Laurent Chiabaut : Annecy - Cagnes - sur - Mer

They-they crossed the Alps and they-they tell...

Laurent, can you introduce yourself?

I'm Laurent Chiabaut. I'm 47 years old. I run SUPAIR, one of the leading manufacturers of paragliding harnesses and sails. I live in Dingy-Saint-Clair, near Annecy. I'm married with 3 children.

Why an itinerant crossing of the Alps?

To meet up with my family on vacation in Cagnes-sur-Mer. I figured it was the perfect opportunity to satisfy my craving for effort, on my own and in total autonomy on roads I didn't know very well.

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Which route and why?

On the first day, I left home very early. After the col de Bluffy, I headed down to the Talloires side of Lake Annecy and followed the cycle path, passing from Haute-Savoie to Savoie. At Albertville, I continued towards the Maurienne, as far as La Chambre. I attacked the Glandon (1924 m), then descended on the Isère side to Allemond and Bourg-d'Oisans, before climbing the Col d'Ornon (1360 m) where I bivouacked.
Day 1: 189 km / 2900 m D+

From the Col d'Ornon I descended to Entraigues and reached Corps, in the Hautes-Alpes, via the Col de Parquetout (1382 m). I reached Gap via the Col Bayard (1250 m), then drove to the lac de Serre-Ponçon. From Espinasses, I headed for Seyne and the Vallée de la Blanche in the Alpes de Haute-Provence. I crossed the Col de Maure (1346 m), then reached Digne-les-Bains via Esclangon and its superb gorges. I bivouacked a little further on at Chabrière, on the platform of the little train station linking Nice to Digne.
Day 2: 191 km / 2500 m D+

On the last day, I headed for Barrême and the Col des Lèques (1147 m), with a magnificent descent to Castellane. From there I reached Cagnes-sur-Mer via La Garde, Le Logis-du-Pin on the border of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes, Gréolières, Andon, La Colle-sur-Loup.
D3 :120 km. 1300 D+

Total: 500 km all round / 6700 m D+ approx

What is your best and worst memory?

The best: the descent from the Col des Lèques onto Castellane, with exceptional low-angled light.
The worst is unquestionably the climb up the Col Bayard in the middle of trucks.

Ane anecdote?

The bivouac on a station platform, near Digne... Meeting a friend from Annecy at the bend in a distant valley...