Saturday July 20th - Cool then sunny and warm 15ºC to 24ºC - clear blue skies
Our village Puget
What a view to Lake Annecy!
And we're there
In case you missed Lake Annecy
Morning walk above Lake Annecy
Mountain finish 50m from bedroom
Shoo fly!!
Morning walk with a view
Gendarmes everywhere
2 kids in the back at St Eustache
We're there - Annecy to Semnoz
Watching and waiting with a view
The caravan arrives Cote de Puget
Helicopters indicate riders below
Juan Antonio Flecha in lead
Froome tucked behind Skye Team
No room to move at mountain top
Spare bikes and technicians follow
How good was that day in Puget!
Today is another Tour de France day from Annecy o Mt Semnoz, and we are perched in a little village called Puget at the top of the first climb - a Category 2. It's a very relaxed day, a walk in the morning, watching the caravan of sponsors vehicles trundle by at 12 midday, hime for a cup of tea, Le Tour at 2pm, lunch, another walk then dinner at 8pm.
We're awake early but breakfast isn't until 8.30am on a Saturday so Ian boils the billy, just enough gas for one more brew tomorrow, time to catch up with home, then breakfast of bread and jam, with some local cheese and a hot cup of tea. We decide to book in for dinner - our last night in France - but we're very disappointed when she tells us it's cheese fondu - we eat cheese for breakfast and lunch but not for dinner too and our past experience has been that it's the worst meal in Europe - dried bread dunked in melted cheese and gallons of it. Our host sees our faces drop and I quickly explain that I don't eat bread and she offers potato instead. We'll see later if it passes the test.
After brekkie, it's a walk around the beautiful hiiside villages of Puget, Pralatier, Le Cruet and St Eustache, all with magnificent views down to Lake Annecy, a blue lake on a picture perfect day. Le Cruet has a cheese shop and also a tin shed selling a few groceries, so it's a good time to buy some cheese for lunch, bread and a few beers.
It's a cool 15ºC and there's already people gathering on the sides of the road, but it certainly isn't as busy as Alp d'Huez. We find a possie to return to later, we're sure they won't be 10 deep at this remote village, and walk back the 400 metres to our Chambre d'Hote in Les Pralets in Puget. Another cup of tea while Ian has a beer and a short rest before heading off down the road to see Le Tour.
It's warming up so we look for a spot to stand in teh shade - 15 minutes til Le Tour arrives. Soon there's 5 helicopters chuddering above - Le Tour is at the bottom of our mountain. And within 10 minutes they're in full view on the lower zig zag. Their speed is incredible coming up the slope and Juan Antonio Flecha from DMC is in the lead with a group of 5 riders. They cut the corner and come within 60cm of me, Ian is on the other side of the road taking photos. It's really exciting to be so up close and personal with such great athletes. Another group passes and then the peloton with the yellow jersey of Christopher Froome and one of the helicopters swoops down low. Then it's all over in 10 minutes and the croud of mostly locals disperses.
We walk about 200 metres back to our Chambre d'Hote at Les Pralets and sit on the verandah with our picnic lunch with cheese from the local cheese shop. Time to slash open the mayonnaise bottle to get the last of it out - we're nearly on our way home and won't be buying another bottle.
A restful afternoon before going out to the garage to clean our bikes. They badly need washing as they're still covered in mud from the Rhine 3 weeks ago and Oz customs mightn't like German mud. Dinner isn't til 8pm. Plenty of time to enjoy a beautiful evening. I go for a walk/run down the mountain and up, Ian goes for a bike ride up the mountain then down.
Dinner is more like 8.30 by the time the stragglers arrive from their day at Le Tour. And it's time to celebrate with our hosts who have had a thoroughly enjoyable day and have souvenired a Tour de France Sign which we take turns at being photographed with. The fondu arrives, but I have potato fondu - pretty good, especially since Colette has gone to the trouble of adding a lovely green lettuce salad, pickles and meats. Dessert is chocolate fondu with fruit - and it's surprisingly nice with fresh peaches dipped in hot chocolate - all washed down with a local white wine. Our last supper in France is really nice.
It's a late night by the time we blog, sort photos and clothes for tomorrow - separate bags for clean clothes, semi clean clothes, dirty clothes and clothes for the plane tomorrow night.
Ian's view of Lake Annecy high up
Ian on mountain road looking down to Lake Annecy
Sunset on the crags over Annecy
Making sure we have evidence that we were there on the day
Les Pralets celebrating 100th Tour de France through Cote de Puget
With Colette, hostess 2nd on left
Cheese Fondu - hmm - I have potato fondu - pretty good
Sunset on mountains over sunset