Refuge Laval

Today was supposed to be a rest day, after having done Granon, Izoard and Montgenèvre over the past three days. But the weather forecast looked good for only one more day, so I thought I’d do this straightforward ride to Refuge Laval that’s been on my list, also allowing me to revisit the valley I did on yesterday’s rainy descent, so that I could experience it in the sunshine.

It was one of those rides that just goes up a valley until the road runs out, and then back the same way. The Google streetview car hadn’t covered the entire route so I had no idea what was up there. I left at just before 1pm. The air was cool but it was sunny all day.

The first twelve miles of the ride were back along the exact route I’d covered at the end of yesterday’s ride, when I had noted that, although it had been wet, it looked like a beautiful valley. What I hadn’t expected is that the upper reaches of the valley beyond where I had joined it yesterday were astounding.

On the way up I noticed that the distance back up to Col d’Eschelle from the turn-off was less than 3km, so I decided to go back up there on the way back down this valley road.

The rest can be told in photos

There’s a car park at the end of the road, and there were a few cars there, and ramblers milling around. You can walk from here to Lac des Béraudes.

I sat on a rock and ate my ½ montagnard sandwich and ½ pain aux raisins, the other halves of which were yesterday’s nourishment. I spoke with an English couple who had just got back from a walk. They were in their eighties and had loads of walking experience in the area. They were staying at Montgenèvre.

The photographs can’t really do this valley justice. With its waterfalls, and river, and spectacular mountain scenery, ths is surely the most beautiful valley I’ve ever seen.

The couple I’d spoken to said that, to reduce traffic, there was just a bus service in high season and other vehicles are prohibited – sounds good to me!

I made my way back, taking yet more photos

I’m not surprised that the river is gushing with such a torrent further down the valley when you see all the significant streams that tumble down the mountain sides to feed it

I eventually reached the turn off up to Col de l’Échelle. I had an energy gel and climbed back up there to see what it looked like in the sunshine

I decided to ride on further, retracing more of yesterday’s ride, to the beginning of the descent towards Italy. I already knew that it was a beautiful road, but it looked a lot better in the sunsine.

I got some photos over Italy and of the tunnels, before turning back over Col de l’Échelle back towards the valley road.

Soon I was back in the valley road enjoying the descent back to Briançon

It had been a beautiful way to cap-off four days of wonderful riding from Briançon. I’m sure I’ll be back one day