Cycle by the Isere River - turn left

It was time to head out on the bikes once again. The warm sunshine and temperatures that had greeted us on arrival had chilled slightly but it was clear day and we wanted to explore the area. Directly outside the Eden de la Vanoise site, is a Voie Verte, cycle path that links a few villages in the valley. Landry is the middle so it made sense to head in one direction today and the other on a different day. We chose to turn left and head towards Aime 7km away.

 

The cycle path follows the river Isere, a powerful river whose source is a glacier higher up in the Vanoise National Park. Water is held behind dams and the power of the water is harnessed and used for hydroelectricity. There is regular signage along the cycle route warning of the dangers of paddling or getting too close to the rivers edge because water levels can rise dramatically and quickly. The vivid blue Alpine water, gushing past, certainly adds a picturesque border to the route.

 

At this time of year the trees are bare and any activities that are usually offered on the river banks are closed up. Remnants of heavy snow line the path in patches and occasionally cover what is a smooth tarmaced track. The snow is disappearing quickly and will probably be gone in the next few days. We pedalled past the village of Bellentre, stopping to eat our sandwiches at the Base de Loisirs, a small centre where there is a playground, high ropes and a lake. The High Ropes were closed and the lake was half full but during the summer months I can imagine that this is an extremely popular venue for families. The girls had a quick play on the playground equipment before we carried on towards Aime. The track then abruptly comes to and end. At this point you could continue along the roads or opt to return the way you came; we chose the latter returning  on a gradual incline back to Landry and the campsite.

 

Cycling is popular in France but it is often associated with the more extreme Tour de France cyclists. There are cycle routes around the area that covers hundreds of kilometres and require climbing up some steep inclines for those keen fit cyclists but in contrast there are routes along the valley, like the one we took, ideally located just outside the site.