Tour de France

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Gino
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Tour de France

Post by Gino »

Here some pictures from the first day off my Tour de France i made 3 months ago on my motorcycle.
Made this tour anti clockwise and started in Calais, following the west coast until the Pyrenees mountains.
Crossed the Pyrenees mountains from west to east.
Then followed the Mediterranean sea towards the Camargue.
There went inland to visit the Mont Ventoux and the Gorges du Verdon to return back to the coast and follow the cote d'Azur until the Italian border.
From there the ride went up north again crossing the French Alpes following the Route des Grandes Alpes.
After the Alpes crossing the Vosges area direction Luxembourg and back home again.
All pictures taken with the Nikon D3s, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 200mm f2 and compact Coolpix AW100

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Tunnel borehead they used for the channel tunnel from France to the U.K.

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Nord pas de Calais

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View on Pourville-sur-Mer

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Etretat

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Etretat

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Le Havre

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Le Havre

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Pont du Normandy (not the best quality but took this picture with my Nikon AW100 while riding the bike)

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Honfleur

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Honfleur

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My sleeping place for the night in Honfleur


Stay tuned, more to follow
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

Day two off the trip,

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Honfleur in the morning, really peaceful harbor, enjoyed it very much

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Beaumont-en-Auge is A little village south of Honfleur and is a typical Normandy village.

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Another view in the idyllic streets off Beaumont-en-Auge

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A little later in the day i reached Le Mans and of course rode by the world famous racetrack.
Unfortunately the museum was closed.

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A mural near the main entrance off the circuit

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Later in the afternoon i reached another destination on the trip.
The Panzermuseum at Saumur in the Loire valley.

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This museum houses the only still fully operational King Tiger in existence in the world

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One last view on the beautiful city off Saumur with it's proud castle overlooking the Loire valley

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View on the river Loire close to La Bohalle

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Montjean sur Loire

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Old winepress
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

And here we go with day three off my Tour de France.
Hope to get some reactions now

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This morning reached La Rochelle.
Nice little town with pittoresk train station and old harbor

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La Rochelle

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Big a** catamaran

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Fortified entrance of the old harbor

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Lots off space to clear your mind in the Aquitaine area

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In the evening arrived in San Sebastian, Basque country Spain

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San Sebastian, the sky really was this blue

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San Sebastian beach

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San Sebastian beach house

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My sleeping place for the night.
It was in october and lots off campsites were closed so i had to improvise now and then.

More to follow, stay tuned.........................................
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Stany Buyle
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Stany Buyle »

Very nice reportage. Next time in Calais you are invited for coffee in my place. :D
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Leen Koper »

Nice images. I do recognize some places I 've been too. Well done.

I might be mistaken, but do I really see a pair of Dutch wooden shoes on your luggage in the image of your motorcycle?
Then you are one of the few lucky people who understand how wonderful these are in a camping place!
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

Thanks Stany, i will keep this in mind. ;)

Nee Leen, these are rube Crocs ;)
But i do know how nice wooden shoes walk tough

Thanks for your comments people.
There is more to come but i'm very busy at the moment.
You all have a nice old years eve party and for now already a happy new year
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Leen Koper »

I see. Mm, crocs....
Modern times, isn't it? :D
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gilbert »

Hey Gino!

First of all: happy NewYear 2014.
Thanks for sharing the impressive pictures you made on your tour de France. Very much liked the style: as it comes to you and without tricks and bells.(the right exposure and framing)
Seems we are living not too far from each other (i am living Moerbeke Waas...). If you find the time and not knowing what to do(?) plse visit my pictures typing gilbert baumann at google : open to visit by everybody. I still cannot get pictures on Stany's site: sorry Stany!
All the best for everybody!
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

@ Leen, i'm afraid so and the rubber Croc's are really comfortable ;)

@Gilbert, Thanks for your very kind words and yes, we do live quit near to each other.
I never do tricks on my photography, simply because i don't know how to do this and even if i knew i wouldn't because i don't like that.
I always post process my RAW photo's in Lightroom, thats it.
Will have a look at your website in a minute.

A Happy New Year to everybody and hopefully this forum comes alive even more this year!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here we go with day 4 off the trip.

