To Grenoble

April 28, 2022

Tech notes

A couple of interesting equipment issues came up today. First, our headlights. We should have been carrying them with us on that loop to the Combe Laval two days ago when we unexpectedly came across a long, dark, scary tunnel. And in yesterday’s loop there was also an unexpected tunnel - short, straight, dimly lit, it was much less of a concern but still enough that I didn’t like it when a car approached me on my unlit bike halfway through.

We’re leaving town today in the same direction we did yesterday on the loop to the Col de la Madeleine, so we’ll be facing that short tunnel again. Wanting to be prepared this time, I dug the lights out of the bottom of my panniers and made two discoveries. I can’t charge Rachael’s headlight, because somehow with all the chargers and adapters were packing we don’t have the one this light requires. We do have a charger for mine though, which is a different brand. What we don’t have for mine though is a mount.

So, we’re here in Europe for nine months with two headlights - one that we can’t charge, and the other that we can’t mount. Fortunately Rachael’s is still charged so we’ll get through today, but Rachael has been researching the bike stores for a spot to stop off and upgrade to something functional.

Then, the other issue. For the past week or two Rachael’s been struggling with her GoPro and concerned that it was failing. It was dropped a few months ago (down in California or Arizona somewhere), suffered a dent, and the door to open and extricate the battery and SD card was damaged. We can still open and close it using a jeweler’s screwdriver, so that’s a manageable defect for now at least. It’s seemed otherwise undamaged though, until now. Suddenly it’s started acting temperamental. The primary symptom is that it no longer responds reliably to Rachael’s voice commands. She’s resorting to starting and stopping it manually, which she’s less comfortable with because she has to take a hand off the handlebar and her eye off the road.

So she read the manual this evening looking for ideas, and found a good one - the device does better if you speak to it in its own language. Somewhere along the line her memory drifted and she started using similar but different commands. She made a screen print of the command list and is studying it, so hopefully this issue is behind us now.

Today’s ride

I’m sure a lot of folks finding themselves in Pont-en-Royans and wanting to reach Grenoble by bike would take the obvious route -over the top, by riding up the Bourne Gorge to the top at Villard-de-Lans and then coasting down the eastern flank. For the small investment of a 4,000’ climb in 13 miles we could enjoy a long, dramatic coast with unimaginably great views of the Alps. And save five miles to boot! So obvious.

We’re not ones to follow the masses and take the obvious solution though. We like to think for ourselves, aren’t afraid of adding a few miles, and think that if the good people of France built a nice bike path along the Isère we should extend the courtesy of making use of it. That’s called being a good guest, we believe.

So, we start the day’s ride as we did yesterday, biking northwest to the Isère. You’d think that a drop to the river would be downhill, but there you’d be wrong. Unless we go far out of the way there are two small ridges in between, the same ones we crossed yesterday. At the second we come to the aforementioned tunnel that we’re happy to take because it saves a 400’ pointless up and down.

And we’re better prepared today. Rachael turns on her handlebar-mounted light, using up some of its remaining charge after which it will convert to a brick for the rest of the tour. I turn mine on as well, and having no mount for it I grip it between my left hand and the brake lever, happy that the road through the tunnel is only modestly downhill and I only need the use of one brake.

A few minutes later we stop on the other side of the tunnel to turn off and stash the lights, and then coast down to the Isère.

Crossing the Isère, looking upriver toward the northwest corner of the Vercors.

For the remaining 30+ miles to Grenoble we trace the course of the Isère, staying on its right bank (the one opposite the Vercors) until we reach the outskirts of the city. The last 20 are on the Isère Greenway, but the first ten rise above the river following small country roads and village streets. These ten miles are a mixed delight, rising up enough to bring us some splendid views across the river to the Vercors but taxing us for them with a few climbs - one of which holds at about 15% for just long enough that each of us is barely hanging on when we finally top out, wondering if we’ll fall over sideways or give up and push.

Looking across the Isère to the northern end of the Vercors.

More walnuts - they’re perhaps the dominant crop through here.

You’d think I could locate this better and identify the village and gorge, but I can’t figure it out.

