Day 7 - Aix les Bain to St Pierre d’Entremont - Gorging in France ...Then Basquing in the Pyrenees - 2023

April 24, 2023

Day 7 - Aix les Bain to St Pierre d’Entremont

Fully, Completely

We were fully amazed and fulfilled, but also completely running on empty at the end of the day. Neither of these song analogies feature in SOTD however (you’ll have to wait for that)

We were amazed and fulfilled by the entire day. The pictures really don’t do justice to how beautiful this area is (and the pic’s are pretty good IMHO). The roads, either going up, relentlessly, or down, exhilaratingly, with bikes continuing to outnumber cars by a very wide margin, added to the grandeur of the day.

We were also completely spent by the end of the day, or in my case, a few km’s before. Although modest in terms of km’s ridden, the climbing involved to do this was about as modest as a Cardi B video.

We’ve also been incredibly lucky so far with the weather. Although there has been a reasonable amount of rain, it’s fallen entirely in the evening or at night, after we’ve finished cycling.

Today’s forecast for today’s destination, St Pierre d’Entremont, called for rain starting in the early evening. With this in mind, and … ahem, us discovering that the campground near the village wasn’t scheduled to open till next week, we booked what appeared to be the last available room/apartment in St. P d’E. As it turned out the rain didn’t start until late in the night and we had more or less perfect cycling weather the entire day, and thankfully, a place to rest our very tired bodies at the end of it.

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The day started out damp, as we left Aix les Bain and the very nice Hotel de l’Eaux. The clouds were starting to break allowing the sun to illuminate the surrounding hills in beautiful morning light. After 11 km’s of riding along lac de Bourget we reached the the eponymous town and a) procured lunch (at about the only open boucherie, there were no open boulangerie … it was Monday!). We bought quite a bit, which turned out to be very fortunate for us much later in the day, and then b) started the relentless 750m climb to col de l’Epine.

This climb offers stunning views of Lac de Bourget to the north and Chambrey and the Chartreuse range to the south, our eventual destination. This side of col de l’Epine was incredibly quiet. During our slow (mostly first gear) grind up, we had three cars pass us and 4 roadies. Once we hit the main climb the road was almost always in forests, giving us perfect cool climbing conditions.

An easy but cool start to the day, 10 km’s south along Lac de Bourget. It was looking ominous to the south. The weather improved but that ridge on our right didn’t get any smaller

Looking north from the same spot. Patches of blue that would grow through the morning.

Although this was the only place we found open in Bourget de Lac, it was superb. Everything looked great and we bought far more than we needed for lunch. Turned out to be a lucky thing!

And then the climb began. At first , nice and easy through scattered houses and farms

Bucolic, sylvan, unspoiled, pastoral, idyllic ….. add your own synonym, they all work

Our first donkeys! No tour is complete without them

Looking north back to Aix les Bains. Simply beautiful

And then the fun started. When you look at the elevation profile on the map above you will see it takes a sharp uptick at about km 15. That’s here. This was a short but very steep section (my guess is about 15 - 18 %, just checked RWGPS - 17.5%) and we both made it up, barely.

We freelanced the first part of the climb (where the 17.5% section was) and joined in on the pilfered J Gaudet track at this point for the final 5 km’s to the summit of col L’Epine

Unrelenting, but so rewarding. the last 5 km was a continual 7% grade through beautiful sun dappled forest. Three cars, 4 road cyclists …. And us.

…. To this. Col number 2, and well earned

However beautiful and sublime the lac de Bourget side of the pass was, once we hit the summit and got our first views to the south and west, our jaws dropped. Yours might too when you see the pic’s below. The decent to the lake was equally as stunning and exhilarating too.

The next 10 km’s along the lake were the only other ‘easy’ cycling we had today (along with the start along lac de Bourget), but it was beautiful and we had a few other cyclists and hikers for company. However, once we hit the south end of the lake, the climbing started again. In the grand scheme of things it was only a 200 m climb up a ridge at the south end of lac de Aiguebbellete, and then the equal amount down to Les Eschelles, where the final climb to St P d’E start, but we were both getting pretty spent.

Nothing left to do but suck it up and climb, and it was truly a magical ride (maybe that’s why I made it up!)

When I was doing my K-Tel hit parade route scrounging for this tour, the Rue d’Entremont section that we finished the day on was really stuck in my mind, and it didn’t disappoint.

When we reached St P d’E 15 km’s and 300 m later the (very small village) was shut tight. It was Monday, and it was late, so this wasn’t unexpected. We managed to find our apartment, and after a few (mainly self imposed) issues, got into our basic but fully functional apartment whereupon we basically collapsed. We managed to get cleaned up, and the large lunch we bought at the start of the day, of which only a portion of was eaten at our actual lunch, made for a satisfying supper.

Then the lights went out. We were Fully, Completely satisfied with the day.

SOTD - If I Should Fall Behind by Bruce Springsteen

I’ve used this as a SOTD before, but a cover version by Rose Cousins (PEI girl - great artist) mainly because ? I just really like the song.

I still like the song, but the original by Springsteen has so much more meaning for today.

At the start of the day when were beginning the climb up col de l’Epine, I was generally in out in front of k, and I’d stop and wait for her every 20 minute or so. By the time were were making our final push up the Rue d’Entremonts, K was showing here deeper pools of resolve and endurance, and she was waiting for me, as she always does. I’m pretty sure that we’ll still be doing this by the time we’re through the Pyrenees, and well after that too.

First view of the west side of col L’Epine. Breathtaking

…. and then looking south to Lac d’Aiguebelette. Simply amazing

And then came the fun of the decent. This side of the col was slightly steeper than what we rode up. Yea!

That’s the Entremonts on the horizon I believe. We’ll get there eventually

But first a breather with 10 km’s of easy lakeside cycling

After the climb at the end of the lake, we were getting a bit spent … and so was our water. A very kind local, Louis, stopped for a chat and then even more kindly rode back up to his house and filled our depleted water bottles. So kind and thoughtful

Our final descent into Les Eschelles where our final climb would start.

The final push is on. Perfect riding conditions, weather wise. Energy wise in our legs was another matter.

Fortunately the absolutely stunning scenery and riding experience kept us going

You’re just amazed at what’s in front of you and then anticipating what’s around the next corner

And it would have been even more dramatic before the tunnel was built. This was the original balcony road (now abandoned and fenced off) that the tunnel replaced

And that was the wrap for today, one that we’re unlikely to forget.

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 162 km (101 miles)

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