Such a Perfect Day — Velo Club Traverse

Having set up the VCT Cycle Centre in the heart of the French Alps, it is not surprising that I experience some epic moments. That is the beauty of mountains, they change so dramatically, not only by season but by day and by hour. All it takes is for the sun to drop in a certain place and a whole new view and world is illuminated.

Therefore any day on a bike here is pretty special especially when going out with our visitors and meeting new people, making new friends. But if I had one more day left, this would be my ‘death row’ ride; it would be a perfect day!

Taking a coffee and a croissant at the centre, why rush it? The ride would be in September when it is still warm but with the roads quieter. The route would start with a long descent down to Lake Annecy, with its crystal blue waters. Easing into the day and allowing breakfast to digest. Just before hitting the lake, I would veer off to the left and start the first climb of the day, the Col de la Forclaz. It is 7km with the first 4km being rather gentle. The last 3km are the polar opposite; meaning bloody steep! The final 1km is a long straight, 11% ramp which feels like it is never ending. This end though is simply breathtaking, figuratively and literally! Stunning views of the lake and a coffee; hopefully they have a blueberry tart! Hours could be spent here watching the parapentes quietly taking off into the blue sky.

Lake Annecy is spectacular all year around

Best not hang around too long. A long descent to the valley bottom, taking care with some of the tricky bends, do not want to test the helmets out. It is then possible to join the cycle path which follows the old Ugine to Annecy Railway. This avoids the busy roads even if there are a lot of other cyclists. After about 20 minutes, I would turn off to climb the Col de l’Epine out of the valley. This is a sleepy back road, super quiet and leading to pretty much nowhere. It basks in the September sun so arm warmers would certainly be off by this point. The region is well known for its apples, donkeys and super green meadows. With the rocky Aravis range of mountains as a backdrop, it is a rainbow of colours.

Joining up onto the road to Thones, I would cross the Col du Marais, calm and gentle and then descend to the bottom of the Col de la Croix Fry. Normally I would do this in one go, see how fast I could do it in, take myself as close as I could to the red zone for just under an hour. But today, I would take it all in, ease off the pace and stop around two thirds along at Lo Garajo, my favourite coffee shop in the region. I would sit on their terrace with a doppio and cookie. Maybe even follow it up with another! It is easy to lose yourself in the views of the vast mountains here.

Always find an excuse to stop at Lo Garajo

Prising myself from the deckchair, I would start off on the last 6km of the climb. The first 2.5km of which are steep but once I see the 4km sign post and continue to the next bend, I know that it flattens slightly and it is only a matter of a steady pace to the top.

From here it is downhill all the way back to the cycle centre through the ski resort of La Clusaz. I would pour myself a beer, jump in the sauna and start to think about what my last meal would be…

The good news, in reality, is that if I wanted too, I could do it all again tomorrow!

We love everyday in these magical mountains