They-they crossed the Alps and they-they tell...
Aloïs, can you introduce yourself?
My name is Aloïs Carretero, 48 at the time of my Alpine crossing... I live in Savièse, Valais, Switzerland, with Cindy my wife and our two daughters. I moved to the Valais in 2001 for professional reasons and started cycling as soon as I arrived. Previously, I'd lived in the canton of Vaud and hadn't cycled at all!
At first, I took up mountain biking, and when I met my wife and her father, a fervent road cyclist (approx. 10,000 km per year), I got into it too. It has to be said that my in-laws ride road bikes a lot and since then I've also been riding very often.
For me, this sport is a moment of freedom, adventure and discovery, a moment just for me. Every year I embark on a new journey.
What motivated you to embark on a cycling trip through the Alps?
My goal before I turned 50 was to cross the Alps, but from home, not from Thonon.
So I set off from my home in Savièse in the direction of the Grand-Saint-Bernard after Martigny. My challenge was to cover the Haute Route des Alpes in 5 days, no more, no less, with a minimum of comfort in the evening after cycling all day.
I set off on Sunday July 17, 2022 and arrived in Nice on Thursday July 21. I covered 735 km for +16000D+, an average of 147 km per day for +3200 D+.
Which route did you take and why?
Here are my stages:
- Day 1: departure from Savièse in Switzerland - Martigny - Grand-Saint-Bernard pass - Aosta - Petit Saint-Bernard - Bourg Saint Maurice = 192 km for 3'800 +D.
- Day 2: Bourg Saint Maurice - Col de l'Iseran - Modane - Col du Télégraphe - Valloire = 141 km for 3'200 +D.
- 3rd day: Valloire - Col du Galibier - Col d'Izoard - Col de Vars - Barcelonnette = 155 km for 3'600 +D.
- 4th day: Barcelonnette - Col de la Cayolle - Col de Valberg - Beuil = 84 km for 2'100 +D.
- 5th day: Beuil - Col de la Couillole - Col de Colmiane - Col de Turini - Col de Castillon - Col d'Eze - NICE = 163 km for 3'260 +D.
- 6th day: return by bus from Nice to Geneva - Geneva to Sion by train.
How did you organize your trip?
In a very simple way. I went to a bookshop in my area and bought the famous IGN Route des Grandes Alpes® map with its little booklet summarizing the km to be done per day and its discovery corners to be made (visit and history of the region).
Then I opened the map and divided the route into 5 stages, one of which was shorter than the others so that I could recover a little during the week.
Finally, I drew up a weekly logbook on a small cardboard map (km and altitude difference to be covered, the day's route as there was no GPS, interesting things to see as I passed through the regions).
I set off with a 3kg saddlebag and my Swiss flag, which I unfortunately lost on my return to Switzerland. I took the bare minimum with a small medical kit if necessary.
Everything was well calculated in terms of equipment (shorts and reserve jersey, a rain jacket and a windbreaker which I didn't even use because of the sun all week with 34 to 36 degrees).
As for accommodation, I gave myself a hotel each evening. It was important for me to have a good bed to sleep well and recover after 145 km a day. I couldn't see myself traveling with a tent and all its gear. I appreciated the comfort in the evenings, and above all the chance to chat with local people and hotel staff.
I had bars with me to feed myself after climbing a pass. I took breaks at lunchtime, always finding a local restaurant and eating locally. In the evening a good meal also in the region where I was with a small glass of red one or good white Beer.
For the return to Switzerland, I took a low-cost bus from Nice to Geneva and then the train from Geneva to Sion.
Your best and worst memories?
The best: The beautiful landscapes I visited and the friendliness of the local people. The good atmosphere of the cyclists when I arrived at the passes.
The worst: The stifling heat when I crossed certain regions and the traffic when I arrived in the towns. You had to pay close attention.
What's your trifecta of passes?
Col d'Izoard : bike path too good, from the exit of the village of Cervières it starts to heat up, but good then one enters a wooded part where I met a Valaisan who lives a few km from me!
Col de la Cayolle: nice long climb, from Barcelonnette it takes 30 km to reach the top of the pass. Not too hard a climb, in my opinion. A superb nature pass where you can hear the marmots calling and spot some while admiring the scenery. There were very few cars on the road that day.
Col de Turini: fairly demanding climb of around 15 km. Beautiful views of the sea and rare tranquillity, I passed very few cars, maybe three...
At times, the roads and scenery made you feel like you were back in the 70s. All we could do was wait for Louis de Funès to pass by in an old DS, or Alain Delon in his old Renault Alpine...
An anecdote?
Arrived in Barcelonnette at the Hotel Azteca (hotel I highly recommend, very friendly staff, old building totally renovated with all its comforts) there was a SPA in the basement. So I rushed down for a leg and back massage.
The next day I had the legs of a young pro and was climbing the Col de la Cayolle with no problem!
Another memory, the trip back to Switzerland, which took me 15 hours! A little after Marseille, our bus broke down and this turned my return program upside down. When I got to the bus station in Lyon, I had to run with my frame on one side, my wheels on the other and my pannier to find the right bus to take me to Geneva. That day I would have preferred to do a +3'D!