Ah, the Mountain bike
and I were reacquainted today and indeed normality ventured towards
me again. Possibly that feeling bolstered by the falling off
incident indeed. I started at Saint Gervais des Bains, because the
ski lift car park was where I'd spent the night in this life of
glamour, and made my way to Bionnay along an innocuous road, followed
by Bionhassay which was a road described at the bottom in both
English and French as narrow, winding and very steep. And the French
do not exaggerate these things, not even usually bothering to jot
them down indeed. So yes, it was interesting, more so when the
occasional car came on by. From Bionhassy I went up past le Fioux
and up to Col de Voza, a ski station in the season. I then bimbled
up to the Hotel le Prarion with its amazing panoramic view. Then
frankly I came back down again. I had intended to go via Champles
and down an interesting off road descent but in honesty owing to the
snow on the ground, couldn't even begin to detect where the track
was. I know, I know, I had a good map, directions, a compass and
Garmin and have completed a nav skills course. Still, I felt ill
prepared to navigate in unknown territory in the outlying hills of
Mont Blanc in the snow. So be it.
Funnily, I don't have
an issue with riding in the snow particularly, it's just like mud
which gives a little bit more, and of course can cover interesting
things too, but it doesn't really flummox me, I've done it before.
Next stop was
considering tonight and tomorrow. I'd kind of got my eye on a walk
which goes from Servoz, or indeed could go from numerous other
locations. Tourist offices being shut for the season in the smaller
towns, I ended up in les Houches which is clearly a big ski town in
the season. Tourist office man there spoke English with maybe an
antipodean accent. Not a trace of French accent. I had got to the
point where I felt a shower might be in order, and the thought of
warm water after this morning's awakening to ice on the insides of
all the van window made me just a little bit euphoric. Tourist
office man it seems fobbed me off. We talked about sites which were
open and which took camping cars (French terminology that). But
after touring three towns and 7 campsites, I finally returned to les
Houches which he had already assured me had no Aires de camping cars.
The book, however says it does, but it's a E15 cost for the night.
I just didn't care by this point and sought out the site. To find it
closed but not so that you couldn't get in. So here I am, prepared
to pay but sat here for free with free wifi too. How fortuitous is
that?
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