22-07-2018     Séez − Séez     119 km

Séez − Col du Petit Saint-Bernard − La Thuile − Morgex − Colle San Carlo (!!) − La Thuile − Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo − Séez


Another day 'sans'. At home, when pondering about this tour, in one of my more optimistic days (when I was young in my head), I had devised the above trajectory with also the climb to Les Arcs (be it Arc 1600 or even Arc 2000) as an aftermath. But after my experiences so far, I have already adjusted downward that overzealous idea . . . .   This now will become an étape that fits me perfectly. I have breakfast while the cook buzzes about in the kitchen. I again propose to have dinner 'in town' tonight, so that he can have an evening off (?) but he (again) tells me not to bother. With a good appetite (for climbing) I ride back to Séez, and at the T-junction turn right for one of the best climbs of the trip. In the beginning the environment is still cultivated, and I pass several hameaux. From the junction till the col it's about 27 km, very regular (between 4 and 6% almost all the time; indeed the elevation gain is around 1300 m), not too much traffic, perfect temperature. And of course nice views to all sides: Down to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (I see a lake that I can't remember − it's a widening of the river Isère), into and over the valley of the Isère to the south, my direction of tomorrow. I think I can make out the road to Val d'Isère, but discard that idea, as the road seems to be on the left bank (downstream) of the Isère . . . .   One needs the right amount of mindfulness, and patience, to enjoy such a lasting undertaking. Just keep pedalling, in a relaxed pace, and enjoy every push. I don't meet many peers today. Possible because the descent to the other side leads one a bit 'out of the way', starting with the busy road (coming from Courmayeur) to Aosta? Shortly after La Rosière, ostensibly still proud of the arrival of the Tour a few years ago, the col comes into view, some 9 km to go, and closer by the statue of, I guess, Saint Bernard.

	Fresh start		View to Bourg-Saint-Maurice		And another
	Valley of the Isère		One of the last views down		Still a later view

	Shortly after la Rosière: Views up		Bis
	The statue		The Dog

By then I'm well above the tree line. Without the slightest strain, let alone pain, I reach the hospice, i.e. the top, make a few pictures, and postpone my coffee break till La Thuile, where I hope to find good (Italian!) cappuccino. Still high up I pass a few patches of snow close along the road. The slopes on the Italian side feel more irregular, and at some points steeper, than on the French side. Almost from the start of the descent one gets glimpses of La Thuile 'down there'.
Before I know it I reach La Thuile, where I have (indeed good) cappuccinos (two), pastry, coca cola, served by an unlaughing 'gothic' waitress, and wifi, and shade. With my bottle and my stomach filled (and my bowels emptied) I continue the descent, which continues quite a bit further − in fact, La Thuile is only about halfway the descent from the Little Saint-Bernard − over the SS26, through a beautiful gorge along the Torrente Dora di Verney, passing several tunnels. At the end a dozen or so hairpins right above each other, but what a splendid scenery with the views to the white-topped mountains in the north-east!! (Grandes Jorasses - 4208 m, Dent du Géant - 4013 m, to name a few). At Pré-Saint-Didier I turn right to follow the busy valley of the Fiume Dora Bàltea to Morgex. Luckily the traffic coming from the Mont-Blanc tunnel has its own highway (literally high as well: I pass under an impressive high viaduct).

	Start of the descent; a few hours in Italy		Open and a feeling of high (altitude)
	Curvy part in the descent		La Thuile
	Close to Saint-Disdier.		White mountain tops
	The high viaduct		Not another high viaduct

