A Return to Albertville, France

Zagan the motorhome is parked up where his predecessor Dave couldn’t get to, he’s in the motorhome aire in Albertville in the French Alps (N45.67402, E6.39715). It turns out we were here in August 2013, and when we arrived the parking area was taken over by a medieval festival. In need of water, we parked up at the roadside and climbed the barrier to get access to a water fountain. Neither of us realised we’d been here before when we programmed the satnav this morning, but as soon as we began to climb the narrow, steep road to the motorhome aire – we both had a very strong sense of déjà vu! Thank goodness for this blog (also known as ‘our memory’) otherwise we’d still be wondering if it was here.

After our epic runs up the Col de la Madeleine yesterday, we spent the rest of the day napping (me) or reading on one of the picnic benches next to the van (Jay). As the restaurant next to the aire was closed, we waited until the evening before descending on the local pizza place. Stomachs rumbling, we ordered way too much food, but then had to wait half an hour before we could collect it. To stop us from gnawing off any limbs we went for a stroll around the village of La Chambre. Being Sunday evening everything was closed apart from the pizza place, so we were back on the dot of 7pm to collect our order. Pizza, lasagne and chips was all rapidly devoured, before an evening of TV watching while clutching full stomachs.

When we awoke this morning we were both aching a lot less than either of us expected. The map was pulled out and a plan slowly formulated. We’re booked into an eye-wateringly expensive (for us) campsite in Bern, Switzerland, to watch the Formula E race this weekend. Which gives us four nights before we check in. As we’ll be crossing most of Switzerland, and in the country for a while, we’ll buy a €40 vignette for the motorways. We didn’t bother last time as we were just nipping in and out again, so we got to play the fun/nerve-wracking game of ‘dodge the motorway’.  

Our vague plan took us back up the D1006, which we’ve already driven up and down three times in the last week – I’ve given up colouring it in on my map – then east towards Albertville. As the local council at Albertville have been kind enough to provide a free service point, we thought we’d stop off and use it before heading further east.

Now, while we didn’t remember having been here before in Dave, we were both pretty sure we’d spent a couple of cold hours in the Lidl car park in Albertville at the end of a skiing trip some years ago. We’d been picked up by mini-bus from our resort of Val Thorens and thought we’d it made – our own mini-bus all the way to the airport. Sadly not. The mini-bus took us as far as Lidl, where we and our bags were left in the car park to await a coach to the airport. Then today, driving up the road towards the aire we both knew we’d been here before (like the time we visited Alba in Italy, only realising we’d been there before as we stepped out of the van and sniffed the Ferrero Rocher factory). Today there was a lovely Zagan-sized space in Albertville, so seeing as we never got to look around last time we were here, and figuring there must be more to the place than Lidl, we parked up and set off for a look around.

As we wandered around it dawned on us, it’s Monday lunchtime again. Just a fortnight ago we were in Mehun-sur-Yevre also on a Monday lunchtime, which was also closed. You think we’d learn, but we never do! Being closed, apart from the odd restaurant, the centre of Albertville didn’t hold us for long. We slowly retreated back up the hill to Zagan, with the temperature in the high 20’s and no breeze, nothing is moving fast. I spotted a sign for the medieval city of Conflans, which our Michelin touring map of France had awarded a star (I didn’t get too excited as lots of places have a star or three, but it does help to pick out places to visit). It was only ten minutes walk up the road, so it would be rude not to wander up for a look around.

While Albertville seemed less of a place due to everything being shut, I found it actually enhanced Conflans for me. Looking the ‘oldie worldie Alton Towersesque’ signs hanging above the shop doorways and the over-use of the word artisans, it had me thinking that when it’s open this place is one big tourist trap. Instead I got to look around the ‘city’ in peace and quiet, if somewhat melting temperatures.

One thing all the information boards mentioned, as well as visiting the artisans, was the panorama. So, several sweaty sets of steps later I topped out at a lovely shaded and cool garden looking down over Albertville. It was worth the climb even after yesterday’s run.

We’re keeping cool in Zagan now and have opted to stay here for the night so we could get some video-editing work done. Later this evening we can go for another look around and maybe get to see the sunset from the viewpoint. Tomorrow, we head east to see where the road takes us.

Ju x