While we waited for the weather to make up its mind, we did a bit of shopping. The local supermarket chain is called Casino, which could lead to all kinds of double entendre. I won't bother. Our shopping basket might have been a challenge to any data mining software trying to predict our buying habits. It contained one packet of biscuits, 3 pairs of sports socks, a bottle of wine (Appelation Ventoux Controlle) and a corkscrew!
We spent the rest of the morning considering possible activities for the afternoon. These included a ride around the Tour de Chaussy in the rain, and a visit to the Penknife Museum. I kid you not. One of St Jean de Maurienne's claims to fame is a history of penknife manufacture. Opinel, the name of the company involved, has become synonymous, in French, with a folding pocket knife with a wooden handle.
Eventually, after a number of false starts, I decided to try and ride the Tour de Chaussy, a route that invloves going over the Lacets de Montvernier and the Col du Chaussy, and makes use of a new strip of tarmac to complete a loop that joins the run down from the Madaleine into La Chambre.
At around 3pm the rain eased enough for me to set off. As it turned out I couldn't have timed it better. The rain soon eased off and I managed to get around the entire ride in the dry. After 35 minutes or so, I was at the top of the Lacets de Montvernier again, but this time turned left at the top of the village onto the climb to the Chaussy. The gradients on this climb are not dissimilar to those on the Lacets themselves. There is a section of about a kilometre where it kicks up to 10% and beyond, just after a dire warning of falling rocks, and instruction not to stop under any circumstances. The large pieces of stone lying on the roadway reinforce the message! This would have to be just where the gradient brings you to snails pace! The section is actually hewn from a vertical rock face, and is even cut back into it with a large overhang in one place. The view from here might be spectacular, but the cloud and fog prevented me seeing anything,
The view into the Maurienne valley from the climb to the Col du Chaussy, on a day when you can see more than a few metres!
I didn't see a lot most of the way up. Even when the fog cleared from the road, it was still in the trees and obscuring the view into the valley. I met only one cyclist the whole way up, though there were a few groups of hikers on the road. By the way, there is a cafe at the summit. It was open, despite it being Sunday and the kind of weather that keeps sensible people indoors.
As usual, the bike and the sign that shows it's at the top of the Col du Chaussy, in the fog.
The route up to the Col du Chaussy via the Lacets de Montvernier is available on Garmin Connect.
The descent on the far side starts out with fresh tarmac. This is the new connecting section that allows a complete loop including the col. It does drop down a couple of times to cross streams, climbing on the far side, but then descends almost continuously to meet the descent from the Madaleine just above St-Martin-sur-la-Chambre. The gradients are about the same as on the Montvernier side, so some caution was required with the wet road surface and the fog. The final run back was the same as for yesterday's trip up the Madaleine, though without the thunderstorms.
A view over the Maurienne valley while descending from the Chaussy, as the cloud started to lift.
The route back down from the Col du Chaussy is available on Garmin Connect.
Oh, and the penknife museum turns out to be better than expected. There is quite an interesting history associated with this local firm.
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