Pizza, Pasta (& Pollenta) - from Montcenis to Nice by Gravel through Flavian's eyes!

Saturday, April 11th - 3 months before the start of the trip - The genesis!

We've been in lockdown for three weeks now, and we still have three more to go (shh, we naively thought it would be shorter). Our plans from the beginning of the year are falling through one after another. But it takes more than that to discourage us; the important thing is to bounce back. After all, it's a unique opportunity to slow down, and although we were reluctant at first, we're starting to enjoy it. We're even taking the time to debate chloroquine—that's an understatement. Fortunately, this period allows us to open ourselves up to reflection, projects, and travel. This lockdown has sparked a desire to get back out on the road with friends and explore new routes.
You too can feel that sweet mix that's starting to smell like bikepacking! Without hesitation, we pull out the 2-3 books that were supposed to motivate us and start heading out! "Damn, this pass is well-known!" "Ah yes, I've never done that one." "This road is crazy." "But you have to do that one."

With the help ofOpenrunner, I'm discovering Gravel route planning and it's a pleasure to draw what looks to be a beautiful and long trip!

The starting point was a burning desire to ride the "Via Del Sale," a gravel trail approximately 30km long that winds its way along the ridges of the Franco-Italian border at 2000m. While doable in two days starting and ending in Nice, it seemed too short, so we extended it and it began to take shape!

We're fine-tuning the steps; there's no point in trying to do too much, and there's still an element of the unknown because, as the friends from the Gravel PCR, "1km Gravel = 4km road." To stay motivated, we gather our best buddies, you know, the ones who can go anywhere with you and won't complain (or if they do, it'll be funny). The positive guys who will be happy to be there! The ones who are more the type to take on the difficult route saying, "It'll make memories," in short, the best!

Thursday, July 9 - Eve of departure

“We’re loading the panniers, special mention to Christophe who thinks he’s going on a commando training course with Mike Horn. We’re finishing preparing the bikes, thanks to our personal mechanic, Tom, who will have mounted more tubeless tires than we’ve climbed Alpine passes!”

Just enough time for a last quick drink to sort out the mapping issues. Thanks to Openrunner for their availability and support, and here we are at 6:00 sharp on this morning of July 10th, ready to hit the road!

Friday, July 10 - Day 1

Starting point, the Montcenis pass! A quick coffee break while learning about life from Simone – you don't have to die ignorant!

The scenery and marmots are already here, setting the tone! 2000m will be our favorite altitude for the next few days. We're already enjoying some gravel trails with views of the lake and then we're heading into Italy! Ciao

We're tackling the first climb of the day and the trip, the Colle Delle Finestre (2176m), a Giro classic (18.6km at an average gradient of 9.1%, including 8km of gravel). When Froome soared up it in 2018, our 15kg bikes were a real drag. The bends are beautiful and the switchbacks intertwine, but the fog is thick and spoils part of the spectacle.Just enough time to throw on a jacket, snap a photo, and tease a few Swiss bikers up at the top about the dust (or maybe just because they're Swiss)! Then it's off to the Colle dell'Assietta (2472m). On the descent, the rain starts to fall, and the smell of polenta tickles our nostrils! In the end, it's not so bad to eat a big plateful while avoiding the downpour!

No time to waste, we still have 1400m of elevation gain left, all on gravel. The Colle Dell'Assietta, this gravel road clinging to the mountainside, less well-known than the Finestre because it's less accessible, but just as beautiful! Once again, the mist decides to obscure the view. The climbs are still between 2000 and 2400m, a piece of cake for our Morzine rider, but inevitably a bit tougher for our Dutch sprinter! We push on to the Colle Basset (2425m), it's the first day and we're still fresh, before plunging down to Sestriere (2035m), a magnificent Italian ski resort that would fit right in with the cast of the next film, The Returned! All this under a beautiful thunderstorm, BUT on the right side of the valley (always trust the track rather than the guy who's starving).

We're glad Christophe speaks Italian because it's a real struggle to find accommodation in this "lively" resort. A shandy, a pizza, ciao bonsoir!

Saturday, July 11 - Day 2

Still lucid enough from yesterday to stretch, it feels like a good day and the excitement of the start! Even if the three difficult climbs of the day are a bit daunting! Montgenèvre, Izoard, Agnel, 90km with 3000m of elevation gain! If the bikes didn't weigh 15kg, we'd call it a transition stage.

We set off with a lovely descent, and the climb up Montgenèvre went pretty well, especially in a group! And stopping at the pharmacy was a lifesaver for our punchy rider! His sore throat from the night before made sleep difficult, and the trip is far from over, so now's not the time to be a warrior! We're glad to have a pharmacist on the team, and we're not just saying that because of the Bepanthen on Christophe's private parts. Thanks for the show every morning!

