Hotel Belliere at Chapelle en Vercors was a nice place to stay for three days. The room was comfortable, airy, and clean and the staff were friendly and helpful, and the breakfasts were good. Shame about the dinners! They were very school-dorm with side dishes of plain rice, polenta, tinned peas, overcooked cauliflower accompanying undistinguished stews, of beef or pork. The second night we had a nice trout in a red-wine sauce but, considering the cost of demi-pension, it was disappointing. Next time we might stay there, but we won't eat there. There was another nice-looking place 2 kms out of town call Le Collet where we might stay - the menus look better anyway. Chapelle is certainly an ideal center for the many loops in the Vercors.
On departure from Chapelle we had txts from Lucy dining at Retour. It sounds like they are missing France and not just the food.
Today's ride took us over two 1200m passes - Col de Rousset
and Col de Menne. Both nice gradual climbs, seldom over 5pct, with the spectacular descent of Col de Rousset always a highlight as it was the site of our only serious tandem crash several years ago - broken rib and lots of bruises and scrapes, so we take it a bit more carefully now. While stopped at the top of Col De Rousset for the obligatory photo, we were joined by members of a Kiwi group from Christchurch who were staying in Lans en Vercors. The Aussies we met the first day were complaining about lack of vegetables, the Kiwis complained about not enough protein! Menu advice required.
Tonight we are at Hotel Au Gai Soleil in the tiny settlement of Richardiere, attached to the small village of Chichiliane between the Vercors and the river Drac. The hotel is sited right below the spectacular rocky outcrop of Mt Aiguille, and is a haven for trampers and climbers. We're hoping for a better dinner tonight!
10/7 Chichiliane to Bourg-d'Oisan
This place is definitely cycle headquarters. Two of the famous final climbs start here - Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes. Both have played an important part in Tour de France history but isn't included this year. But this doesn't stop the fanatics flocking here to try their legs on the climbs that have challenged all the cycling greats. We won't be setting our wheels to them - they are not great tandeming hills and they don't go anywhere. They each end at ski stations which, absent either snow or the milling crowds of the Tour, look like a shopping centre when all the shops are closed.
We had a very well prepared meal yesterday but it still wasn't very exciting - Quiche and salad entree, ham and gratin dauphinois main and fondant chataigne for dessert. I'm suffering from a definite duck deficiency - we'll try to rectify that tonight.
Today's ride was about 80 kms starting with a long downhill into the gorge of the Drac river, followed by a long climb over the Col d'Ornan between the massif de Vercors and the massif des Ecrins. A huge lake was formed in this area during the last Ice Age and the erosion following the ice melt left the slopes of the valleys steep and rocky. In the eons since, vegetation has grabbed a hold in the most unlikely places - on the flat summits of high mountains, in the middle of steep scree slopes and every crack and cranny of the cliffs. It makes a stunning sight which is hard to capture with a camera.
We stopped for lunch in Valbonnais, just before the climb, where I discovered last night's room key in my pocket, which we mailed back with the help of the cafe staff. All part of the service!
We checked out the restaurants in town, but most were snack-bars or pizzerias, so we returned to our Hotel Terminus where the cyclist-chef was run off his feet. Much better food here, salads with goat cheese, turkey leg confit in duck fat (N) and trout meuniere (V).
11/7 Bourg d'Oisans to St Jean de Maurienne
Our first 2000m pass of the trip - Col de la Croix de Fer. Another well-known Tour de France pass, but not in use this year. We ascended the Vallee d'Olle - heavily modified for hydroelectric use, but still spectacular. It was a route with lots of "2-fleches" climbs (the michelin maps show gradients with 1-fleche = 5to8 pct, 2-fleche = 9to12 pct, and 3-fleche = more than 12 pct) which is just about our limit with luggage. It took us 3 hours to reach Croix de Fer, while the Tour de France riders would do it in about 50 mins. Again gorgeous views from the top
The descent was 21 kms, with a few short climbs on the way. Not a perfect road surface, as there would be if the Tour de France was descending it this year, but fun none the less. Another quick visit to the Office de Tourisme in St Jean and we installed ourselves at Hotel Bernard. A simplish room with shower but toilet down the hall, free internet. We've watched the finish of the tour stage while drinking Gaillac rouge and snacking on olives and on small peppers stuffed with anchovies. What bliss!
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