Solely an hour from Serre Chevalier would this seem to be a vacation?
Having executed one lengthy weekend, after which a 5 day journey it appeared that Embrun ticked all of the packing containers, so an additional two weeks had been booked, however as ever you’ll be able to’t plan for the Climate Gods!
It all the time appears a bit of churlish to look ahead and begin planning a break from Serre Chevalier because the ski season attracts to an finish. However as soon as the ski touring season finishes, and every thing from cafes to supermarkets are closed within the valley, then it is good to get out of Dodge till it opens up once more late June!
And particularly this 12 months as, what was seeking to be such an excellent skitouring season with a lot snow at altitude, was thwarted by the unseasonal excessive temps, which affected the all-important snow transformation course of essential for spring touring.
For a few years after the season completed we did a street journey right down to Tarifa in Southern Spain the place kitesurfing situations are wonderful. Nevertheless, looking for appropriate lodging us with three canines is difficult and, additionally, very costly.
Plus, as I am nonetheless an intermediate with regards to wing-foiling, I used to be eager to discover a location that will assist me progress. So near Serre Chevalier now we have the third largest synthetic lakes in Europe, Lac Serre Poncon, which is surrounded by gorgeous views. It’s an space I do know properly from biking, nevertheless, it additionally has a fabled thermal wind that’s meant to work from Might via to July and on into August. Mix that with a surplus of lodging decisions and packing containers are quickly ticked.
Earlier than committing we went down for an extended weekend to suss potential lodging we might seen on reserving.com and airbnb.
One of many problems with coming down early is that the principle lake continues to be not full, and, this 12 months, that’s additional difficult by the large will increase in late spring snowfall at altitude. EDF who handle the dam must calculate the circulation and determined to delay flooding the lake until later within the season. Happily, there’s a stretch of water, the Plan d’Eau d’Embrun, which you’ll foil and sail on. Nevertheless it wasn’t until we made the journey down that we noticed simply how good all of it was there.
After which we found Campsite La Clapière, which as they are saying on their web site, ‘is the perfect vacation spot for a pleasing vacation between lake and mountains’.
We went and had a have a look at their chalet cabins and noticed that they take canines. They, additionally, had new cabins being constructed with air-con so we determined that was the way in which to go. In truth I additionally booked a further 5 days there for when Elaine can be again within the UK.
That weekend we stayed in a resort very near the Plan d’Eau and from there we may discover the lake and Embrun itself, what we hadn’t realised was that it was main vacation weekend so Embrun was buzzing.
And that basically helped our selection in deciding on Embrun as there’s simply a lot extra happening than again in Briancon / Serre Chevalier at the moment of 12 months with so many extra eating places and bars open.
I additionally managed whereas down there for the weekend to get out on the foil however winds had been too mild for me. I used to be optimistic a minimum of.
We found the fabulous Roof High restaurant (picture above) and bar overlooking the lake and the ski station of Les Orres (picture under) which in Should still had a lot snow and does look to have some excellent terrain.
As soon as again in Serre, Elaine found that in our deliberate journey there have been two working occasions, one a flat 10km across the Plan d’Eau after which the next week a 15km path run that fashioned a part of the Grand Path de Serre Poncon weekend with over 1,500 runners collaborating in 64km, 48km, 30km and 28km races, so we duly booked ourselves in.
As I discussed Elaine was going again to the UK so I took myself and the canines down to remain in a cabin for 4 nights instantly after the massive Outside Combine pageant.
Having now stayed in / round Embrun for 3 weeks or extra I’m fairly amazed at what it has to supply when it comes to sporting assets. It lays declare to the hardest iron man triathlon occasion on this planet, EmbrunMan this 12 months is the fortieth Version after which all year long Embrun and Lac Serre Poncon host quite a few different sporting occasions, and very often function within the Tour de France.
There actually are too many sporting actions to say and nearly each water self-discipline is out there. After which there are the same old mountain actions resembling mountain climbing and climbing, together with street and mountain biking. In truth, with regards to the cycle route round Lac Serre Poncon, I typically say that if Carlsberg made biking routes this might be it, as it’s simply so scenic in addition to difficult.
Embrun itself is a superb little city, and is called the ‘Good of the Alps’ with an excellent variety of eating places and outlets plus a market on Wednesday and Saturday.
The principle sq., Place Bathelon is a superb place to observe the world go by sitting in one of many bars, although my favorite is La Taverne de Pan, which had some nice nibbles, notably their l’écrasé d’olive, a form of tapindard.
And if that is closed then Le Boulevard is a basic cafe that does an excellent French breakfast of orange juice, croissant, bread n’jam and occasional for €7.
For my first keep at Campsite La Clapière, I used to be in an older cabin which was greater than enough and well-kitted out, and I discovered it very tranquil, simply me and the canines as Elaine was within the UK.
The WiFi was good as properly, although that very a lot is dependent upon the place your cabin is, and I believe I used to be lucky in that I used to be proper by an antenna. The campsite was nonetheless very quiet, being properly out of excessive season. Lots of the close by cafes and eating places had been closed or simply on the brink of open, however the all-important boulangerie and grocery store had been solely a 2 min drive away.
Sadly, the wind nonetheless didn’t materialise, so I made do with working and biking.
