Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse − Col de Cucheron − Col du Granier − Col de Plainpalais − Annecy − Col de Bluffy 😊 − Thônes − La Clusaz − Les Étages

A second shower, a lonely breakfast, two checks that I've put everything in my panniers before I close the front door behind me − no key problems this tour, please − and off I am. And I feel fine again. Perfect morning through the beautiful Chartreuse. Two easy-going climbs de 2me catégorie topped by two outstanding rocky giants. First the beautiful Chamchaude, high and white in the sun, and after the Col de Cucheron up to the impressive Granier. It's great! Then the long descent to Chambéry, the longest of today, 900 m down, partly along a rocky wall, with a view to the Lac du Bourget.

Chamchaude   (i.e. the mountain)

. . . .   on a glorious morning

	First col passage		Le Granier   (the seond outstanding mountain)
	Saint Pierre-d'Entremont		Road to the Col du Granier
	Second col passage		Vue over Chambéry   (and the Lac du Bourget)

A first challenge is to find the route to the Col de Plainpalais; Chambéry is quite big! I follow 'my nose', at least have to cross the Leysse somewhere, and when I figure I must be close I look for a place to have a pie. I find one (a boulangerie/pâtisserie) in a 'MacDonalds area'. I munch away a good ravitaillement for the next challenge, the third col, and the hardest of today. I text to my (warm showers) host of today to announce my upcoming arrvial. And I still have to establish challenge no.1, i.e. to find the route du Col du Plainpalais. It feels like I'm going round in circles. With some luck I ask the right person for information: a cyclist that guides me along several cycle paths to the D912. The climb is quite irregular, there's a km of 4% and also a km of 10.4%, so it goes slowly, slowly. When it's steep the speed drops below 7 km/h, I definitely need my petits développements to not overexert myself (all in all I manage the climb with an average speed of 9.4 km/h, says Strava). Follows a short descent to Lescheraines where I don't find a fontaine and instead have my water bottle refilled in a restaurant (I doubt whether that would have gone as smoothly in Holland). Follows the 'easy' (well, nothing is easy on a warm day, after almost 2000 altimeters) five km to the next col. At this, the Col de Léschaux, one on the few cols with four access roads, I come to one good and one unwanted surprise.

Getting out of Chambéry

. . . .   to get onto the Route du Plainpalais

	Climb to the Col du Plainpalais		. . . .   nice and quite hard
	Col numéro 3		Short break   (pssss)   shortly after
	Open ride to . . . . .		. . . .   Col de Léschaux
	Close to the pass		Not a nice surprise

The good surprise is a nice terrace where I have an icecream and a chat with a Danish family of four: Today the wife, son and daughter join Dad; most days he explores the region on his bike on his own. The other surprise: the direct road to Annecy is closed for traffic and for cyclists a detour via Semnoz is indicated. I am startled: that means another climb 800 m up. However, Danish Dad reassures me it's a detour of only 1 km. One km to go up, and then a long descent to Annecy. After 5 km the alternative road comes together with the main road, which because of the blockade is probably quieter than usual; after 22 years I can't say I know what's usual here. Lucky me! I enjoy the speed and the nice views over the Lac d'Annecy and the beautiful high mountains around it. Down at the lake, at Sévrier, I quickly find the cycle path which offers a new challenge: Walkers, children, dogs, slow riders, . . . .   Well, I take it easy too, and still move faster than the cars that are stuck in a big traffic jam. The tourists' interruption is pleasant, the road is flat, for some 10 km. Unfortunately the cycle path does not yet circle the whole lake, so at the north-east corner of the lake I have to get onto the main road, which is no fun. It's busy, warm, stuffy, too small, . . . .   However, after the bifurcation at Veyrier-du-Lac, at least two of these drawbacks disappear, and it's actually a nice climb to the Col de Bluffy. And what a beautiful mountain range up there in the north! After the confluence with the D16 it's the end of the fun: Cars, cars, cars. In Thônes, between 5 and 5:30 p.m: Still no text from my hosts.

	Sidestep with gorgeous views		E.g. over the Lake of Annecy
	Busy intermezzo		. . . .   along the Lac d'Annecy
	Unexpectedly nice ride		. . . .   up to the Col de Bluffy

During a break in a park I call them but get connected to a Dutch guy who doesn't speak French. Stupid: I put 0031 instead of 0033 in front of the French phone number . . . .   When I do put the right land code in front I come to speak to a French lady who hasn't been informed by her husband of my coming tonight . . . .   But it's okay if I want to come. I check again whether their home is on 'this' side of the Col des Aravis, as I had been told by the husband, and it appears it is not. Aïe! I ask for some time to reflect, and decide: No, it's too far, and also not very convenient for tomorrow, so I call back to cancel. What then? With difficulty I find an internet site in a bookshop, but it's too annoying to find a place for tonight in or close to La Clusaz. Let's just go and see what happens. It has become too late to take the route via the Col de la Croix-Fry. So, now I'm forced to take the one road I had 'promised' myself never to ride again, the excusez-le-mot shitty road to Saint-Jean-de-Sixt. It's busy, it goes up (300 m in 8 km), I'm tired, and slightly worried: Will I get from 'the shit' into 'the high', as often happens? I'm glad when I finally reach Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, where the countdown to the Col des Aravis (the bornes in the roadside) starts. Until La Clusaz the incline is small. The fun returns, and also the nostalgia, especially when La Clusaz and the slopes around (many châlets, that's a pity) come into view.

Nostalgic moment

Long shadows when I approach Les Étages

I try two 'hotels' in La Clusaz, and a very cozy, very busy pizzeria/hotel halfway to Les Étages, with no success. A lady on an e-bike, that passes me, reassures me that (she thinks) there is a hotel close to the spot where I'd like to put up camp. It's past 8 p.m. when I reach the junction to the Col de la Croix Fry (and the auberge de jeunesse, alas complet) and spot two hotels. Hotel "Le Gotty" doesn't look too expensive, it looks quite deserted, I ask for a room, and I'm lucky in all respects (around € 50,-). Unfortunately there's not a restaurant, and I brought hardly any food. Do I want to go down for food? No. I don't. However, a cold platter can be arranged for, including a dessert, and the views are great. So yes, a very positive turn of events:   Lovely (though short) evening!

Unexpected:   Good repas du soir