Alsace Wine Tour 2023 – Les Deserts to Balan

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Camping La Ravoire to Les Deserts

After a bad night at Balan Gill decides that she has had something with gluten in it, likely the baguette and suffers for the next 24 hours with bad indigestion and stomach cramps.

We walk uphill to the ski resort of Savoie Grande Revard, some shops and hotels appear to be open, but the reality is that this is an out of season ski resort, mostly inhabited by builders who are both building new and modernising old accommodation.

The ski lift has been dismantled for repair/service and a new station is being built.

It is interesting to wander around and imagine the place in winter full of skiers and every bar packed.

The clouds are still low and the mountains partially obscured but the rain holds off. We leave La Feclaz about 11.00am taking D206 down the mountain road to Les Favres and D912 to La Raviore (the place not the campsite!). Then somewhat easier roads, N201 to Chambery stopping by Lac du Bourget for lunch.

The lake is much more heavily populated than Annecy and not as picturesque. From Bourget du Lac, D1504 drops lower and lower to Yenne and Belley and the clouds roll off the mountain tops and we have a hot sunny afternoon of about 28°C to the river Rhone. We cross the Rhone and take the D20/D84 to the village of Balan.

We have some difficulty finding the Aire, while we are pondering which road to take through the village a brightly coloured bird with long curved beak and a weird hairdo drops down onto the grass nearby, it is a hoopoe! It is unexpected and we admire its plumage and, today its slicked back combe of head feathers.

Eventually, we find the road down the side of Vival convenience store and behind the Pompiers station. We spend some time walking around the small town and stretch our legs, visiting the church which is surprisingly simple and unadorned for a Roman Catholic church.

Back at Hymer we have chicken stir fry for tea and watch as many young people turn up at the building behind us which turns out to be the local village hall. The disco starts at 7.30pm, not overly loud but we decide to move up the road to the next car park where it is quiet and we have a good night.

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