Alps, 2013, 6: A Difficult Day

Hotel Vielle Poste, Lanslebourg, June 25, 2013 —

A difficult day. Up about seven, overcast, cool. Nice breakfast: café au lait, bread, two jellies and honey, applesauce in plastic, yogurt, orange juice. Very nice place, and pleasant woman. We settled up, admired the donkey and her foal, then we walked up to the main road, which gave us a nice view back toward the west. 

The main road took us up to a spot touching our GR5 to Lanslebourg, but balissage was often missing, and twice we were tempted the wrong way, resulting in long difficult climbs we needn't have made, up at least 1000 feet, then back down, and finally bushwhacking by map and compass on occasionally dodgy paths until we finally came out onto forest roads. 

Oh well, we got to Lanslebourg just in time to claim our room, the last in town, in a strange hotel run by Danes. Attic room; can't stand up, inadequate shower, etc. 

Dinner at a favorite place, Relais de 2 Cols, but Lindsey is finally right, it has changed direction and is not remotely the same. 

Tomorrow per Stefan's suggestion we retrace steps toward Modane, taking two days — though so far I can't find accommodations: I suspect bicycle race is conflicting. Then to valSusa, giving Mt Thabor snows time to melt, I hope, and on.