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EPIC DRIVES THAT PIONEERING SPIRIT

Four years after the CSMA was launched in 1923, 15 members set off on an epic journey from London to the top of ’s iconic Galibier pass. As we celebrate the launch of Boundless, and that spirit of adventure that is still fundamental to the Club, we follow in their footsteps...

THE JOURNEY

Location: Words Duncan Steer FRANCE Photography Pete Goding Distance: 300 KILOMETRES Date: MAY 2016

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no fixed date for re-opening. We kept an eye on the daily weather reports. They seemed hopeful. AGAINST THE ODDS When the 1927 expedition stopped at Hotel Le Royal in (lyonhotel-leroyal.com), France’s second biggest city, it was the only hotel in town. The Royal is still, at least, one of the best. Inside, the hushed intimacy of an elegant town house, faultless service and tapestry-covered walls create an instant oasis of calm. The food here was described by our Twenties tourists as ‘especially good’. We had rooms overlooking Bellecour Square, the centrepiece of the city, in the fashionable area between the Rhône and the Saône rivers. It did not feel like we were ix miles from the summit of the on an expedition against the odds. sky-scraping pass, But the drive out from the city took us into a different high in the French , we rolled to a halt and switched off the France as we opened up the DS 3’s roof along the 1927 engine. We had reached the end of the road. The barrier was adventurers’ route east of Lyon to the wooded Col du Chat. Sclosed and we could drive no higher. Seeing the view of Lac du Bourget – France’s largest lake – Though the snowploughs had been clearing the road to the through the trees far below us, it felt as if we were crossing summit of the pass for the past week, the drifts on the upper a border. Away to the south and east, the Alps’ snow-capped slopes were still 10 feet deep. There was a danger of avalanche. peaks provided a daunting backdrop. Later, they told us, the snow would be cleared with Like the 1927 routiers, we were to stay in Aix-les-Bains, the dynamite. The road might be opened tomorrow. For now, the spa town on the eastern shore of Lac du Bourget. In the only way up was to walk with snowshoes under the direction spirit of stepping into the unknown that so fired that group, I of our local guide, Thierry Le Bigot, a man with 25 years decided to experience one of the more complex treatments on knowledge of the Galibier in his bones. offer at the National Thermal Baths, a giant modern building We’d planned to re-create the final kilometres of the epic drive that feels a bit like a hospital and a bit like a leisure centre. from London to the top of the 8600ft Galibier pass, a journey I was to have a hammam mud bath. undertaken by 15 gung-ho members of the Civil Service Motoring WE PLANNED TO In an ante room, Oriane was waiting with a giant churn of Association in 1927. The pioneering Club had been set up just four mud, looking like a school-dinner lady presiding over the years earlier to enable members to come together and make the RE-CREATE THE EPIC chocolate custard. I yelped as she began slapping it on. It most of the new-fangled world of cars and motorbikes. was properly hot; 48 degrees hot, I later learned. She rolled But they were also united by a love of exploration and me up in sheets of foil and plastic, like an Egyptian mummy, adventure, characteristics that were fundamental to the DRIVE UNDERTAKEN BY and left me lying there for 20 minutes to reflect on matters. founding spirit of the Club. That 1927 drive through France Afterwards, I was sprayed from all sides by 15 tiny jets of would be just the first of a series of epic adventures around 15 GUNG-HO MEMBERS sulphuric water. She said it was good for me. Europe. It took seven days in July to cross the Channel and drive But the giant health spa is just one side of Aix’s down to the Alps. Meeting more or less as strangers on the quay recuperative properties. The 1927 tourists paid a visit to the > at Folkestone, the party saw the trip as ‘a great adventure into OF THE CSMA IN 1927 the unknown and a subject of no little trepidation’, according to an insider’s report published in the Civil Service Sports Journal. And it was tough: in the final miles, especially, the group battled to overcome breakdowns and punctures on the rocky dirt roads into the Alps. But the trip was marked, too, by fine dining hosted by local mayors, midnight trips into Paris, swimming in rivers, scrumping from roadside apple trees, mini golf and a packed programme of excursions. For a cost of about £17 – around six times the average weekly wage at the time – everyone agreed it was the finest holiday they had ever had. Almost 90 years later, we had brilliant road engineering, Clockwise, from top left The digital guidance and motoring technology on our side in the original Civil Service Motoring shape of the new DS 3 Cabrio which, unlike many of the 1920s Association route card*; the 1927 team at the Galibier pass; lunch vehicles, not only has a (soft) roof, but also Sat Nav and a in Aix-les-Bains; the view to the general crunchy sportiness. Against us: we were making the Alps across the Lac du Bourget; trip on the cusp of summer, when the Galibier was still covered Lyon’s Hotel Le Royal; E-bikes in snow. While the ski station of (valloire.net), half- take the strain out of climbing way down the mountain, buzzes through the winter, the *View the 16-page route card at road to the pass is closed for up to seven months and has boundless.co.uk/epicgalibier

