So much to catch up with and have LOADS MORE to write about France (and indeed Belgium) but yesterday I crossed the Italian border much to my excitement. I'd had a few worries with Bambi's brakes but fortunately the friends I was staying with in Bourg St Maurice up in the French Alps helped me find a garage. Bambi was quite the star with all the staff taking photos. Not sure they'd seen anything quite like her before!
Given the problems, I was a little nervous about negotiating the 40 miles or so of steep hairpin bends over the Petit Col St Bernard which takes you up through the mountains into Italy. The pass is only open part of the year (the rest of the time it doubles as a ski run) and is favoured by bikers and cyclists as it ascends to over 2000 metres. Very kindly, my friend's husband who's a native of the mountains, offered to accompany me with their dog Cannelle who'd already shown quite an interest in Bambi. It's the first time a dog has hitched a ride!
I was very glad I had company as the climb up in Bambi was not for the faint-hearted! Sadly the weather was atrocious so the views of Mont Blanc were masked by fog. However we did stop off at the statue of the St Bernard dog, they're famous here of course for their role in mountain-rescue work. My personal guides for the afternoon were clearly enjoying their rescue role too!
It was amazing to finally reach the top where we bumped into a group of VW enthusiasts on their way back from a rally in Italy. Rather than joining them for a beer we had a coffee in the Italian bar just over the border.
It was such a memorable drive. Incredible to be up at snow level.
You'll be pleased to hear Bambi and I made it down the hairpins on the other side into Italy in one piece. And my trusty guides? They safely WALKED home back to France dear reader!
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