From the Creuse to the Alps

Sunday 04 May

We left Prondessagne at 1100 and headed towards Clermont Ferrand.  After days of low cloud and rain, we had the sun out today.

At Bromont-Lamothe we joined the A85 motorway as it is the quickest way through Clermont.  As it was the last day of a four day weekend for the French, the road was really quite busy.  After climbing up to the bridge over the river Sioule, we dropped down into the valley and joined the  A71 into Clermont.

We continued south through Clermont and the motorway changes it name to the A75, for reasons I can't explain. About 20 miles further down the road, south of Issoire, we turned off the motorway and headed towards Puy-en-Velay on the N102.

Before we reached Puy, we turned off on the D906 and then the N88 towards Montelimar and climbed up into the Massive Central passing some fabulous scenery.  As we drove into the Ardeche, the road crossed the Col de la Chavade and plunged down a huge gorge toward the the town of Aubenas.  The river in the gorge is the Ardeche.  From Aubenas, we turned north-east to the town of Privas on the N304/D104

From there, we headed toward the Rhone valley, crossing the river at Loriol sur Drome.  Our route from here followed the river Drome, appropriately in the department of Drome.  Not long after crossing the Rhone, we could see the Alps in the distance as we headed first towards Crest, then on the D93 to Die and finally  on the N75 and D994 to Gap.  Lynn kindly told me that I should follow the signs to Crest and then I was going to Die.  Not what I wanted to hear really.

As an afterthought, I am now concerned that I have now followed the adage, "See Naples and Die".  What happens next?  Does the capital 'D' have any significance?  Another random thought, if you have picnic spot or motorway rest area in the Drome, does it become an 'Aire au Drome?

The road between Die and Gap crossed the Col de Cabre at 1180M and then threaded its way down to Apres-sur-Buech and then along the valley to Gap.

Arriving in Gap, we easily found the Ibis hotel and checked in to room 312.  We were amazed at the soundproof glazing - the busy main road below is inaudible from the room.

We ate dinner at the hotel, the buffet was good and we followed it with a Provencal omelette with salad (lettuce).