Chamonix Activity Report: 24th July 2006
So the rain has held out for the best part of this week, with only a brief shower this afternoon (Saturday). The rest of the week it has been fantastic weather and a good opportunity to top up on the tan. I took a trip down to the swimming pool in the sports centre on Tuesday to cool off. It was fairly busy with children and families, but the pool attendants are very good at keeping the lanes free from kids, so if you do just want to swim laps you shouldn't find it a problem. Although the outdoor pool is closed at the moment the terrace is still open, so you can catch some rays and then go for a dip. Alternatively if you do fancy an outdoor swim, the 20 minute drive down to the lake at Passy is well worth the effort. The water there is fresh and clear and the perfect temperature to cool off in, they have a beach there too, so is perfect for children wanting to play in the sand or go paddling. There is also a small café bar there too if you fancy refreshments.
On Thursday I made the trip over to Morzine for my much anticipated first live viewing of the Tour de France. Having followed it on the television from when I was a small boy, I had always found it a fascinating sporting event. The sheer effort and dedication it takes to cycle 3000 or so kilometres in 3 weeks and the fact that they do it all day and everyday at their absolute limit I find quite incredible.
I parked the car in Cluses and cycled up the Cote de Chatillon which takes you over to Taninges. On the 5 kilometre climb, cars, campervans and tents were already lining the route, all extravagantly draped with flags and banners of their favourite teams. I started to realise the scale and popularity of the event, it is said that behind the World Cup and Olympics the Tour de France has the third highest viewing figures of any sporting event in the world, and seeing the level of support out on the road, it was hard to imagine any event that attracts more spectators. It was ten o'clock in the morning and breakfasts were being laid out on picnic tables, the French were tucking into some wine with their croissants, the Germans beers with their salami and the Dutch well they just seemed to have by-passed any food altogether - content with beer alone. As I cycled past them I realised two things, firstly that the Tour attracts people from all over Europe and secondly that ironically whilst its competitors are the fittest athletes in the world its supporters seem a raging bunch of alcoholics.
By the time I arrived at the foot of the Joux Plane in Samoens (the final climb before the race drops into the finish in Morzine) the crowds were swelling further. I stopped at a boulangerie in town to get some much needed liquid refreshment and some sort of sugary reward when I make it to the top of the climb. The bakery was doing a roaring trade as people were queuing out of the door. This unfortunately meant that the majority of the delicious looking treats had already gone leaving me with the option of either a creamy meringue with fresh fruit or a large pain au chocolat style doughnut. With the former not standing a chance in my back pocket, I went for the doughnut which had already made a translucent grease window in the bag by the time I'd walked out of the shop – I'd better ride up the mountain doubly fast for that reward.
By midday the whole of the climb was already lined with spectators and droves of cyclists of all ages, shapes and sizes were tackling the hardest climb in the race this year. The majority of the fans were clapping and cheering each of us on, and their enthusiasm certainly kept my legs turning all the way to the top. The fans had painted the majority of the 12 kilometres of road up to the summit with the names of the riders and encouragement for them. The whole atmosphere was amazing and the cycle seemed twice as easy as my attempt 2 weeks previously, on a cold wet afternoon. By the time I crested the summit the crowds were 2 or 3 people deep and it was still a good 4 hours before the riders were due to come in!
I met up with friends at the mountain restaurant at the top of the Col de Ranfoly (having eaten my “heart attack in a bag” doughnut). We wandered around the top of the mountain trying to select our best vantage point for when the riders came passed. The temperatures were scorching up the top (the road was melting in places); I kept putting sun cream on and must have drunk a litre of water every hour. Trying to avoid becoming a “lobster” like some of the Frenchmen lining the route - maybe it's a sign of virility in France to be burnt to a cinder, but I prefer to avoid the 3rd degree burns.
After selecting a spot on a bank by the summit we sat and waited…..and waited, the enthusiasm of the crowd was draining out of everyone in the blazing heat. Eventually with horns blaring the front of the publicity caravan started to pass us. All of the sponsors of the race follow the course of the race in front of the riders in lorry floats, and weird little buggies with glamorous twenty something's throwing advertising leaflets and free samples at the fans. As they speed past, small children just out of push chairs scramble with elderly men for a Haribo sweet, T-Mobile lanyard or coffee sample. The entourage dances around like they've had too many e-numbers, the music pounds and horns blast, before long everyone's bubbling over with excitement as they know the riders won't be long.
Soon enough the helicopters that had been hovering over the riders in the distance started to come closer, and two police bikes blasted passed to clear the route. As the first rider (Floyd Landis) appears spectators swarm into the road wanting to get as close to the action as possible, they leave barely enough room for him to pass. With his legs firing like pistons on acid, he darts through the crowd making the last uphill section which I had struggled up look like a gentle downhill. Landis was a good 5 minutes ahead of his next competitor Carlos Sastre furiously chasing him down, to no avail though as Landis by this time was half way down the mountain to Morzine. A few more minutes later the rest of the main contenders arrived with the current Yellow and Polka Dot jerseys toiling their way to the end of the tiresome stage. It was nearly an hour before the last riders went past us but the crowds stayed to the end and reserved their biggest cheers for the final group.
I rode down to Morzine and was amazed by the transformation that had taken place in the town centre. Metal barriers lined the route draped in sponsors banners, the finish line was surrounded by huge press boxes and the huge winners rostrum were all shoe horned into the small town centre. It is fascinating how the whole Tour organisation arrive one morning and is up and gone the next.
Unfortunately being up the mountain you don't tend to have a clue what is actually happening in the race. It wasn't until I got back to Chamonix that night that I was actually able to see on TV what had happened in that stage. Landis had ridden a heroic solo ride which would eventually win him the whole Tour and by all accounts will be remembered as one of the greatest rides in history. The passion and excitement that follows the Tour must be seen regardless whether you are a cycling fan or not. Make sure next summer if you get the chance to check out the Tour.
For more information on the Tour go to the Tour de France official website
Piste Maps for Chamonix (pdf format), Les Houches (jpg format), Cross-country skiing (pdf format), and Mountain-bike trails (pdf format)
Current status for opening of Pistes & Lifts
Chamonix Webcam Index
Useful Links
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
French Avalanche Research Institute
Meteo France - Mountain weather and avalanche conditions bulletins (in French)
Henry's Avalanche Talk - popular avalanche training sessions based in French Alps as well as translation of current avalanche conditions
PisteHors.com - Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding News in English for the French Alps. Excellent coverage of avalanche safety and advice
Additional snow and weather information provided, with thanks, by meteo.chamonix.com and the Tourist Office
