It was pretty cold overnight, only about 3 degrees when we got up this morning but the sun came out and it soon warmed up. After a decent breakfast at the campsite bar we set off through the outskirts of Annecy and climbed our way through the Cheran Valley. A coffee stop at Gruffy then climbing on with the roads getting quieter the higher we got
At Lescheraines, about 19 miles in I suggested we check for restaurants on our route for lunch as I knew there weren't many villages for a while beyond this. No, no says Sandra we'll check at the next town. The next and only sizeable town for miles was Le Chatelard which seemed to be completely shut, there wasn't even any tumbleweed to liven it up. A mile or two later we found a handy wall to sit on to eat our emergency supplies of muesli bars and dried apricots. But, before breaking them out we had a quick google and discovered that there was a restaurant 600m along the road. This proved to be a real gem. Formula du Midi- cheese and walnut quiche with salad followed by pork Provençal with rice, followed by fromage, followed by chocolate mousse, followed by coffee. 14€!
We eventually staggered out and resumed our climb up to the Col du Frène, the first 30 miles today had been mostly uphill. But then what a Descent!
The road tumbled down thousands of feet to the vineyards of the Isere valley on empty, smooth tarmac with plenty of hairpin bends. It was bloody brilliant!
The last twelve miles or so were along the Isere valley which is the main transport route for motorway and railway from Albertville to Grenoble but our road took us along quit roads through old villages and vineyards, a quick stop at a supermarket in Montmellian for a light tea and then on to our campsite. Which seemed to be shut! However a quick phone call to the number on the gate soon had us in and pitched up.
A good (but tiring) day
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