Finally though we drop back to the river and join the greenway. The next twenty miles are wonderful - flat, not a car or even a road crossing the entire way as we follow the river as it rounds the northern snout of the Vercors and turns southeast to Grenoble. Views of the river are fractured by the trees, but when we come to larger clearings they’re wonderful and ever-changing - first the Vercors; then Chartreuse comes into view as we round the bend; and then the high Alps as we finally near our day’s destination.

On the Isère Greenway. We’re looking here at the northern end of the Vercors on the right and the mountains of Chartreuse just coming into view on the left.

Along the way Rachael picks up a free-rider, and is tickled as it stays aboard for the next half mile. I hear constant updates as we bike along. He’s still there! He’s on my glove now! Now he’s on the mirror. Oops, goodbye, little friend.

The Isère is smooth and fast-flowing the entire way, except for these rapids at the point of the bend.

Looking across the Isère to the eastern flank of the Vercors.

Nearing Grenoble, we get a great view of this massive formation - the Belledonne Range, I think.

Video sound track: Just the Two of Us, by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers

Grenoble surprises and delights us. No matter how much you read about a place, there’s no substitute for experiencing it first hand. Incredible scenery, with a ring of snow-capped peaks walling it in on the east, the Vercors rising steeply to the west, and the Chartreuse to the north. And it’s wonderfully bike-friendly - we can hardly believe it as one bike lane after another leads us right to the door of our hotel.

We’re only here for one night, planning to move on to Chambéry tomorrow on the last good riding weather we expect for awhile. Now that we’re here though, we both wish we’re staying longer and immediately start inventorying all the reasons it could make fine base for a longer stay some spring or fall. There’s this 20 mile flat ride along the Isère - I could happily ride this every day, exclaims Rachael. The Vercors and the Alps are right next door, I counter. We could test ourselves on Alpe d’Huez! It’s just a day’s ride from Chambéry and the Chartreuse! It’s on the train line! It has an airport!

While we’re waiting for our chosen restaurant to open, Rachael informs me that she’s found a couple of very attractive apartments in town here. Just thinking ahead.

Entering Grenoble, we follow a quarter mile long procession of graffiti murals.

In Grenoble, looking north up the Isère toward Mont Blanc.

In Grenoble. We’re here at an excellent time, on a beautiful day that seems almost summery. And the horse chestnuts are in bloom, adding ribbons of color along the tram line.

I assume these are both horse chestnuts or their near relatives?

So what is this iconic building that greets you when you cross the Isère and enter the city from the north?

Looking across the river up at the Fort de la Bastille.

The Fort de la Bastille. It would make a great hike, in case we’re looking for reasons to come back here.

The colorful homes of the Saint Laurent district line the opposite bank of the Isère. Crossing above is the tram line to the Fort de la Bastille.

The Saint Laurent district, with the Notre Dame cathedral on the right.

In Hotel 924 we find the world’s smallest elevator. Too small to accommodate two persons plus luggage.

Heart

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Ride stats today: 41 miles, 1,200’; for the tour: 1,206 miles, 59,600’

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 1,205 miles (1,939 km)

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Keith AdamsWe visited Grenoble, Chambery, and several other cities along the Isere in 2019, on what may have been our final European tandem tour (the organizers have shut down their business).

When in Grenoble I was still suffering after-effects from a bad plane ride so we didn't ride, but we did take the overhead "bubble" cable cars up to the fort.

You're right about the countryside being spectacularly attractive, and a surprisingly non-taxing ride (for the most part). We made extensive use of the bicycle path network and enjoyed it a great deal.
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2 years ago

Leslie and Rob CookeI'm really enjoying following your journey and admiring all the beautiful photos.

I was curious as to which GoPro you are using as last fall my GoPro 8 started acting glitchy to the point of nonfunctioning. A bit annoying as we were in Mexico at the time and had to wait until our return to Canada to return it for a replacement. So far, fingers crossed, the new one is working well.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonI have the Hero 9 black. It really is great and the image stabilization is amazing! I can bike on a really rough road and it will smooth it out. I unfortunately dropped it awhile back so I need a special tool now.
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2 years ago

ann and steve maher-wearyYour pictures are stunning. Blue sky, white capped mountains, rushing river, sunshine, perfect bike paths, just lovely! Grenoble looks amazing. Wow so many places to see in France, what a trip you are having
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo ann and steve maher-wearyIt really is amazing and it’s great to be in a place with so many options for bicycling that have separate paths for bicycles!
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2 years ago