Alpe d'Huez

Following a simple yoghurt and baguette breakfast in the room, Didier and CJ charge off to climb the crown jewel of the Tour de France; the Alpe d'Huez. Through his skiing adventures he's climbed quite a few of the routes by car and bus.  Now we are close enough to the premier climb to check it off CJ's bucket list.

And what a climb it is;  hard by car.  We see guys struggling up the mountain on bikes.  They are all crazy.  The wedding groom, Vincent tells us he "does it all the time and it's not all that difficult."

This first picture shows the village on the floor of the canyon where the climb begins.  The picture is taken about 80% of the way up. The village remains above where we took this picture.

 

You might be able to make out the ski slope and snow cannons in the picture below.



 

 

 This is a part of the climb of the Tour de France as it goes through the final part of the climb.

 

 Each of the turns on the climb is numbered and dedicated to a winner of the stage. They have climbed the Alpe d'Huez so often now that some signs have two stage winners from different years named.

After picking up Jocelyn at the market, we return for a light lunch in the room.  What isn't lite is the bottle of 2006 d'Aranburg Coppermine. Lunch is on the patio of Didier's room.

Jocelyn's mother and husband have arrived as have Didier's cousin from St. Memoir. We have drinks on the patio waiting for Jocelyn and Maxim to return from decorating the reception venue. Eventually we'll have to meet them at the restaurant.

 

Didier has selected an Italian restaurant. Five years ago you could get pizza; now French food. Carol has Dorade (fish) and CJ beef.  The remaining orders are another fish preparation.  Those smoked mashed potatoes with CJ's beer are delicious.

 

Dinner is completed with the chocolate volcano. The waitress informs us that Carol's volcano is Italian; it's the "leaning volcano".