It may not have snowed since 11.01.11, but you’d never guess by looking at the pistes…
Alpe d’Huez has over 900 snow cannons, more than any other resort in France. And really it’s just as well, as so many of the pistes here are south-facing. So the fact that it’s not snowed for nearly a month doesn’t matter too much; the cannons are blasting water into the air each night, creating piles of new snow that’s being spread around the resort to keep the pistes topped-up. This technique is all well and good when the weather’s cold enough for the cannons, but if it starts warming-up at night we could be in trouble…
The rugged, glacial peaks of the Oisans Region provide some breathtaking views. The sheer height of the mountains here results in a multitude of huge panoramas contrasting permanently snow-covered faces with lush tree-lined slopes, jagged rock formations and deep valleys bisected by gushing milky rivers. In my opinion, the best 360º view is to be found from the top of the Pied Moutet above Les 2 Alpes.
Wow do those guys go fast! After waiting for numerous support vehicles and police to pass us at our spot on the edge of the Lac du Chambon, the 218 riders whizzed past so fast it was impossible to see who was leading and who’d dropped behind.
The Critérium de Dauphiné is passing through the region today, bringing some of the world’s greatest cyclists along our mountain roads as they train for the Tour de France. The Critérium is run by the Tour organisers, ASO, and is commonly considered to be the warm-up for the main event.
The weather here in the Oisans Region is getting warmer every day and today was by far the hottest day of the year so far. As temperatures hit 29°C in Bourg d’Oisans we had a quick flit around the Saturday market then set off for our first climb of the summer…