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This is the kind off roads motorcycle riders crave on, here crossing the Basque country on my way for the Pyrenees crossing from west to east

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The lovely small village off Elgorriaga, Navarra in Spain

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Very particular cheese's on offer in Spain, note also the name on the label ;)

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Iñarbil, Navarra in Spain.
Stopped here on this lovely forrest road to have some breakfast and enjoy the quietness

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This is what a bikers breakfast looks like

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Starting point for "The Camino" in Saint-Jean-pied-de-Port

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Nice view on the Pyrenees mountains when following the D301

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Been hopping back and forth from Spain to France during my crossing off the Pyrenees mountains and this particular house is to be found in Spain on the NA-1370

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Hello there

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Lord of the Rings like scenery to be found near "Arette la Pierre Saint Martin"

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Trying to keep up with the peloton at the top off Col d'Aubisque

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Argelés Gazost, midi Pyrenees

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Lovely colors on this house

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Live stock wondering free in the Pyrenees mountains, here on the west flank off the mighty Col du Tourmalet

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And here we are on top off the Tourmalet, well known mountaintop starring in the real Tour de France almost every year.

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Thats where we are going to find a place to sleep for the night on camping "Loree des Monts" near St. Marie de Campan
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Leen Koper »

Nice images, especially when we consider they were taken on a normal holidays, something else than when you are having a special photo trip.
I seem to remember some places from my trip to St. James in Santiago de Compostela in 1991. (On a bicycle without a motor to help me up the slopes of the Pyrenees.) It brings back some fond memories. Thanks!
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gilbert »

Hi Gino & everybody!

Thanks again Gino for sharing yr nice pictures from yr roadtrip TdF again.
I am using mostly my Fuji's (X100S and XE1) for shooting nowadays (the only remaining Nikon is a D3 with far over 300000 clicks...).
As the IQ of the Fuji's is so good (even comparing with the full frame of the D3) even in jpeg, i do not mind anymore shooting in Raw.
As Photoshop/Adobe turned us down last year by changing their policy towards their faithfull users, i simply refuse to use their products anymore.
Instead i learned (by accident) from a professional photographer (who shared my opinion) the simple and very good usage of Faststone, a free downloadable programm,
which is giving me anything i need for producing decent picture-quality.
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

@ Leen: Riding the Camino on a Mountain bike is also on my TODO list ;)
Thanks for you comments on the photo's

@Gilbert: I understand your feelings towards Adobe, i'm also not happy with developments witch are going on now but still use LR5 and CS5
I also use the Fuji's with a lot off pleasure but as you have to examine all the images anyway after returning home with them i rather have them in RAW so in case there is some adjustment to be done there is room to adjust with.
Also thanks for your compliments on the photo's

Here the summary from day 5
This will be a short series though because i woke up and it was really raining cats & dogs as they say

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As you can see in this picture, the water came running down the slope like a river so not nice to ride in.
Decided to turn day five into a restday.
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Re: Tour de France

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Day six off the journey
Finally after a whole day off rain yesterday the sun came out again and i could carry on.

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Cows having breakfast at the slopes off col d'Aspin

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At the summit off col d'Aspin.
In the summer time its a hectic place with lots off tourist's and cyclists and local farmers selling sausages and cheese's but beginning off october you have the whole place for yourself.
In the far distance you can see the metrological wheaterstation Pic du Midi witch you can visit by cable cart and provides you with lovely sights over the Pyrenees mountain tops

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When decending col d'Aspin i rode into this mistbank and when i arrived at the top off col Peyresourde it was raining again so not a lot off pictures

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When i entered the principal Andorra from the Spanish side the sun came out again and i could enjoy the beautiful scenery again

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Here we are in Pas de la Casa, Andorra

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In Pas de la Casa it is a little shopper's paradise

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On top off col Pailheres, normally there are lots off free roaming horses here but i think they were all collected to the valley's for the upcoming winter season

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Another beautiful view on the surrounding mountain tops, i really love to be in the mountains

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Here we are in Gorge de St.George

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And a little later in the afternoon i arrived in the Gorge de Galamus.
This is in summer time regulated with traffic lights for alternate passing but now i had the whole Gorge to myself

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And here was my sleeping place for the night in a vineyard near Narbonne after a nice day off riding despite the rain in the morning
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

And the story continues with day 7

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After leaving the vineyard near Narbonne i followed the Mediterranean coast for a while and ended up crossing the Camargue area where i didn't see any wild horses, wild Bull's or flamingo birds so this was a little bit of a disappointment.
But the beautiful city of Arles made up for this and i enjoyed walking around the old arena in the city centre>

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After My pleasant stay in Arles i continued and arrived at the famous Mont Ventoux.
Famous for it's extreem heat until i was there of course and the mountain was covered in a thick blancket off clouds

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The tower of the meteological station witch normally is to be seen from a far distance was now clouded in mist

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On my way down on the other side of the mountain a passed the memorial stone for Tommy Simpson who died in 1967 on the mountain slope due to use off drugs, alcohol and this combined with extreme heat.

