A Drive Through the Haute Alps

Today was the drive through the Alps.  Unfortunately, much of the Alps were in the clouds.  Quelle domage.  Despite that fact, it was an absolutely spectacular drive.  We went first to the Col du Galibier, then the Col du Glandon, and finally to l'Alpe Duez.  Due to a fortuitous navigational error, we ended up going up the back of the Col du Glandon, it's one of those roads in Europe that is really a lane and a half.  It was good that it was Sunday, since there was little traffic, except for the touring motorcyclists who are bent on being organ donors.  Here is the route. 

The sort of horizontal stretch at the bottom just made the day.  The clouds parted, the angels sang and it was just magnificent.  This is where we had lunch, really terrible sandwiches purchased at the Col du Galibier.  We had tourist written all over us, so he brought out the bad bread, the bad ham and the processed fromage.  Given where we were sitting, it didn't matter.

On the drive back, on the horizontal section of the map.  If you ever want to do a driving vacation in France, this is a must see part of the country.

Another really pretty church in another really cute French town.

I've done well on this vacation, keeping up the blogging.  However, I'm falling behind.  I have so much I want to say about the dining room, the maitre d', the food, the prices (!) but we're tired, and soon it's time to go have dinner.  I'll include two photos here.  As I mentioned, the Auberge is OLD.  This is the dining room, it's just amazing.  It's a restaurant gastronomique, which means they are really expensive.  The food is good, but it's just food.

I took this at breakfast, I really wanted scrambled eggs but all they had was boiled.  Now, being an American, I just assumed that would be a cooked, firm egg.  Nope.  Virtually raw.  The whites were runny.  By the time we were through trying to get the shell off, it looked like an egg volcano had erupted on the cute little egg cup.  I am certain the staff was tut-tutting in the kitchen about those Americans.  It ended up being a very expensive fruit cup and baguette.

Overall I'm glad we stayed here, but two nights is enough.  Tomorrow we're up and out, having breakfast at McDonald's in Briancon, and then off to Gordes.