Day 8 - St Pierre d’Entremont to Grenoble - Gorging Ourselves in France ...Then Basquing in the Pyrenees - 2023

April 25, 2023

Day 8 - St Pierre d’Entremont to Grenoble

Isn’t that cool!

“Isn’t that cool” was our constant comment as we were reading other CB journals as we put the ideas together for this trip.It’s been a constant refrain from both of us side we started this trip, and today we were echoing it back and forth. Each day is different and even more interesting than the one before.

Cool also applied to the temperature this morning, as did wet, as we clicked on the various weather apps while under the warm covers, reluctant to get up and get back on the road. Ummm, 7° C, do we wear tights or not. Or do we just stay under the covers???

Amazingly, we actually felt pretty good after how tired we were last night, so we jumped, ahh no, crawled out of bed and got going.

With nothing left to eat in the apartment we rode into St P d’E and found the only boulangerie in town that was open, Luckily they had some inside seating as we filled ourselves with caffeine and carbs. We also picked up the now standard ‘lunch sandwich’ and with that we were off.

Straight back into a 7-10% climb. No easing into it, no nice little warm up along a flat river. Nope, just climb. So we did.

We had about 500 m of climbing to reach the summit of our one and only Col today (Col du Cucheron) and if there was an upside to the immediate demand to climb , we got about 60% of the climb out of the way in about 30% of the distance to the col. Once our heads were back into the game, it was a really pleasant climb with the low hanging clouds and mist adding even more drama to the already dramatic scenery

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The decision was ‘no tights’ but it was repeatedly questioned

A very quick (read steep) climb out of St Pierre d’Entremont gave us a beautiful view down onto the town and the valley to the north

The grade levelled off a bit to about 5% after 3 km’s and we continued to have beautiful views back down the valley. The cool temperatures made for quite comfortable climbing

Nearing the summit of the Col we come across a ski lift and a snow below us. Should we really be bike touring through the middle of a downhill ski area?

As we were nearing the summit of the Col, the off and on drizzle started to turn to gropple and as a result, the gortex jackets were out to go in top of our insulating soft shells. Still no tights though … always just on the cusp of needing them.

The Col sign was soon in sight, and we noticed there were a couple of white vans parked there as well, with 4 young folks setting up to have lunch. One of them kindly offered to take a picture of both of us at the Col sign.

As we were chatting with him we noticed a tandem approaching the summit from the south. And then another one. And then one more. All of them being ridden by folks much younger than us and obviously part of an organized event.

It turns out they were all a group of Engineering students from the North of France who were doing a tandem ‘circumnavigation’ of France to raise awareness and money for blood donation. The vans and first people we saw at the summit were their support crew.

After seeing no one all morning, suddenly we were in the middle of a small party at the summit of Col du Cucheron!

Isn’t that cool!

Nearing the summit when the groppel started. On with more clothing!

And here we are Col number 3 and feeling pretty good

The first tandem team reaching the summit from the south.Yeah, thumbs up!

And then the next! There we a couple more after these two.

All posing for the obligatory picture 😀 and then their party started!

And here’s where they were cycling and why.

And it really was cool … in the literal sense so full gloves, soft shells and gortex shells were donned for the great downhill into St Pierre de Chartruese. We even had the sun starting to poke through just to add for to the already great scenery. It didn’t do much for the temperature though.

We also had our first ‘touring’ meet up as we pulled into St P de C. Marianne and Martin, from Marseille, who were almost equally bundled up were a few days into their multi-month wander that would eventually have them ending up in Turkey.

We then took a right turn to the east down the D520b to the gorges du Guiers Mort (rather than straight south on the D512 for another 550 m climb up Col de Porte!!). Our first gorge! Lot’s of exclamations of “That’s cool!!” … and it was. However the fun with the dead Guiers was soon over and we were back into pastoral agricultural land with one more small col (Col de Placette, only a 50 m climb, but it got a col sign! And then a really fun decent down to the Isre river. Once we hit the Isre, it was a 15 km flat river cruise into Grenoble.

The weather forecast as of yesterday had continued threats of rain, and with our then pretty depleted state, both physical and mental, we had booked a hotel in Grenoble (the camping will happen, Scouts honour!).

