Decided to have a day off today, as the kids are still at school, so the wife and I had the chance of a bit of peace and quiet. 9:00am, the lads are deep into schoolbooks, so we head off up to the route Napoleon and across through great little roads via St Auban, Brianconnet and a couple of cols to Entrevaux, a mediaeval town which is reached by a drawbridge.
First stop, bar in Entrevaux for a quick coffee before hitting the bigger mountains
After Entrevaux, headed west for 5 mins or so, then took the road towards the Gorges de Daluis (spectacular red rocks and deep ravines). This road then splits at Guillames, where you can go straight on for the Col de la Cayolle (one of my favourites), or turn west over the Col des Champs to Colmars
This is the D2202 towards Daluis
This is looking north in the gorges. You can get some idea of the scale when you look at the road on the top left zig-zagging upwards.
Nice and quiet, with not much traffic
Once through the Gorges and Guillaumes, heading towards St Martin and the Col des Champs. Wife just checking the map here to make sure I'm not lost.
Once on the Col des Champs road, we saw a sign saying it was closed, but carried on anyway. Glad we did. It was open
Once you get above the treeline, the Col opens up as they often do, into a big flatter bowl, with lots of green grass, flowers and the odd Marmotte (small furry rat-like thing)
The eastern ascent has been re-paved all the way to the top with smooth black tarmac, ready for the new tourist season...superb surface.
You get a few nutters cycling up this too. Even at this altitude (over 2000m) it's hot..and it's steep
Still some snow up near the top.
Road down on the western side towards Colmars isn't so hot though.
Down the other side, looking onto the old town of Colmars, once strategic and heavily fortified, most of the old walls are still intact.
Inside Colmars there's a couple of bars, cafe's and the like, but it was dead quiet on a Monday in June
View from the bar terrace at 2pm
Leaving Colmars, we headed south through St Andre, and Lac de Castillon, nice scenery at the Lake.
Plenty water in it now, after the crap weather we had in April/May...
Quick drink in Castellane, then off down the route Napoleon and home. 250 kilometres in all, a grand day oot....
First stop, bar in Entrevaux for a quick coffee before hitting the bigger mountains
After Entrevaux, headed west for 5 mins or so, then took the road towards the Gorges de Daluis (spectacular red rocks and deep ravines). This road then splits at Guillames, where you can go straight on for the Col de la Cayolle (one of my favourites), or turn west over the Col des Champs to Colmars
This is the D2202 towards Daluis
This is looking north in the gorges. You can get some idea of the scale when you look at the road on the top left zig-zagging upwards.
Nice and quiet, with not much traffic
Once through the Gorges and Guillaumes, heading towards St Martin and the Col des Champs. Wife just checking the map here to make sure I'm not lost.
Once on the Col des Champs road, we saw a sign saying it was closed, but carried on anyway. Glad we did. It was open
Once you get above the treeline, the Col opens up as they often do, into a big flatter bowl, with lots of green grass, flowers and the odd Marmotte (small furry rat-like thing)
The eastern ascent has been re-paved all the way to the top with smooth black tarmac, ready for the new tourist season...superb surface.
You get a few nutters cycling up this too. Even at this altitude (over 2000m) it's hot..and it's steep
Still some snow up near the top.
Road down on the western side towards Colmars isn't so hot though.
Down the other side, looking onto the old town of Colmars, once strategic and heavily fortified, most of the old walls are still intact.
Inside Colmars there's a couple of bars, cafe's and the like, but it was dead quiet on a Monday in June
View from the bar terrace at 2pm
Leaving Colmars, we headed south through St Andre, and Lac de Castillon, nice scenery at the Lake.
Plenty water in it now, after the crap weather we had in April/May...
Quick drink in Castellane, then off down the route Napoleon and home. 250 kilometres in all, a grand day oot....
