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A mountain road follows a guardrail along a rocky ledge, overlooking a deep green valley and distant peaks.

Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Col du Grand St-Bernard (day 19)

Ridden · Jamie Brammer

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Halfway to Rome. 2473m, 0930 in the morning

So for a long time I'd thought the climb from Martigny to the Col would be extremely tough and was something I'd have trouble with, not being supremely fit and all. I was so conservative about it that I stopped half way. But today I was pretty shocked how "quick and easy" it was to get there... the off road sections were largely ok on a bike, though the bits by the side of the lake were more "hike-a-bike", but nothing like yesterday. I thought that the road section (the walking path for the last 9km or so would have been all "hike-a-bike" so really no fun) was actually pretty easy and, yes, I stopped a couple of times for some water and sugar but only a few minutes each time. I almost sprinted up the last section of road with a mixture of elation, energy (probably from the sugar) and slight disappointment that it wasn't going to be a bit tougher.

After today, having got from Bourg-Saint-Pierre to the Col in 2 hours, mainly offroad, I'd definitely have said I could do it all in one stage. The only caveat to that was that yesterday was extrememly hot and I'd taken some very off-road approaches to the route so by the time I got to Bourg-Saint-Pierre in the heat of the afternoon, I think it would have been too much to tack on the route I took today. Though if I were to do this again I'd probably try to do it all in one day.

Overnight: Col du Grand St-Bernard, Auberge de l'Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard

The main issue with arriving at your destination early in the morning is that there's almost no chance of checking into your accommodation. But on this trip all the places I've stayed have helped me store my luggage and put my bike away, today was the same.

That just gave me about 10 hours to kill until dinner so I took a hike and relaxed. There's good places on the Italian side for lasagne and ice cream (they're also a little cheaper than the Swiss side).

There are actually more choices for accomodation at the Col than anywhere down the valley apart from perhaps Martigny. But I had it in my head that this was going to be a really tough day and I needed somewhere good so I'd booked the most expensive place to stay: the Auberge de l'Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard. I'd stay here again, very friendly people and wonderful food: 1st August is the Swiss National Day and so it was fondue for dinner, and it was the best I've ever had.

I was woken up at night by what I thought were drunken Arsenal fans (they'd been playing some big game the night before, and they don’t win that often) but when I listened more carefully it was the monks next door chanting. I can say for certain those guys are never going to end up on X-factor.