The Hotel Barillon was a very nice small boutique hotel near the train station. The staff were very pleasant and helpful and they had complimentary tea, coffee and citrus/rosemary water in the lobby. Wonderful after another great day on the bikes.

This was followed by a very good dinner at Brasserie Chavant … and then an all-nighter trying to catch up on the journal (which I failed at). Feels like university all over again !

So au revoir Chartruese. We are looking forward to getting aquainted with the gorges of Vercors tomorrow!

And now we go down, bundled up against the cool (actually cold) spring air, to St Pierre de Chartruese

…. Where we meet fellow tourers Marianne and Martin. They are off on a multi month wander that will end in Turkey

Entering the gorge de Guiers Mort. This really was cool!

same thing for this place.The tunnels above the road are for a small gauge railroad that served a now abandoned industrial site along the Guiers river on the right.

Not sure of the era or purpose of this abandoned facility, but it seems to decaying into part of the natural landscape

Just love the interplay of the abandoned buildings, three bridge / stair arches and the water, that is relentlessly eroding everything in its path.

We found a quiet bench outside an art school in St Laurent de Pont for lunch. Looks like’s someone’s still chilled from the long downhill!

Now cruising on the flats west of St Laurent du Pont. Looks like heavily bedded sandstone. Any geo’s out there familiar with the geology of the Chartruese?

More Chartruese outcrops as we ride west towards the Isère / Rhone

Our second col of the day. It was less than a 100 m climb …. But the gov’t put a sign so we’ll take the picture!! Downhill (a really fun one) from here to Voreppe in the Isère and then on to Grenoble

Almost down. We were riding on the 520a with moderate traffic. Excellent road conditions and very considerate drivers

It was 15 km to Grenoble from Voreppe. We rode the north bank for the first half, and then decided to see what the south bank was like.

Turns out is was the same as the north bank! Nice mellow cruise into Grenoble. This kind of riding we haven’t had for a few days. As it’s said, A change is a s good as a rest.

Here we are at the lovely Hotel Barillon

Very nice touch with the refreshments in the lobby. The citrus rosemary water was lovely

Then on to dinner at Brasserie Chavant … just a little different than last night! A great charcuterie platter for 2

K’s main Bar avec betteraves et noir de Grenoble (bass with beets and walnuts). When in Grenoble you’ve got to have noix de Grenoble!

Finished off with a lemon crème and brownie (French style of course) and a flight of Chartreuse. If you’re ever going have this, it might as well be here

That’s all folks. We’ll catch up tomorrow from the Vercors

SOTD It’s Good to be Alive by Imelda May

Well yes it is!

Today's ride: 54 km (34 miles)
Total: 216 km (134 miles)

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Kim BorhenHi Lyle and Kirsten. Great write up today. Pictures are spectacular. Love the tune and the video… good choice. Yes good to be alive and you are doing it to the max! Look forward to joining your journey through your write up, pictures and music. Hug! Ride safe.
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11 months ago

Anne MathersThat brought back some great memories. Absolutely fell in love with that area. We were there in May and learned that Grenoble is a heat sink. The temps rise steeply when the suns shines. More awesomeness is on its way.
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11 months ago

Kirsten KaarsooTo Kim BorhenGlad you have joined us. Lyle is generally the one who chooses the song if the day. Surprising eh?😝We are looking forward to having a couple days of riding without our bags.
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11 months ago

Kirsten KaarsooYes, to more awesomeness. We are in Pont en Royan and have two days of unloaded riding in front of us. The weather is cooperating too. 😃
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11 months ago

Scott AndersonThanks for the reminder! We rode the same course, except t the end we climbed up into the Vercors instead of going in to Grenoble. I’d love to see the Chartreuse again some day, but without the luggage.
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11 months ago

Kirsten KaarsooTo Scott AndersonIt was beautiful. You two are the strong ones grinding up another huge pass before the end of a day!!
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11 months ago

Jacquie GaudetGroppel? Is that an Alberta or Scottish expression?
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11 months ago

Kirsten KaarsooNeither it is a snow science description. More like ice pellets! Not snow not hail. Usually indicates a change in weather often to snow.
Common in the Rockies, Andes and Alps. Likely not common on Vancouver Island. 😂
You get a quick reply as I am catching my breath on the Nan climb out of Pont en Royan. Your suggestion thanks. It is a delay tactic. 😂
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11 months ago