I had heard about the Galibier but I was surprised to find myself camped wout on top of it. There were a couple of marquees, obviously something was happening. By morning there were more people, more cars, more marquees. It was the Briancon sportive, the road is closed for the ascent of the Galibier, so I was stuck there until it finished, not that I minded I felt satisfied with what I had achieved around Mont Blanc.
As the road bikers ascended the hill I noticed a few on mountain bikes crossing in from the hillside. This looked much more interesting, so I pulled out my French map and indeed there was an unpaved road that also climbed up the pass. I made a note to come back later in the week and give it a shot.
The sportive was a real spectacle and my first experience of such an event.
Roll forward a couple of days and I set off from le Monêtier-les-Bains. The first section followed the GR50 along the valley floor below the road, flat at first before climbing up to the Col du Lautaret. This was the start of the ascent of the Galibier but the old road started just a little around the corner. Starting from 1988m it twisted and turned to the pass at 2642. I started off in a determined manner. From what I could see the path crisscrossed, maintaining a fairly even gradient with no surprises. All I had to do was pace myself and conserve energy.
From the barren summit I descended down the north side to 2405m and dropped off road towards la Lauzette down and follow the Torrent de la Lauzette. This looked good, really good and there was no one around.
It was a real gem of a valley, high, empty.
A quick turn around and into the climb south flat at first to Plan Lachat and then increasingly steep I started the climb towards Col des Rochilles 2496m. It was a wide and popular track with day trippers. The gradient was constant, but just the wrong side of comfortable and the surface was loose and dusty. I gave it a damn good shot, but came up wanting on a couple of sections!
The track turned in to the GR57 passing under Mont Thabor the path weaved its way passed lakes and rocky outcrops. The descent from the pass was rocky and technical, not the place I would have wanted to have a slip or a terminal mechanical, it was a long way home. The backdrop was stunning, in my head this was real mountainbiking.
It started to become less steep around Refuge des Drayeres and the long, straight descent to Vallee de la Clarée commenced. I coasted along the road, down could mean only one thing, I would have to come back up. Shortly before Névache I left the road and hit the path up top the Chalets de Buffère. It was to be a stiff climb that took me out of the valley, getting dark i had to crack on.
Finally arriving at Col de Buffère. The descent into le Monêtier-les-Bains was fast and enjoyable. Long curving firebrick with a winding forested section near the end.