  • A stone church tower and cluster of stone-and-timber houses catch the last light at dusk, a mountain valley receding behind the Swiss village.
    Bourg Saint Pierre
  • A gravel track cut into a rocky hillside passes beneath the concrete piers of an avalanche gallery, with pink fireweed flowering along the verge.
    Thankful to avoid the road up above, the galleries are probably a nightmare to cycle through.
  • A loaded touring bike leans against the stone parapet of an old railway viaduct spanning a wooded ravine, a mountain peak visible down the valley.
  • Rows of brightly painted beehives and small wooden bee shelters are dotted across a grassy alpine slope beneath rocky outcrops.
  • A gravel road curves through a green mountain valley bordered by flowering fireweed, with a distant viaduct and hazy peaks ahead.
  • A tall concrete dam wall rises above a gravel access road lined with purple fireweed, a bare mountain peak framed behind it.
  • A turquoise reservoir stretches between steep mountainsides, a gravel track and wildflower verge following its near shore.
    You can clearly see the galleries of the road on the other side of the reservoir
  • A loaded touring bike stands on a wooden footbridge beside a small weir where a mountain stream tumbles over concrete steps.
  • A stone-roofed ruin sits beside a stony path marked with a small red trail flag, snow-streaked mountains filling the skyline beyond.
    On “my side” of the reservoir the gravel track runs out and you’re left with stuff like this. Tricky, but not impossible to cycle. Still plenty of hike-a-bike.
  • A large array of floating solar panels covers part of a turquoise alpine reservoir, with a road bridge and forested slopes behind.
    A solar power plant. Less atmosphere, more solar radiation at 2000m so more efficient than lower down.
  • A stony path leads towards distant peaks past an orange numbered trail marker post reading '7'.
  • A stone hut carries a cluster of yellow signposts pointing to the Col du Grand-St-Bernard, Bourg-St-Pierre and other local destinations, with a mountain valley behind.
  • A broad mountain valley opens out around a cluster of low buildings beside a road, with peaks rising on both sides.
    Looking over at the start of the tunnel under the Col.
  • The sun breaks over a mountain ridge above a stony path descending towards a road and a cluster of buildings in the valley below.
  • A stony trail winds down a grassy slope towards a hairpin road bend, with layered mountain ridges beyond.
  • A tarmac road winds down through a green mountain valley towards distant peaks.
  • A car rounds a sharp hairpin bend on a mountain road, with grassy slopes and a rocky outcrop rising above.
    I did take the road the last few km.
  • A mountain road follows a guardrail along a rocky ledge, overlooking a deep green valley and distant peaks.
  • A mountain road switches back down a valley in a series of hairpin bends, flanked by rocky grassland.
    It was steep but didn’t feel that bad. Likely I’d just got some fitness over the preceeding few days.
  • A mountain road twists down through a valley in tight switchbacks, with jagged snow-streaked peaks in the distance.
  • A cyclist stands beside his orange loaded touring bike with one hand on a stone marker reading 'Gd. St-Bernard 2473m 8114ft', outside a shopfront at the pass.
  • The same cyclist smiles beside his orange bikepacking bike at the 'Gd. St-Bernard 2473m' summit marker, with other visitors passing nearby.
  • The Grand-St-Bernard lake sits beneath a jagged granite peak, with the hospice and monastery buildings ranged along its far shore.
  • Sunlight streams over a mountain ridge above a rugged, snow-patched valley, a stone-paved path leading down towards the road.
  • A stony path descends a mountainside past a red-and-white warning sign, with a green valley opening out below.
  • A patch of late-lying snow lies beside a stone-paved path descending through a rocky mountain valley, hazy peaks visible in the distance.
  • Cars and a camper van are parked outside a row of stone buildings with dark roofs at the mountain pass, one under scaffolding and marked 'Von Ro'.
  • A covered walkway links two tall stone buildings at the mountain pass, with a 'Musée Chiens' sign and open hillside visible through the gap.
    The highest point is just under the bridge between the hotel (on the right) and the monastery/hostel (on the left).
  • A stone toilet block and colourful storage sheds beside a mountain-pass car park, with a rocky trail and a stone cross climbing the grassy slope beyond.
  • The nave of a baroque church looking towards a gilded altar beneath a frescoed dome, with a few visitors seated among rows of wooden chairs.
  • A long stone hospice building with a steeply pitched, dormer-lined roof set against bare rocky mountainsides near the Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard.
  • The hospice building above a green mountain lake, with a rocky path leading down towards the water and snow-streaked peaks in the distance.
  • A hiker in a red jacket walking two dogs along a rugged, boulder-strewn ridge high above the Grand-Saint-Bernard valley.
  • A wide panorama of the green pass lake ringed by rocky peaks, with the hospice buildings and the road curving along its northern shore.
  • Two small cairns of balanced stones on a rock ledge overlooking the green pass lake, the hospice and a line of parked cars on its far bank.
  • A woman walking a St Bernard dog along a rocky shoreline path above the green pass lake, with the hospice buildings and parked coaches beyond.
  • A rocky outcrop overlooking the green pass lake and hospice, with a single sharp peak rising behind the valley road.
  • A dramatic view over jagged, snow-streaked peaks down to the hospice buildings, lake and car park nestled in the valley below.
  • A wide panorama of the pass lake, hospice and surrounding peaks under a bright sky, with the glaciated Grand Combin visible in the distance.
  • The hospice's shuttered stone facade and dormer roof set against a backdrop of sharp, snow-streaked summits and a broad glacial valley.
  • A stone breakwater of stacked slabs at the lake's edge, with the hospice building reflected across the calm green water.
  • A hairpin mountain road winding through a green alpine valley below jagged rocky peaks, with a car rounding the nearest bend.
  • A dark bronze statue of a robed, staff-carrying figure atop a stone plinth, looking out over the pass lake and hospice below.
  • Walkers pausing beside a lingering snow patch on a rocky slope, next to a yellow waymark post numbered 103.
  • A weathered alpine building with a wooden "Bienvenue Benvenuti Welcome" sign out front, where people decorate picnic tables with Swiss, Italian, French and EU flags.
  • The pass lake under a heavily clouded sky, with stone and timber buildings and parked cars lining its near shore.
  • A hiker in a bucket hat taking a selfie beside a blue sign reading "Col du Gd-St-Bernard alt.2473 m." and a Zone 30 speed-limit sign.
  • A narrow mountain road hugging a lichen-covered rock face, with a wide scree-floored valley and distant peaks beyond.
  • The back of a blank triangular road sign beside the pass road, with the hospice buildings and a patch of old snow on the slope behind.
  • A St Bernard dog curled up asleep on a felt mat in a sunlit gravel courtyard.
  • An overhead view of the same St Bernard dog stretched out asleep on gravel, its brown and white coat catching the sun.
  • The pass lake lit by hazy sunshine breaking through heavy cloud, with the hospice and roadside buildings strung along its edge.
  • A similar view of the pass lake under a dramatic, sun-pierced cloud bank, with a sharp peak rising beyond the hospice.
  • A lichen-stained stone memorial cross on a rocky outcrop above the pass road, with flowers left at its base and mountains behind.
  • A pot of melted cheese fondue on a tabletop burner beside a bread basket and a glass of beer, with a hand dipping in a piece of bread.