I think there are some cases where the construction of an autostrada /
motorway / superhighway has _improved_ the bicycle touring in some region.
Examples:
* riding in NW Italy from Aosta up to Courmayeur on the Strada Statiale road
is much better since most of the vehicle traffic is on the autostrada to the
Mont Blanc tunnel.
* riding in NW Italy from Susa to Cesana Torinese is much better since most
of the traffic is on the autostrada to the Tunnel de Frejus -- and the
autostrada is mostly inside tunnels already long before it reaches the
Tunnel de Frejus -- so it's presence is not much noticed in the valley.
* riding in France from St Jean de Maurienne to Modane on the Route National
is much better with most of the traffic on the A43 autoroute to the Tunnel
de Frejus.

as for Val d'Isere losing its old character, there are other villages just a
little off that same road which have retained. Just a few minutes above the
town of Val d'Isere is le Fornet. And west off the road a ways further down
north is la Gurraz. So if you really love the older style, just ride fast
thru the modern town but take two five-minute side trips and go slow thru
the older-style villages.
* photo at bottom of http://roberts-1.com/t/b07/f/s/e
* photo at top of http://roberts-1.com/t/s06/fr/m/f

Ken