Southern France, Alps, August 2022 −  Travels −  Captain Tom

Southern France, Alps, August 2022

Another time it goes to the South of France and I ride again with Marcellus and Extreme Tours.
As always, the tour starts south of Lac Leman and finds its end a little further south in Martigny, Switzerland.
This time I have to fight with some technical problems but in the end I make it back home thanks to the help of Andi and Beat.
We ride in two groups and meet on the way at special viewpoints, for morning coffee, lunch or afternoon coffee.
1The participants

We are almost all repeat participants with Marcellus. Only Alexander is the first time in this group. Wolfgang is driving a car again.

This is the full group: Andi, Achim, Michael, Wolfgang, Marcellus, Beat, Alexander, Tom
I ride the tour with Michael and Andi
2All pictures

I have again put all the pictures into a video. So you can drive the tour in 5 minutes.

All pictures
3The journey to the starting point

I drive again in two days with a stopover in Gammertingen in the Swabian Alb.
On the way I lose the power for the GPS. Since Andi, Beat and Marcellus are not yet on the road, I can request repair tools and materials from a distance.
But on the second day I find help on the way and can drive to the meeting point in Champéry.

Eckartsburg castle in Saxony Anhalt
Eckartsburg
I get my Bratwurst at the usual location in Stadtilm
Marcellus and Andi do some offroad riding
I stay overnight in the Hotel Kreuz in Gammertingen
I can watch fire fighter action next to the hotel in the night
The repair shop Zweirad-Krinke did not want to help with the GPS power issue
KTM-Rau in Krauchenwies did the repair
A cable lug was loose
Shortly before the meeting point then Lac Leman
Champéry - the meeting point
All participants and guest Hartmut before having dinner
4Champéry-Aix-les-Bains

We meander over the small passes south of Lake Geneva and eventually arrive in Aix-les-Bains by taking (deliberate) detours. The weather is splendid and we get very nice views. At the very end on top of Mont du Chat.

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We have breakfast together in the morning in Champéry
Andi is ready
At Col de l'Encrenaz
Col de la Ramaz
Morning coffee on top of Col du Feu
When the other group arrives, some fog sweeps over the pass
Pont de Caille is quite impressing
Pont de Caille
There is very French lunch in Saint-Jean-de-Sixt
We proceed (Tom, Andi, Michi)
On the road
Andi on top of Mont du Chat
View from Mont du Chat to Aix-les-Bains
5Aix-les-Bains-Gresse-en-Vercors

Today we are going into the Vercors and we are drawn to the great dinner in Gresse-en-Vercors.
Before that we drive a bit along the Isère valley and through a landscape with very impressive rocks.
Andi and Beat need to check my GPS power supply in the evening. It remains somewhat shaky.

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In the morning we visit the viewpoint Le Revard
Andi and Tom enjoy the view
View from Le Revard
We get morning coffee in a small town
Isère valley in sight
Walnut plantations in the Isère Valley
Gorges du Nan is quite impressive
Gorges du Nan
Us three at the edge
More rocks at Col de Toutes Aures près Presles
The video gives an impression of the magnificent landscape
We find good lunch in Saint-Jean-en-Royans
The next highlight is Cirque de Combe Laval (Col Gaudissart)
Here is a short impression of the ride through the Cirque de Combe Laval
We go over Col du Rousset
15 miles to the next gas station and range 0
Dinner starts with a pâté as an appetizer
The main course
Very delicious cheese
A sweet dessert
Finally a fruit schnapps
6Gresse-en-Vercors-Pra Loup

It goes further south.
The weather is a bit mixed. Not so much sun, more clouds and at the end of the day also a shower.
I am curious to see how much water is in Lac de Serre-Ponçon this year. There has been a severe drought all over Europe.

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Andi and Tom get ready
Nice rocks on our way
Mont Aiguille
Pont de Brion
Gorges des Gâts
Gorges des Gâts
Lunch on Col du Festre
Our friend is a bit dull this year.
Lunch
Col du Noyer
We get closer to Lac de Serre-Ponçon
Little water in the lake
We get an afternoon coffee
Then we go through Gorges de la Blanche
A short video clip of Gorges de la Blanche
Then we get hit by rain
The picture shows how much water is missing in Lac de Serre-Ponçon. This it what it looked like last year
Nice dinner in Pra Loup
7Southern loop Roubion

We stay in Pra Loup and ride a southern loop from there. Destinations include Entrevaux and Roubion. We also go over two high passes: Col d'Allos in the morning and Col de la Cayolle in the afternoon

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The weather is very splendid in the morning and I find a beautiful valley view down to Barcelonnette
Valley view to Barcelonnette
Then we ride Col d'Allos
Northern ramp of Col d'Allos
Northern ramp of Col d'Allos
Us three again (Andi, Michi, Tom)
The southern ramp of Col d'Allos
A nice view to Méailles on Col de la Colle-Saint-Michel
Méailles
Too little water in Lac de Chaudanne as well
Clue de Saint-Auban
Entrevaux
Lunch in Entrevaux
Alexander shows up too
Roubion in the mountains
Roubion
We get the afternoon coffee in Valberg
Afternoon coffee
Dark clouds on Col de la Cayolle
Almost at the end of the tour we get hit by a rain shower
8Pra Loup-Toussuire

The day with the highest passes of the tour. First thing in the morning is Col de la Bonette, the highest. Later follow Col de la Lombarde, Col d'Izoard and Col du Galibier.
In between we have to go back to Barcelonnette to change Andi's tires.

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Brilliant weather in the morning
We get up to La Bonette
La Bonette
All of us on top of La Bonette
Michi and Alexander
Tom proceeds downhill
Achim and Beat
On top of Col de la Lombarde
Col de la Lombarde
We are in Italy so we have to have coffee
Back to Barcelonnette for tire change
I got sandwiches and drinks for lunch.
Col d'Izoard
Col d'Izoard
On Col du Lautaret we get coffee and ice cream
Alexander, Michi, Tom and Andi on Col du Galibier
Col du Galibier
Col du Télégraphe
Best weather when arriving in Toussuire
9Toussuire-Martigny

The last day of the tour already. We are heading further north back to Martigny in Switzerland. But before that we still have some passes ahead of us. Besides Col de la Croix de Fer, Col de la Madeleine and Cormet du Roselend also my favorite Col du Pré.
At the end in Switzerland we get again faced with some rain.
But the final dinner at the hotel in Martigny is very nice.

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Morning mood in Toussuire
Hotel Beausoleil in the morning
We go up to Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de la Croix de Fer
Us three
Right after Col de la Croix de Fer we go via Col du Glandon downhill
Morning coffee on top of Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine
Col du Pré is my favorite place
Col du Pré
Lunch at Col du Pré
Lunch
Lac de Roselend ahead
Col du Petit Saint Bernard, the little Saint Bernard
A last time coffe and ice cream in Italy before going over the big Saint Bernard
10The journey home

I get up very early. There are 780 miles ahead of me. The ride is accompanied again and again by showers, some of them heavy. Still in Switzerland I get a tire pressure warning. Something is wrong with the rear tire. Before Villingen-Schwenningen the air is out. The AAA takes me to a tire service, which fortunately is still open. It is Saturday at noon. With a new rear tire I can continue my journey home shortly afterwards and reach Berlin again in the evening.
The tour is over.

Breakfast in the hotel in the very morning
Tire puncture
The AAA gets me to a tire service
The tire gets replaced
My savior
Heavy rain
Sunset close to Berlin
11Summary

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