Sound Your Horn

Day 2 of our Mini adventure. We set off from Dijon and headed down past Lyon to the Vercours area of the French Alps. Starting at the ominously named town of Die, we took a meandering route through the mountains. With the roof down on the car and 35 degree heat, it was good to climb into the mountains a bit to bring the temperature down.

There was lots to see today but particularly memorable were the impressive the mountain roads carved directly into the overhanging rocks. In a couple of cases there was a single lane blind bend in the road going through a tunnel at the same time. All quite exciting. The blip is the start of one of these carved sections.

One of the roads we drove up passes Les Grands Goulets, an ancient road now closed due to multiple landslides. It was built between 1844 and 1851 and is particularly exciting looking. It closed in 2005. It must have been a spectacular drive given the section it’s carved out from. It is now replaced by a safer but more boring tunnel. We stopped for photos at either end.

Tonight we’re staying near Autrans. More mountains tomorrow.