A descent towards Briançon, just to bump into the AG2R team during their time trial (they were all smiles, like Balkany in court). Then we tackled the Izoard (20km at 5.7%). A new climb for some, often taken from Guillestre because it's more famous for its deserted gravel trap! Easier from Briançon, it gave us a taste of the drivers' already-fed-up mood at the sight of cyclists barely in mid-July, something we were happy to forget on the 60km gravel ride the day before! In any case, it's beautiful; the change of atmosphere in barely 24 hours is incredible. The weather is sunny and warm, the blue sky offers a magnificent contrast with this arid land and these jagged ridges. It feels like a mix between the Bardenas and the Dolomites. The scenery is perfect for making it a Tour de France legend; the final bends are superb, it winds its way through the landscape… pure madness!

The descent is just as beautiful; the deserted junkyard offers a unique atmosphere! One thing to remember: if you've never done it, just do it! (Not sponsored by Nike, but if you're up for it)

It's time to refuel because we still have a big meal ahead. Quick stop in Château-Queyras to tackle the main course first, the Burger ("you're right Brenda, we mustn't let ourselves go").The Col d'Agnel (2744m) looms, the highest peak of our trip, a must-do for any cyclist! The climb is going to be long and hot; there won't be any group ascents, except for the gruppetto, who are completely exhausted! Once past the first village, we can already see the summit, far, far away, too far! No amount of effort, cocaine, or San Pellegrino will help! We all meet up 2km from the summit to finish together, and it's beautiful! One of my favorite parts of the trip (along with the salt road). We reach a great height; the view on the Italian side is superb, and the final bends on the French side are breathtaking! A continuation of the Izoard, it's a feast for the eyes! We descend (on gravel/MTB bikes) to the refuge (2500m) to regain our strength, take a hot shower, wash, and try to dry our gear!

Over a cup of herbal tea with local legend Jérémie, winner of the 2015 Transjurassienne (the long course, please). Besides providing cover, he's an accomplished athlete, and as they say, a real go-getter (or a good pony, take your pick), cross-country skiing in the winter and roller skiing in the summer (his helmet, destroyed in a fall down a mountain pass, can attest to that).

Sunday, July 12 - Day 3

At 5:30 am, things are getting lively at the refuge; let's just say that's part of the charm of the place. The advantage is that by 8:30 am we're on our bikes, loaded down, at 2500m altitude—the warm-up is tough! The descent on the Italian side is just as beautiful as the one on the French side—nothing to be chauvinistic about!
But the weather doesn't seem to be cooperating!



Arriving in the valley, we shed some layers before tackling the first challenge of the day. The panniers piled high with gear, enough to make Kendji Girac proud! The Colle di Sampeyre (2284m), a beautiful 16km climb with an average gradient of 8.5%. Like the Finestre, the road was narrow and quiet, a far cry from the madness of the Izoard, its motorcycles and photographers. The only ones not to greet us were the French ("Champion, my brother!"). The thick fog obscured our view, which was a shame, but our heads were focused on the stem anyway! Once at the top, visibility was down to 10 meters. We struggled to keep up on the descent, catching up with a group of Vespas just as we emerged from the clouds, catching glimpses of the small villages below. If that doesn't feel like Italy, I don't know what is! We find ourselves singing "Bella ciao" (what? Is that a cliché?)! Lunch break in Stroppo, refueling the engine and external batteries (no electrical outlet at the refuge the day before). Fresh pasta is life! Ready to tackle the last pass, the Colle Fauniera (2511m), which we'll do via the gravel section. To get there, we take the Colle del Preit (15km at 7.7%, including many sections at 15%), a gem, which I'm sure we'll come back to ride one day to enjoy the scenery. It joins the gravel road that leads to our refuge for the night: the Gardetta refuge perched at 2335m. This ten-kilometer gravel road will also take us to the Colle Fauniera the next morning.

Arriving at 5:30 pm, pure luxury! Everyone can take a hot shower, recharge their batteries, and relax in this superb haven with its warm welcome. There's a real sense of freedom here; it's a little slice of paradise, and we'll definitely be back with the ladies.We have time to have a few beers, relive the day, the landscapes, the photos, enjoy some polenta (I thought the national dish was pizza) and a little herbal tea before falling asleep at 9:30 pm…

Monday, July 13 - Day 4

The ride begins in the fog, but the few times the sky clears, the view is breathtaking. So much so that we pull out our phones at every turn. The place is unique, we're alone, we'd like to take our time even longer, but Antoine points out that we've covered 5km in 1 hour… We're over 2000m, climbing gravel roads from the start… The road winds for almost 10km before reaching the beginning of the descent from Fauniera. Visibility is no more than 10 meters; Marco Pantani's memorial will have to wait for another climb! It's cold and damp on the long descent. Arriving in Demonte, a little coffee and croissant are necessary (in addition to the network break, the fans are waiting for news!).

