Ceri having found the hills not to her liking, I decided the best tact would be early morning rides on solo so we could spend most of the day doing things together. Hence I set off about 6:45am up the D531 to ride to Villard-de-Lans. This is a an early morning photo of Choranche.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22538
The D531 gently climbed through the Gorges de la Bourne, dominated by the limestone cliffs. When I set off, a lot of the Vercors was in mist. As I rode it gradually lifted from the tops leaving mist in the valley bottom.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22548
The D531 gently climbed through the Gorges de la Bourne, dominated by the limestone cliffs. When I set off, a lot of the Vercors was in mist. As I rode it gradually lifted from the tops leaving mist in the valley bottom.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22548
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22564
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22569
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-09-23514
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22570
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22572
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22577
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive. This is Pont de la Goule Noire
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22590
As the D531 headed up the Gorges de la Bourne, the gorge got narrower with the road becoming more impressive. This is at Pont de la Goule Noire, the D103 which leaves the D531 at the bridge and heads to St Julien en Vercors
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22597
My destination for the morning ride.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22617
Villard-de-Lans is over 1000m high, hence I had climbed 800m and all before breakfast!
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22622
The view looking south from Villard-de-Lans towards la Grande Moucherolle, 2284m.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22619
On the way down, whilst pausing to take photos a couple of cyclists were also heading through the gorge.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22627
I spied a tandem team taking "5" whilst heading up the gorge, so I stopped for a chat. The stoker was a Brummie living the area out for a ride.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22636
The view looking down the gorge from just east of Choranche, towards Bec de Châtelus(?).
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22642
A view of Choranche with the cliffs above.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22655
The cliffs above Choranche.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22652
Bec de Châtelus(?).
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22653
Bec de Châtelus(?).
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22656
The cliffs above Pont-en-Royans from the D531 east of the village.
©Stephen Dee
ID 2007-08-03-22658