If yesterday was about rivers and mountains, today was all about the mountains! We had a long 20 km climb out of Die, up to the Col de Rousset. This was quiet in the morning when we started, but got busier (though not busy) by the time we reached the top, for amazing views and the start of an 800m tunnel that takes you into the ski fields of Rousset. After the steady and long climb we had an easy run into the town of Vassieux-en-Vercors, a town situated in a plateau surrounded by mountains. It was the site of resistance during the war, and was totally destroyed and the inhabitants massacred in July 1944 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maquis_du_Vercors). Today there are memorials all over the valley, including the national Memorial to the Resistance, situated on the Col de La Chau, in a building that resembles a modern bunker overlooking the old battle site. Spectacularly beautiful, the area is a centre for hiking, mountain biking, cycling and all sorts of outdoor activities (we saw signs for dog-sledding too). We visited the National Memorial to the Resistance and also the graves of the villagers and the combattants. At the graveyard, there are the remains of two of the gliders used by the German troops in their airborne assault on the village. We still had more climbing to do, though after reaching the Cold du La Chau, eventually reaching 1437m, before starting an undulating descent. The most amazing part of the day (already full of amazing sights) was the descent around the vertiginous edge of the Combe Lavel, a massive cirque. The approach is non-descript, until suddenly you are faced by a massive void in the Earth, where mountains or something should be! From Google: ‘Frequently recognized as the most magnificent road in the French Alps, this road through Combe Laval was constructed between 1861 and 1898 and originally served for the transportation of timber from the Forêt de Lente to St-Jean-en-Royans (France). It’s one of the French balcony roads. The road was carved out here (with the end of the work in 1898), not for the view, but to make the forestry activity profitable. Right now it mainly attracts cyclists eager to face the challenge of a steep climb and be rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the Vercors region. The most spectacular stretch of the road, between St. Jean-en-Royans and Col de la Machine, cuts into the cliff-like side of the gorge and runs via a series of short, narrow tunnels. Nearly 13 km of lush, alpine beauty and dizzying heights. This road is famous because it was directly carved in the cliff and it takes you to an impressive cirque above the Royans which is 4 km deep.’ The final descent into St Jean-en-Royans was a long 10% grade, so very steep and twisty. It was a relief to get to the bottom, and somewhat surreal after our day’s experiences to find ourselves in a mechanical music festival! The centre of town being taken over by people winding antique and perhaps modern reproductions of organ grinders (and singing along to the tunes). It was a great end to the amazing day to arrive at our caravan for the night situated on a walnut farm just out of town.