been saved for another day.

As always, there was loads of sunshine and fantastic mountain scenery, including from Aravis a stunning view of the Mont Blanc massif including Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc summit itself coming in and out of cloud cover at its top.

Click on any photo to enlarge and scroll through
Time for an apricot - 5km and 8% on the way up Colombière
Another snack on Colombière
Reassurance that the road is open but we don't have cycle helmets for the rockfalls
Getting more rocky
I think that might be the top
Finish in sight
Arrivée at Col de la Colombière
At the Col sign
Col de la Colombière
Looking towards Mont Blanc

> DAYS 7 & 8 FROM OUR BLOG and PHOTOS <

Day 1: Col de la Bataille (1,313m)
Day 2: Col de la Machine (1,015m),
Col de Carri (1,215m),
Tunnel des Grands Goulets (1710m long)
Day 3: Col de Preletang (1,267m)

Day 5: Avoriaz (1,800m)
Day 6: Col de la Colombière (1,618m Cat 1)

Day 7: Cormet de Roselend (1,968m  Cat 1)
Day 8: Col de la Madeleine (2,000m Cat HC)

Day 9: Col de la Croix de Fer (2,067m Cat HC),
Marmotte 1 - Col du Glandon (1,924m Cat HC)
Day 10: Marmotte 2 - Alpe d’Huez (1,860 Cat HC)
Day 11: Marmotte 3 - Col du Galibier (2,642m Cat HC),
Col du Lauteret (2,058m)

Day 12: Marmotte 4 - Col du Télégraphe (1,566m Cat 1)
Day 14: Tourism by car from Briançon
Day 15: Col d'Izoard (2,360m Cat HC)
Day 16: Mercantour 1 - Col de la Bonette (2,715m Cat HC),
La Bonette - highest point in Europe by road 2,802m

Day 17: Mercantour 2 - Touring in the Tinée Gorge
Day 18: Mercantour 3 - Col de la Cayolle (2,326 Cat HC)

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