Les Alpes parfait

It's late, and my ability to write good English has been destroyed by my fluent French, so here's a few snippets if a great couple of days I had in the Alps...

In La Thuile I had my first day off the bike in 18.

I managed to pull a hamstring walking to the laundrette.

Said laundrette cost me nearly £20, perhaps including a stench tax, but certainly the folding and ironing was unnecessary.

I ate a lot and watched Bradley Wiggins break his collar bone.

The next day, with good form I flew up Col San Bernardo, and then up to Val d'Isere.

Only the offer of beer from my new French touring cyclist companion stopped me attempting Col de l'Iseran that afternoon - and the thought of the 1000m climb to the highest Col in Europe perhaps.

The Frenchman and I met on the ascent to Val d'Isere and within 20 minutes we were witnesses to an accident on the road, caused by one car being too cautious overtaking us, and the other being too aggressive - the result a rear end shut 100m ahead. Scary.

The next day, the authorities kindly shut the road for us up to Col de l'Iseran, well they might have been planning it for a while, and we had an amazing hour and a half climbing 14k and 1000m.

The Frenchman lives near Mont Ventoux, is therefore a good climber, and like me, enjoys racing lycra clad men on carbon race bikes up hills whilst hauling panniers on a touring bike.

It was an amazing climb, with great scenery and NO cars. hopefully the pictures will do it justice.

At the top, free coffee and cake were laid on and Nirvana was achieved.

I had a smile on my face all day.

I know I was fully relaxed and chilled out because I did not get annoyed when someone took a less than perfectly framed picture of me at the top with my camera.

This conclusion was reinforced when I gave up the opportunity to watch the British GP on the telly in the campsite lounge, to instead enjoy the Tour de France (not such a loss I have to admit). Ah yes, I was also talked into dancing a jig with the Madam of the Bar at the top of the Col de l'Iseran (no not that sort of madam).

It was also a day of meeting inspiring older people: a 62 year old man on a bike tour of the Grand Cols; a 75 year old British couple on a walking tour of the Alps - and he was 5 years into Parkinsons too, and; a 76 year old French amateur cyclist (now retired from racing) who raced with Jacques Antequil (amongst other famous French cyclists).

Et mon Francais est aussi pas mal - je peux avoir un conversation en Francais sans l'autre person frowning a moi...