Ken Roberts wrote:

Instead, there is a place I like so much close to Briancon on the
valley of La Clairee, just west of Col de l'Echelle: Nevache!

Yes from the city of Briancon I rode northeast over Montgenevre and
then returned over Echelle -- and I thought it was pretty good.
Which reminds me that Briancon could be a nice base for at least a
couple of loop rides, since I also rode a nice loop first south from
Briancon staying to the west of the river and going a little into
the Ecrins / Pelvoux mountains, then across to Guillestre and return
over Col d'Izoard.

Mention of Briancon always brings back the memory of my first ride
there in 1959 when there was no town as we know it today other than a
couple of small shops. I and my two friends rode up through the old
drawbridge into the walled city to find an inn. We had not previously
seen such a town entirely built of stone with steep streets having a
gully down the center into which everyone swept their trash.

We had a simple room with bunk beds and blankets, ate well and in the
morning saw the piles of stuff that was swept down the streets and
over the wall into the canyon below... to be carted away at times by
garbage trucks. We rode on up the valley to the Galibier with no
traffic and rode through the tunnel at the summit that was still open
at that time, the ancient road over the top was overgrown and dead.

In those days, skiing had not come to the region and riding over the
Col d'Iseran revealed a val d'Isère agricultural village with barns
and cows herded down the main street. Jean Claude Killy had not yet
worked his magic on the town that today is one of the most garish ski
towns, an insult to nature and the beautiful mountains.

Jobst Brandt