An Alpine Themed Exit

Onwards and literally upwards as we tackled the great French Alps with all the steely determination and skill of a Tour de France cyclist. Gary took the wheel for this part of the journey and masterfully kept his cool through the chicanes from the coast to the mountains as we began our trek towards our next destination, Switzerland.

I believe I may have been to blame for leading us off the GPS recommended path, for most of our trip from Villefranche to Briancon was along a uneven route where we scarcely saw another vehicle, besides for a loner biker or cyclist. This was some of the most hair-raising but spectacular driving we had ever seen, as the landscape changed from mountainous sheer drops and wooded hamlets below to rocky moonscape, complete with glacial lakes, as we reached a dizzying height of around 2700 meters above sea level.

We spent a wonderful Shabbat in a large self-catering ski apartment just outside the walled old city of Briancon, and marvelled at the incredible ancient fortifications in the landscape around us. We then spent our final night in France in Annecy, one of the 2014 Winter Olympic bid-cities, with its network of freezing cold but crystal clear canals and pedestrianized centre.

Dropping off the General was a traumatic experience, not least because it took us nearly an hour to find the drop off point on the French side of the Geneva Airport and we mistakenly crossed the Swiss-French border innumerable times. That old car had been good to us and in turn we had put it through its paces and showed it much of France.

3742kms travelled.

1000’s of calories consumed.

I love the traditions, the food, the language, the people, the culture but most of all the pride of France.

Au Revoir!