After three months off from all things ski related (including the blog!) and some much needed time with family and friends back in the UK, we’re now back into the alpine way of life. Following the surprisingly glorious stint in the UK, particularly during June and July, I was a little disappointed to arrive back in the Alps to the news that this is the worst summer in living memory of most of the locals. After hearing there were no more than 3 sunny days in the whole of July it appears that old blighty has blown the alpine summer out of the water. Having said that we’ve had at least 5 sunny days since being back, nearly doubling that of July, so I’m hopeful for the rest of August!
Weather aside, it’s not stopped the array of activities that make the Alps so appealing for the summer. With tennis courts on the doorstep and a lake 5 minutes walk up the road offering everything from paddle boarding to flyboarding, not to mention being surrounded by mountains, Tignes offers a little something for everyone.
However, nothing quite beats the most lycra clad of all the summer activities in the Alps – road biking. Perfect for a spot of high altitude fitness training and arguably the best way to take in the breathtaking scenery. We took advantage of a free weekend and popped over to Italy to do just that. Arriving in Aosta slightly later than planned, without a vital pair of cleats, with no idea exactly where we were and with reports of storms, the planned cycling trip looked like it was going to be a non-starter. However thanks to a helpful Italian with google maps and a shiny new pair of cleats we were soon on our way.
Starting just outside of the old town in Aosta at 590m we snaked our way up 35km of alpine road, covering nearly 2000m vertical to reach the heights of the Col du Grand St Bernard at 2473m, connecting Italy and Switzerland. The scenery was indeed breathtaking and we had ticked all of the boxes to complete a true alpine cycle: marmots, alpine cows complete with cow bells and little alpine cafes en route (which we couldn’t actually enjoy as in our usual unorganised rush we’d forgotten to take any money with us!). There were even three St Bernard dogs being taken for a walk as we reached the top. The unrelenting 35km of uphill was… character building, nevertheless it was all very idyllic and well worth the slog.
1km from the top and we were nearly blockaded by crossing cows
Arriving at the Grand St Bernard pass three and a half hours on
The pass, rumour has it, is the most ancient pass in the Western Alps. It is reported to date back to the Bronze Age (about 800 BC), having been crossed over the years by the likes of the Romans, Napoleon and his 40,000 troops and according to legend, Hannibal and his elephants. So once you reach the top you’re in good company. St Bernard himself, the 11th Century Archdeacon of Aosta who was responsible for building the Hospice on the pass, sits at the top on the Italian side. Actually, a statue of him stands pointing at the sky. In 1923 he was confirmed as Patron Saint of the Alps by Pope Pius XI and is the protector of travellers, skiers and mountaineers. Now that’s my kind of saint!
The statue of St Bernard towering over the travellers on the col
History and St Bernard dogs aside, the beauty of this cycle lay in the descent. What goes up must come down and I can safely say the 35km of downhill on fresh tarmac (and where it wasn’t fresh tarmac it was a very well kept, quiet road) was the best downhill I’ve experienced on a bike to date. A perfect day cycling and one I would thoroughly recommend to anyone hanging around the Alps with a road bike!
The descent
To top it off, Pré Saint Didier Spa, is a short drive away from Aosta, nestled in the heart of the Italian Alps and conveniently en route to the Col du Petit St Bernard and back to Tignes. After Saturday on the bike, Sunday in the spa was the perfect way to relax, freshen the legs and end the perfect alpine weekend.
Pré Saint Didier Spa (the buildings bottom left of the town) from the viewpoint above.
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