Thanks Sergio -- It was your suggestions by Email that got me thinking about
Col de la Seigne, and looking for Jobst Brandt's reports about it -- and his
and other people's reports about Col du Grand Ferret.
And it was your suggestion of Col du Grand St Bernard / Passo del Gran San
Bernardo that got me wanting to make a loop route with that. But riding all
the way around the Mont Blanc massif seemed like too much, and I liked Jobst
Brandt's idea that seeing the Mont Blanc massif from the south side was very
spectacular.
So I started in Orsieres in Switzerland, rode over Grand St Bernand (indeed
spectaculay like you said) to Aosta in Italy, then over Col du Petit St
Bernard (Piccolo San Bernardo) into France and found a hotel down in Bourg
St Maurice. Next morning I started riding north toward Cormet de Roselend,
but then turned northwest into Val des Glaciers. I left the road when I saw
the sign for the Col de la Seigne hiking trail, did a little more riding,
then lots of steep uphill pushing. Funny thing was the first four people I
met on the trail that morning on bicycles -- they were amazed anybody would
try this on a _road_ bicycle. I added a photo of one of the mountain bikers
and the trail surface to this page: http://roberts-1.com/t/b06/mb
Then over the Col into Italy and down Val Veny to Entreves -- I didn't feel
I had time to visit Courmayeur. Then the steep climb up thru la Palud, and
the delightful gentle paved road in Val Ferret with a festive atmosphere
with so many people out on a sunny afternoon. Then the steep climb up the
hiking trail where I was regretting having ever read Jobst's and other
reports of Col du Grand Ferret. Followed by the happiness of enjoying the
descent on dirt into Switzerland, and glad I had learned from Jobst that the
downhill would be more fun taking it south-to-north. Reaching the smooth
pavement near la Fouly and a high-speed cruise down to the Orsieres train
station (which made me glad I was on my road bike).
A good adventure with three countries and two high pass crossings on each
day -- not sure I'd do all of again.
A few days later I got to try some of your other ideas like Grosse
Scheidegg -- very spectacular going east to west, and made a nice loop route
for me with Interlaken and the Brienzersee and Meiringen.
Ken