Then 10 days later I returned this time with Elaine, staying in a brand-new cabin with air-con which was helpful as we used it to heat the cabin up on a few events as sadly, the climate was on the chilly aspect. In truth the climate was fairly dire with the unseasonal unsettled theme that we witnessed in Might persevering with properly into June, and I might estimate it was most likely 10 levels under what you’d usually anticipate there.
The primary weekend we had been there we ran the 10km race with a discipline of round 350 and Elaine gained her age group with me coming second in mine, so an excellent efficiency from the visiting Brits. For the subsequent few days, my legs had been sore although I managed an excellent bike trip. However behind our minds, mine particularly, was the a lot more durable 15km path run on the next Sunday.
Throughout our keep the climate was considerably risky and most afternoons we had thunderstorms together with some torrential rain which turned each the Durance and Ubaye rivers, which had been already very excessive feeding into the lac, into raging torrents. That mentioned, whereas out on a run alongside the Durance, we did see most likely probably the most excessive sports activities, a sole dude standing on a SUP going at full pace down the frothing river. A really massive chapeau to him!
Because the weekend of the Grand Path approached so the forecast regarded extra inclement. On the Saturday we watched the path runners within the 64km, 48km and 28km races ending, all who needed to run throughout snow fields at altitude above Mont Guillaume at 2,542m.
Our race began in Embrun, in Place Bathelon with circa 350 runners.
After the extremes of Saturday’s races, we felt that our 15km occasion was akin to a youngsters’ mini-marathon compared, however how improper we had been. My suspicions on trying on the route on the map that it is likely to be powerful had been confirmed 5km or so into the ascent because it was crazily steep.
And once more the Brits repeated their profitable efficiency of the earlier week. Nevertheless it was powerful, particularly the descent, and though now we have been path working a good bit, my legs took an excellent week to get again to some type of normality. I did not precisely relaxation as I took myself off three days in a while an extended 6-hour bike trip to Barcelonnette and again over the Col de Vars.
Strava Route
And as for the wind, it appeared that each time I used to be exhausted, after the 10km, 15km and numerous bike rides so the wind would then choose up within the afternoon, in reality I made three or 4 journeys to Boscadon and didn’t even hassle going out, although one session I had a number of good runs after which the wind dropped. I left solely to see later that it picked up once more round 17:00.
I did contact base with Le Spot to investigate a couple of lesson and we exchanged a number of emails attempting to second guess when the wind is likely to be sufficient for a for a lesson, and finally we plucked for a day when the forecast regarded good.
Nevertheless, after I turned up it appeared that it was not fairly there, however finally, we gave it a go and I used to be fortunate to get an affordable hour in with Fabien alongside me giving me recommendation and encouragement as I attempted to get near finishing a gybe.
Fabien normally operates from the lake shore at Crots however there was nonetheless not sufficient water there so we launched from Eyguières, which is circa 2km from Savines le Lac, and particular point out should be made to the nice restaurant there too, Au Pleased Day.
One factor is for positive that Fabien at Le Spot has an outstanding location and he confirmed me the boards that he makes use of to show Wing Foiling nevertheless it actually is the situation that’s so good.
Lac Serre Poncon has so many crusing faculties it appears, in addition to water snowboarding and I even noticed an indication for a Flying Boat operation!
One of many major areas is at Boscadon for wind & kite browsing and that may get very busy I might think about in Excessive Season, because it was after I was there I noticed some kite launches that had been questionable to say the least.
We drove up to try the ski station of Les Orres, solely 16km from Embrun and while the precise ski terrain seems to be spectacular the principle village lacked character and we are able to solely guess that a lot of the eating places had been hidden away within the 70’s model high-rise buildings that had been prevalent of the French function constructed ski resorts; the one place that regarded attention-grabbing was a sequence of pods on the hillside which I consider to be a part of a resort Spa advanced.
Nevertheless it was not a wasted journey as we continued to discover a number of the smaller roads that led to a number of the villages overlooking Embrun, resembling Saint Saveur with a surprising view and church.
Additional down we turned off the principle street and drove via the village of Baratier and got here throughout what regarded like a beautiful restaurant and terrace, La Cantine and once more to chop an extended story quick, we ended up going there for a fairly excellent night meal sitting out on the terrace (when it was really heat) and the meals was simply what you wouldn’t anticipate, and actually it was that good we went again three days later, however this time it was extra like Autumn so was eat indoors which was most nice.
And actually the gallery of images of meals on the Journey Advisor web site exhibits simply how good the meals is.
That final day once we eat there the climate was grim, in reality once more we switched the air conditioning within the cabin to warmth mode once we returned from a run above Savines le Lac, and we had been fortunate that after I took this picture it was not really raining.
In order that was our Summer season vacation within the Mountains away from Serre Chevalier, and it is a query many individuals ask, ought to they select the Mountains over the seaside as an illustration?
What I can not reply is simply how busy that space is likely to be within the peak of the season, that mentioned Serre Chevalier in Summer season Excessive Season just isn’t too dangerous, however I simply assume that judging by the variety of campsites/crusing faculties / pizza eating places and many others that it should be far busier than right here in Serre Che however there once more it is a massive space and if you wish to discover peace and quiet then I ought to think about it is not too troublesome.
I nonetheless hope to get an honest session in on the Wing Foil earlier than I head again to the UK in a few weeks, and the sweetness is that it is not even an hour Serre to Serre 🙂
And simply to show I did really get out on the water in some unspecified time in the future.