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Heavy rain......................again!!!!!!!!!!

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This is one off the nicest pizza i have ever eaten, unfortunately i don't remember the name off the village where i had it.

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And yet again found a nice camping spot in a vineyard somewhere along the D953 in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

And on with day 8 off the journey

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Waking up in the Provence is not so bad ;)

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Lots off stretched Lavender fields to be find in this part off France

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Gorge du Verdon

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Cagnes-sur-Mer marina, and if you think these are impressive, hold your breath

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Fisherman at the beach in Nice

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Nice harbor

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Villefranche-sur-Mer

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You want to see big yachts, go to Monaco marina

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Monaco, also well known for it's annual Formula 1 decor

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Fortification in Menton near the Italian border.

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Menton marina

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Lovely Mediterranean colors

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From here on my route took a northerly direction heading back home.
Heavy bunker at the beginning of Route des Grandes Alpes, near Sospel

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Here we go...............one of my favorite routes

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Every motorcyclist's dream roads

This time no picture of my camp spot because it was quit dark when i got there and i didn't take a picture off it.
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

Day 9

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After waking up i heard the rain on my tent.......again.
So not a lot off pictures from the first hours off the day.
But i couldn't resist on my way up de Col de la Bonette to take a photo of these motorcyclist's dream roads

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Here we are at the 2802 meter high Col de la Bonette summit.
This is the highest paved road to be found in Europe.
Unfortunately i couldn't enjoy the view because i was in the middle of a raincloud

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The Mercantour National Parc, really nice if you like mountainess region's

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Pitty i can't show this one a little bigger here on the forum

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All the live stock was guided down the mountain before winter arrived

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When you decent Col de la Bonette form the north side and heading for the next alpine giant you will pass the village "La Condamine-Châtelard"
If you go left here you will find a dirt track leading you toward the "Tunnel du Parpaillon"

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Again, immensely beautiful nature

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Here we are, after 17km off dirt track reached the Tunnel du Parpaillon.
The Parpaillon Tunnel is located at an elevation of 2,637 metres.
It was built by the French Army starting in 1891, with work on the road and tunnel lasting until 1911, although the tunnel was completed in 1901.

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Everything allright from below

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Col de l'Iseran, moonlike structure except for the tree's

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Autumn is here, nice colors in the tree's

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Great roads in the Alpes

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Last col for the day, the 2642meters high col du Galibier.
More pictures off the Galibier on the next day because i will cross it again tomorrow.

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Camping La Cascade in Bourg d'Oisans at the foot off Alpe d'Huez was my place for the night.
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Stany Buyle »

Gino, your tour the France topic is very well done. Congratulations for your work and thanks for posting this here.
Kindest regards,
Rita and Stany
kindest regards,

Stany
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gilbert »

Amazing nature and events brought very well in exciting sets of pictures! (always looked fwd to the next)
Congrats Gino.
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

Thanks very much for the nice comments Rita, Stany & Gilbert.
I will try to find some time tomorrow to add the last day off the trip.

Kind regards, Gino
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Re: Tour de France

Post by Gino »

And here we are with day ten, the last day off the trip.
Normally the trip would have taken a few more days but this morning when i talked to the woman at the campsite reception in Bourg d'Oisans she told me there was a lot of snow expected in the mountains so no reason to stay on a motorcycle.


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Starting with mist at the foot of Col du Galibier but at a certain hight i got on top of the clouds, very beautiful

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And with a lovely sun my day was made all ready

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First snow arrived on the higher mountain tops last night

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Endless sea of clouds

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I was all alone at the top i thought until i discovered a colleague

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And on the other side of the mountain also clouds as far as the eye can see

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After descending col du Galibier it started to rain again and with the warning i got this morning from the campsite lady i decided to call it a day and to return home by motorway.
No need to look for accident's after this nice trip.

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More clouds

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Tunnel on my way out off the Alpes

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The evening started to fall and the stomach was asking for fuel so a stop at this grill restaurant in Nancy to have a nice juicy steak

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And finally the last picture, arrived back home
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