Day 39: Col de Méraillet à Chalet Colinn

Managed an early rise, just before alarms echoed across the reservoir to evacuate all rivers, with instructions given in French and Italian, we assume due to upstream letting out of other reservoirs. Were joined at breakfast by all the other (motor) cyclists in the lodge – was surprised to see riders with such horsepower bothering to get up early, but I suppose we’re all vying for the same empty asphalt.

Managed a luxurious climb to start the day, with few cars or motorcyclists and much of it still in the shadow of the mountain. The last kilometer of the first climb was a gentle gradient amongst stunning wildflowers.

Then plummeted 1100 meters (3600ft) down, while the temperatures climbed, to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, where we stocked up on lunch foods for today and our rest day tomorrow. Faffed about, as our English friends say, at a few cycle shops looking for better water bottles, and I bought a new long-sleeve white shirt to complete the transition of my look away from “sporty spandex” toward “is this a beach holiday yet.”

Back up a wee false summit, which Philipp had ingeniously designed to get us away from the main road, snack, and slight descent to kick off the final relentless 850 meter (2800ft) ascent toward Tignes along what seemed like the main trucking route.

Both this and the ascent to Roseland were marked every kilometer with signs for cyclists, counting down the kilometers and providing the average gradient for the forthcoming segment, but we saw far fewer other riders today – a likely symptom of aforementioned truck traffic. That said, we agreed our preference was to share roads with trucks, whose drivers are professional and give wide berth, over splashy sportscars for whom all curves must be hugged – regardless of cyclist occupancy.

Dreams of a swim were dashed as the reservoir proved more of the active industrial sort, so we booked the last 3 kilometers up to our rest day hideout, a stone cottage overlooking the water with a terrace surrounded by beautiful flowers, just in time to beat the storm and listen to thunder roll in. If I never write again, send wine care of Chalet Collin.

Total distance/elevation to date: 2991km/21’715m
Rest days: 9
Day 39 Route and Stats
Relive Video