Thursday dawned bright and clear.  The crowd here at the King of the Mountains Lodge is not so bright and cheery as the first day.  People are getting tired.  But the excitement is still palpable.

After breakfast we loaded the bikes in the van and drove to the top of the Col du Glandon which we rode the previous day.  Chris dropped off Larry and I so we could ride down the north side of the col.  Chris had ridden it up and back on the bike the previous week.  It was a hair raising descent.  The top was super steep, winding with sharp switchbacks and narrow roads.  A few vintage sports cars – Porsches and Jaguars the like – passed on their way up, probably a rally of some sort.  It was a 12.5 mile slide down to Le Chambre in the Maurienne Valley.

We met up with Chris there and loaded the  bikes back into the van and drove a few miles to a small town where we unloaded and the proceeded to ride up up up the lacets of Montvernier.  Lacets means “shoelaces” and refers to a road which switchbacks up a mountainside.

Lacets of Montvernier

There was hardly any traffic but the temperature got quite hot.  After stopping ni the hamlet of Montvernier for some water – at the ever present public fountain in the center of town – we continued the climb up the Col De Chaussy.  It was a beautiful moderately tough climb to the col at 1500 meters. Highlight of the climb was the rock cut under the cliff.

Chris riding under the rock cut

It is amazing how the roads are built here on steep cliff sides.  There was a restaurant at the top which was unfortunately closed.  The scene with horses grazing and the alpine vistas behind was story book perfect.

top of Col du Chaussy

The ride down was exciting and fast, although I am always the laggard on the descents.  I don’t have the confidence to bomb down the roads – I don’t know the roads and in places the exposure to the cliff side is terrifying.  Usually Larry is way ahead, Chris next and the pokey little old me. They are great to ride with, never a complaint about waiting for me. And the scenery is truly spectacular.  Here is an old castle and church in Le Chalet.
When climbing Larry is always waaaay ahead, then me and then Chris.  I have a few nicknames for Larry (whose initials are LG): “Monsieur Long Gone”, “Lapin Grande” (big bunny), and the photo bunny – he always races ahead to take pix of us coming up to meet him.

Le Chatel

We descended to the van through Le Chatel – with the magnificent view of the tower and church – and then loaded up and went into St. Jean de Maurienne for lunch. The day’s stats: 32 miles, 3500 feet climbed, 7978 feet descended.   It was already 4:30 so we ended up having some sandwiches. There was a fete (festival) of some sort going on there so it was crowded with French tourists.  Then we got back into the van and drove up the north side of the Col du Croix de Fer, and back down the north side of the Col du Glandon, a long drive back to the lodge arriving at 7pm.  Unpacked the car, showered and it was time for dinner and bed.  Everyone was exhausted and happy.