TOUR DE FRANCE MARTIGNY TO BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE

July 21, 2009

This morning we jumped up early and packed our lunch, lawn chairs, water and supplies and headed down the road for a good place on the switchbacks on the race course from Martigny over the Col de Grand Saint Bernard, through a corner of Italy and on to Bourg Saint Maurice, France. In spite of our early start, we just made it onto the course before the road closure at 10am. We headed up the hill looking for a place. There were some exciting switchbacks right at the top of the mountain, but we were worried it would be too crowded.

We found a great spot near Orsieres where there were several sharp switchbacks and we could see quite a bit of the road. We set up our chairs and table and settled into wait for the race. We had about three hours before the racers were expected and I was sure it would be boring. But, no. Lots of things were going on, plus I had my trusty Monopoly. A truck passed by throwing out boxes of chalk, so Don chalked Lance’s name on the road. We people-watched and ate our lunch and then the sponsor floats began to come along. Don was the swagmeister, garnering plenty of trinkets tossed out of the floats as they passed. I, standing 10 feet up the hill, got nothing. Don really hammed it up and all the pretty float girls gave him candies, and hats, wrist reflectors and key fobs, a coin purse and whistles and a bunch of other little things.  

(see more of Don's photos)

At last the riders passed by, making the hill look like an easy downhill, they were going so fast. I jumped up and yelled, “Hooray Lance” and he was gone. After all that waiting, we got our 10 seconds and now we all packed up to move out.

Most everyone was going downhill, but of course we had to go uphill. That meant driving a block and then waiting 15 minutes until the local gendarmes allowed us to move on to the next blockade. We finally reached the summit and continued along the switchbacks down the other side of the mountain. Many of the small communities were still celebrating, with musicians playing and beer flowing. We followed the road down the hill, and then Don decided it was time to go back home. He was looking for the signs for the tunnel that runs through the mountain instead of driving back up and down the switchback road. I kept telling him where to go, but he wanted to argue with me until I reminded him that we were now in Italy and the Col Saint Bernard was now the Montagne Sant Bernardo. We entered the tunnel and were appalled to have to pay 23.6 euros ($33.50)for the passage.