From there, 30km of flat terrain await us, the perfect opportunity for the rouleurs to get their revenge (or at least try). It's the first time we've had more than 4km of flat since the start of the trip, which has been quite hilly. The perfect opportunity to finally use panniers (something unthinkable 5 years ago). They're still like road signs, and every zebra crossing is an opportunity for an attack that would make Sandy Casar blush!

All this nonsense is making us hungry, even though we still have the biggest part of the day ahead of us. We arrive in Vernante for a bite to eat. After that, we'll have the Col de Tende (13.6km at 6.5%) from Limone, and about fifteen kilometers of the Via Del Sale entirely on gravel bikes – no small feat.

We set off again, feeling a bit warmer and more satisfied thanks to the slightly chocolatey dessert! Next stop: Limone, yet another Italian resort that could rival Ibiza, the atmosphere seems as electric as a retirement home during the height of Covid-19. (Oh come on, that guy really annoyed us!) But that's the Italian charm, just like it has been since the beginning of our trip: nothing superfluous, it smells of the old and the authentic, and it's perfectly in keeping with this gravel trip, where we're far from everything, and happy to be so!

As we passed the Limone ski resort, the fog rolled in thickly again. It became clear that it wasn't going anywhere; we'd have to turn back for a while once we climbed above 1700m. It was a real shame because the ascent was winding and must have been beautiful – we had to use our imaginations! Reaching the summit, we could barely see 5 meters ahead, just enough to make out the "Haute Route du Sel" sign. At that point, the disappointment was palpable, because the hours spent planning the route on Openrunner, looking at photos online, and studying the viewpoints on Google Maps had really whetted our appetites for the hike.

Every now and then, the sky clears, and the only thing you can hear is "Wow!" We decide to take some drone footage, taking advantage of a break in the clouds, and we thank DJI for the "return to home" function; otherwise, the little drone would have remained trapped in the mist! The sky remains capricious, but once we pass 2,000 meters, the clear spells become more beautiful and more frequent! Clearly the highlight of this trip. It's sublime, pure gravel riding, a blissful solitude, and this mountain road that you follow, offering a new postcard view at every turn! It must be said that our legs are feeling good, which helps us appreciate the view and look up from the handlebars more often.Once again, we would like to take more time but it is already 5:30pm and we still have a few kilometers of Gravel left, not easy until the Don Barbera refuge (2079m) where a small cold shower awaits us.

Matteo's pasta is excellent; he clearly understands he has customers and comes back to serve us directly from the pot! A good meal and a good herbal tea are so relaxing. It's also an opportunity for our elderly neighbors at the next table to give our guide the eye, calling him the "ideal son-in-law," while he himself seems to be considering buying his house as a life annuity.

Tuesday, July 14 - Day 5

5 a.m., we're getting used to these shelters without shutters, we wake up gently. Gently, because the first light is hazy and thick; the bright, warm sun of a July morning seems a distant memory. But the south is getting closer, tomorrow we arrive in Nice, so we tell ourselves the sun will return!

Breakfast (anise-flavored rusk) wasn't exactly memorable, and our stomachs were rather empty. The start was refreshing once again, but like the day before, the skies cleared, and we continued along the Via Del Sale, enjoying views just as beautiful as the previous day. We followed this road along the mountainside while a herd of cows came from the opposite direction. Clearly, we weren't feeling so cocky anymore, and we decided that the horned ones had the right of way! The road was sometimes stony, sometimes dirt; this change of scenery in such a short time was striking once again. Each day has brought its own unique landscape! The bad news is that we reached the end of the Via Del Sale, and Flavian got his first flat tire (the only one for the lightest guy on the trip—clearly, he needs to improve his riding skills...). The good news is that we're tackling a roughly 20km gravel descent where we won't see a soul. The more confident riders are drifting around every corner, while the less confident are content to stay on their bikes and avoid shoulder bumps on the descent. Back on the tarmac, the village of La Brigue isn't far and will make an ideal refueling point. It's July 14th, the flags are flying, people are out and about, it feels great. This excites a few of us who decide to give it our all on the La Brigue sign, a surge of testosterone that remains unexplained to this day! The restaurant is in France, but for some reason, Chris keeps speaking Italian to the waiter… We check to see if there are any pretty girls to impress, but it doesn't seem to be the case! Anyway, it's July 14th, so the kir is on the house, but is it really a gift?

