My Dream Drive: Chamonix alpine tour
Spectacular views, hairpins galore and some epic driving roads for a dream summer drive
Where: Chamonix, France
Car used: Caterham Roadsport 1.6
The route:
"This is a circular route around the intersection of the French, Swiss and Italian borders that will give you a full appreciation of the epic scenery, tunnels, hairpin bends and incredible roads this area has to offer. It's barely scratching the surface but it's still a full day's drive. I started and finished in Chamonix, though you can of course pick it up wherever you want.
Small car, huge scenery - great combination!
Why it's a dream drive:
"Where to start? Just look at the pics! The views are epic, the changes in landscape as dramatic as you'll find anywhere and the driving rewarding and challenging in equal measure. It'd be amazing in any car but something nimble, open top and involving will truly open up the magic of the experience. Check out the snippet of vid from the Caterham if you're in any doubt!
"The road out of Chamonix and through the ski resorts is an excellent opener, the roads wider and quieter down to Martigny. The start of the Grand Saint Bernard can be quite busy with lorries but once they've all diverted to the tunnel it gets quieter and the scenery more epic and rugged all the way to the 2,469m summit. The drop down to Aosta is hairpin-tastic, the beginning of the Petit Saint Bernard wooded and closed in with tunnels, twists and turns before opening up into Alpine meadow and then rugged, tussocky tops.
Pausing for a breather on the Petit St Bernard
Highlights and lowlights:
"You're covering some pretty serious summits so although summer in the Alps can be blisteringly hot things can change quite suddenly. So take sun cream and a brolly! And don't forget your passport for all the border crossings! The first section is reasonably quiet, the start of the Grand Saint Bernard busier but with plenty of filling stations if you're running short.
"The Petit Saint Bernard and Cormet de Roselend are both popular with cyclists so you need to be careful there, especially on the narrower sections of the latter, but much of the route has decent sight lines so you can see potential hazards in plenty of time. The run back to Chamonix from the bottom of the Roseland is a bit of a chossy mess and takes a while - there's probably a better route for the taking there."
Can you get sick of hairpins? Nah, course not!
"You'll be stopping for photos all the time, given the epic nature of the scenery! The hotel by the border crossing at the top of the Grand Saint Bernard (avoid the tourist tat stop at the hospice at the top) is an old-school delight with properly strong espressos, Pre-Saint Didier at the bottom of the Petit Saint Bernard is a very pretty town with plenty of lunch opportunities. If you're running out of time or want to do a shortened version of the route just carry straight on through the Mont Blanc tunnel to home. Assuming you carry on to Bourg there are plenty of refuelling opportunities here for car and/or driver. Depending on what time you're on it the Cormet de Roselend has some great picnic spots at the top. Whether you leg it home through the tunnel or take the long way make sure the drive ends at the Micro Brasserie de Chamonix for a delicious burger and well deserved beer, the latter brewed on site."
Follow the route here.
Looking for inspiration? Check out the latest Dunlop Pure Driving Experiences video here.
While I was looking for an alternative road between Bourg-St-Maurice and Chamonix, I found this on google maps: "old Route Nationale 202". I was intrigued, and found some more information on wikipedia: this part of the road, between the Contamines-Montjoie and Bourg-St-Maurice, would have passed through the Col du Bonhomme, 2329m high... but was never completed due to wars and silly stuff like this, I guess. I once hiked around there and it's just stunning everywhere, with the Crête des Gittes and the Mont-Blanc lurking right above! It's the only part of the road that hasn't yet been built.
I'll spend all afternoon imagining what it would be like to drive there. And I'll try to corrupt some politician into actually build the road
Agree, B St Maurice to Beaufort is a real treat.
I'll check that out next time I'm there though. Thanks!
Dan
Makes me think I should do a write up of some of my tours.
I did the Right Hand side of your route only 2 weeks ago on a CBR600RR.
After stopping overnight in La Thuile, we did Col du Petit St Bernard, turning south, through Val D'Isere, over Col de l'Iseran, Col du Mont Cenis, down to Briancon, and then Col de l'Izoard to overnight in Guillestre.
That town comes with a great recommendation, it was buzzing, even midweek.
Then south again over Col Du Vars, and finally Col de la Bonnette, the highest public road in Europe.
Finished off by dropping into Italy and putting the bikes on the overnight train from Alessandria to Dusseldorf. Great idea if you are short on time.
Col de la Bonnette is already in a plan for another year, since this September we are heading for the Grossglockner and Slovenia, in 3 Elises and 2 Exiges
Vid the whole trip so we can play it back in the depths of a miserable winters evening.
Top marks though Danny ma boy, put a grin on my face for sure, vid very much made me thinks of the opening scenes of the Italian Job, dont go in to those tunnels too rapidly now, you never know what may be lurking in there!
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