In Morgex I postpone the climb of today to buy some groceries in a deli in one of the small streets (with quite a deli shop assistant as well). With enough calories (I hope) I return to the bridge over the Fiume D.B. where the climb starts. The statistics are impressive: 1050 m up in 10.5 km. Okay, it's not the Colle di Mortirolo, but quite stiff it is. By the way, it was recommended by Claire, from Flumet; indeed, a tough cyclist she must be! I fear a bit the heat, I fear less the steepness − no km above 11% − and indeed, I enjoy it. As for the views, they are blocked for the most part by trees, but compared to the Mortirolo they are a tiny bit better. And I must admit I crawl from km sign (with altitude and steepness to come) to km sign, noticing the names and info on the tarmac as concrete signs (= signs on the concrete) the Giro recently passed, and in my lowest-but-one gear I manage the whole 'thing' in one stride. Great! On the top there's not much to do, nor to see − well, there are quite a few cars, though during the climb I wasn't bothered by many. On the west side the views are much better. The first four km the slope is quite rude, but to this side the elevation drop till La Thuile is only around 500 meter.

Typically Italian piles of road signs

Bridge over the Fiume Dora Bàltea

One of the many hairpins

(Quite detailed)   Info per km   (9.86% ;-)

Il Giro was here

Another one of the hairpins

The top

Great views on the other side

Good food in Les Thuiles

In La Thuile I choose another, more attractive looking, ristorante than in the morning. Alas, the kitchen is closed and the man forwards me to La Brasserie, where the kitchen is open all day. So I end up at the same terrace as in the morning, with the same 'punky' girl, but hey, that's okay, and the pizza I order is okay too. With the two climbs 'in my pocket' I'm not so sure the third will go as 'smoothly', and I fear some head wind too, but my fears don't come true. In fact, there's only 1 km of 8% (whereas I think that in the descent I saw a sign for 10%). Halfway I look back to find out whether I can see the serpentine road leading to the Colle San Carlo. I can't so my camera stays in the pannier. I do take a short stop for a 'snow selfie', and for the rest enjoy the climb through the wide open space, and reach the Hospice Saint-Bernard at the top at a reasonable time, and without 'pain'.

Getting going again

Around the steepest section

White intermezzo

Reaching the third col

For my colleagues at the hospice in Zoetermeer

No reason to spend too much time there, so I continue without a break with the easy first part of the descent − I hardly need my brakes (which is good!) − to La Rosière, where I buy some eatables in a small supermarchée. The man from the shop is interested in my bike, especially in the brakes with double handles (I still don't know how Jan managed to create this wonderful construction). My brakes, that is a thing. With so many long descents with all my luggage, will they hold out till Suze-la-Rousse? I think of having a check-up on them in a sports shop in La Rosière, but let the opportunity pass. The rest of the 30 km descent to Séez is great fun: Good road, reasonable slopes, great views, and of course the satisfaction of having accomplished three big climbs. The only dilemma: To make the experience last longer I should brake more often, but I just want to spare my brakes.

Only three views

from the long,

long descent

Down at the D902 I turn left (i.e. skip Séez) and around 6 arrive at the auberge de jeunesse. First a beer, sur la pelouse with the three chairs, and then to my pleasure I learn that another couple has arrived, cyclists even, Dad + daughter (21 years) from Paris. A bit like Enya and me, in the Cévennes, in Corsica, but rather more opportunistic. Two days ago Dad has purchased a road bike, today they arrived by train, and in the next two days they want to ride to Briançon! Over the Iséran and the Galibier!! Enough to talk about, and I tell them clearly about my stupefaction of such an ambitious undertaking, even more so when they tell me it's their debut of cycling in the mountains. It's a long distance and the elevation gain is quite stunning. Moreover, what they already noticed, coming from Bourg Saint-Maurice, the D902 doesn't start out as a pleasant road/ride with many cars and also trucks; I tell them this unfortunate circumstance may well last till Val d'Isère. First we have a drink in the bar and then a good dinner (pasta again, but that's okay) together. After my 'warnings' they think about an early departure, 5 a.m., but when I tell them at that time it will be dark still I think they aim at 6 a.m.   As the evening before I end up in the garden, alone again, harassed by mosquitoes. I open my diary, but don't come further than a complaint about the mosquitoes. I go to bed even earlier than usual, since I foresee a long day as well, so decide about an early start, one hour and a half after les Parisiens.