As for the weather, it's still going strong! We'd barely finished our meals when a violent storm hit us—and I mean violent! We waited it out and set off again, thinking that at the next village we'd decide whether to climb back up to 2000m on our gravel bikes to cross the Col du Turini (1607m) (knowing we were at 800m altitude) or take the shortest route to Sospel, our stop for the night. Except that in the meantime, we got hit by a massive downpour! You know how it is in surfing, you never catch the first wave in a set, the next one is bigger. Well, it's the same here! Honestly, we got soaked to the bone, to the point where we started to question the waterproofing of our gear! Reluctantly, we had to cancel the climb to the pass, especially since it was in the clouds! One last challenge still awaited us, though: the Col de Brouis (8km at 5.7%). Yet another opportunity to attack, and to explode mid-flight… The rain stops, but we are soaked, the sky rumbles, it is heavy like a summer storm! Finally arrived up there, all that remains is for us to descend to Sospel.

Arriving in Sospel, the village is very pretty, it finally feels like the south, the sun is back, we even take the time to take a group photo. It has to be said that without the Turini climb, we're doing alright, which will allow us to buy a few more shandy (when madness strikes)!

It feels good to be back in some comfort; our host offers to let us use the dryer. We shower in hot water and sleep in a bed! It's nice to have some time off the bike, to relax on the terrace at 6 pm, instead of being stuck in the saddle with another hour of struggle ahead! We talk about tomorrow, that famous last day. We reminisce about the first few days, which seem so long ago, and the stories are already worth telling over and over again!

Wednesday, July 15 - Day 6

It's weird, the alarm rings, we had one of our best nights (long live the hotel), but feelings are mixed between relief at arriving and nostalgia for ending this trip.

But as has been the case since the beginning of our trip, each day brings its share of surprises and scenery. It seems the good weather has finally decided to join us. We've certainly had our share of bad weather!

We set off early because we need to pick up the van and get back to Annecy in the afternoon. We hit the road, elbows and helmets are flying, and there's a bit of friendly competition – the kind of intelligent play you do! In short, I think subconsciously we're trying to prolong the pleasure and enjoy these last moments together. We quickly tackle the Col de Braus (11km at 5.7%), which we'll do 90% on gravel bikes. This climb is a great discovery; we've arrived in the Nice hinterland, renowned for gravel riding. It's already very hot; we're definitely in the south this time, no doubt about it. Reaching the summit, on the paved section, we're fiercely fighting over the sign. Is this a serious lack of humility? (Or is it just my perception as a loser?). You know, when your buddy dares to ask you if you're going all out in the middle of a sprint while he's catching up to you…

At the top of the pass, we turn onto a new DFCI (forest fire prevention) track, and the sea appears in the distance! The road is hilly, the cicadas are singing, the air is dry, making you want to ride longer here. DFCI tracks are such a treat; you realize that gravel biking is a must in the south! We rejoin the road and a beautiful descent that takes us to St. Agnès (it's stunning and makes you want to take the time to explore). It's also a point of intense negotiation between heading towards La Turbie (and descending more quickly to the coast) or following the route towards Peille and therefore climbing the Col de la Madone (at 925m, another 6km at 7.7%). Let's be honest, despite Chris's sales skills, it's more like 4 to 1, and we prolong the pleasure by tackling the Madone, which offers sublime views! As a small reward, we discover Johnny (we don't actually know his name) blasting his drums around the last bend ("I'm having a blast!" he keeps repeating, and it shows—his energy is contagious). On the descent, we even run into a local in a Matchy jersey, and we stop to chat again! So many encounters on this Col de la Madone! The asphalt becomes more and more prevalent, the sea draws closer, and we approach the Col d'Eze, the last chance to enjoy the views overlooking the sea before plunging down to Nice. We're eager to eat, but the return to traffic is jarring.We had gotten used to our roads at 2000m, surrounded only by cows and marmots!

So how to end this trip? We were given a great restaurant recommendation (Di Piu), the pasta was excellent, and we seemed to be the only ones not leaving with a doggy bag…! A small Nutella pizza to finish, Chris's white jersey still remembers it, and it was time to pack up! A 5-hour drive awaited us to get back to Annecy.

A feeling of accomplishment washes over us. Beyond the route itself, its difficulty, and the landscapes, what stands out most is the sense of accomplishment from having lived a human adventure. From having taken the time with friends to discover each other, to encourage one another, to open up, because the best journey is the one you share!