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July 21, 2004

Route de Grand Alps to Saint-Martin-sur-la-Chambre

Left Le Bourg-d'Oisan around 7pm. Decided that the best way to the next stage was to go east toward Italy. Driving through the Alps is incredible. I stopped several times while there was still light enough to take pictures. I was hoping to find a hotel on the way but there were only small towns and the hotels were packed with Tour personnel and people on bike tours. When I hit the road to go north, I had no idea what to expect. The mapping program I have been using along with a gps device, does not really differentiate medium sized roads and small roads that well. The road north had a sign on it that read Route de Grand Alps. This road was about a lane and a half wide with no guard rails and it took you over the Alps and had some of the most incredible views. Unfortunately, it was a little to dark for pictures and it was pretty scary driving the road, so looking around was limited to the occasional quick glance. After getting off that road I continued heading north hoping to find a hotel and before I knew it I was at the Col de la Madeleine. So I found a spot in a vacant lot with a bunch of other people, parked and slept in the car again in a town called Saint-Martin-sur-la-Chambre. Below are some of the pictures I took along the way.