Patrick Wheeler takes a run over the Le Route Napoleon in November of 2013
Le Route par google maps | explique au Wikipedia | explained in Movie clips and text (second of top 10 roads this trip)
Nice big open vista's, open spaces, so welcome after the crowds and hectic of the mediteranee
Not heavy traffic in the morning, but I could have started it even earlier ...
Still morning mists in the vallees and this is one of the last weekends one could do this run hard, the verglas (black ice) warning signs are frequent ...
This is sheep country, and the signs tell you the sheep have the right of way, but this holiday Friday they are all cooped up ....
Lovely Lovely little town of Castellane and all I have to show for it is a sunspotted shot out the sunroof ... oh darn, I blinked and missed it ...
Just looking at the GPS is enough to cause raptures, the kidney shapes behind were just as good as the ones ahead, pavement in prime condition, largely open road, not a care in the world ...
Up and over and see the valley mists below, everyone is parked on the sides of the road, it is truffle season still, and also perfumeries is huge in this neighborhood, I do not stop to ask ....
Oh sweetness ... or is that squeeee!!!
Sorry, is so much fun trying to squeeze through
Oh, such a lovely little town, must return some day, wonder what its name was, went by awfully fast, lovely stream below it, amazing fortress above ..
Not nearly so big, but sweet nonetheless ... that pointy bit in the middle is a remnant of a castle fortification ... traffic increases and roadworks an unwelcome intrusion
Long section of no photos, a merc and I were dicing it up, I loved the little car, merc had the grunt to catch me in the straights, I was handling corners like no-one's business with a perfect balance, full trunk , and squeaker in the passenger's seat and he had not a chance ... and I squeaked not a tire (but did rub them slightly)
A pause as civilization happens in the high mountain valleys and traffic and pedestrians take place of open roads ...
The climates changed more times than I could count on this route ... and the scenery just goes from great to greater ...
But soon enough we head into Grenoble via the 130kph motorway and the fun is largely over as the motorway slog sets in around Lyon and north ...
Back to a favorite hideaway, the region of white burgundy, Meursault ...
Everywhere you turn the colors are popping as the energy and car winds down ...
Lovely little hideaway just outside of touristy Beune, the boys are still hard at work among the vines as the day's light ebbs away ..
Still has roses blooming!
And the tiny market has the most amazing fresh oysters, the waitress and her boy are total dolls, washed down with a white burgundy chardonnay ... life is not better ... very nice way to unwind ... shoulders un-clench ... heavy sigh of contentment ...
And so to home and to bed ... no, not here, I wish, little plot with a stream running through it, we are instead over the rise at our favorite hipster's paradise, the old Les Hautes de Meursault motorlodge
But if I could share a photo of what it feels like, well, this is about it ... May I wish you a very good night ...