28 29 boundless.co.uk boundless.co.uk inspire For Epic Drives casino and took a boat trip on the lake across to the impressive Hautecombe Abbey. I took a more speculative trip in a 12-foot in Italy, Germany, catamaran, with a local instructor called Hugo. His English was Switzerland and more non-existent; my nautical French rusty and, as the pre-storm winds got up, I was certain that I would be taking a dunking at visit boundless.co.uk/ best. The wind and water in my face, I was continually on the epicdrive I ASKED IF ANYONE WOULD verge of sliding off the boat and into the lake but, in the event, I absolutely loved it. ‘Again?’ shouted Hugo above the noise of the wind, and KNOW WHEN THE PASS there was only one answer. From Aix-les-Bains, the 1927 party approached the Galibier MIGHT OPEN. ‘GOD?’ CAME pass from the south. In the morning, I called ahead to the tourist office in Bourg d’ to make sure we could do the THE REPLY FINALLY same. It wasn’t good news. The Galibier summit itself was still closed. Worse, we would not even be able to get onto the road towards the pass because a local tunnel had collapsed. Rumours of the Galibier’s imminent opening had been spreading on social media, although no local official had agreed a firm date. I asked the lady on the phone in Bourg d’Oisans whether the pass might be open tomorrow. She didn’t know. ‘Is there anyone I can call who would know?’ I asked. There was a pause while she considered the question. ‘God?’ came the reply finally. REACHING THE SUMMIT We had a Plan B. This was to approach the Galibier from the north, which entailed a major detour. Eventually, we reached the village of St Michel de , but we were still 21 miles from the Galibier summit and had first to zig-zag around a succession of smaller peaks, including the Col du Télégraphe. We stopped at the ski resort of Valloire, the last town before the final 12-mile haul to the pass. When the 1927 tourists raced through Valloire on their way back down the Galibier, it was a tiny farming hamlet: the first ski runs and hotels only came in the 1930s. It’s no metropolis now, but it does have nine hotels. Like many ski resorts, Valloire is nearly as popular in summer as in winter. In particular, it’s a magnet for cyclists. The Galibier was first >

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f u i e Clockwise from above Travelling s r n Voiron t BOUNDLESS ONLINE NOW s r D523 A48 a a n from Valloire to St Michel de M h A43 C o L A41 Maurienne; the infamous l a d See our video from the Sean McGreevy’s verdict s e e St Michel road-closed barrier; ex-snowboard èr A49 r Is l de Maurienne summit of the Galibier on the DS 3 Cabrio & DS5 champ Brice le Guennec runs FRANCE o l c e France’s highest brewery, Brasserie r B A Col du Galibier Galibier; delicious desserts are e Le Bourg- More great Read and hear more Vizille D1091 2645m V d’Oisans photography from our about the 1927 CSMA a local speciality 10km A51 O 10miles I S A N S Epic Drive Continental Run adventure The original 1927 route from Lyon to the Col du Galibier visit boundless.co.uk/epicgalibier 30 31 boundless.co.uk boundless.co.uk inspire Clockwise from far left The 2016 team prepare for their ascent; incorporated into the in 1911 and has been strapping on snowshoes; guide one of the most regularly used climbs ever since – often it’s Thierry samples a local cheese and the highest point on the whole Tour. makes walking on tennis rackets We were told that the barrier to the summit was still closed, the look easy; the mountain awaits... weather too volatile to consider walking up today. Instead, while we waited, we explored the foothills on an E-bike tour with Cyril Valantin, a local guide. We went off-road up into the mountains in search of a lake that only exists for two weeks a year – for the WE WENT IN brief period when the snow has just begun to melt. The E-bike allows less serious cyclists (like me) the chance to ride on the Galibier, its battery giving what feels like an SEARCH OF extra 10 or 20 per cent of oomph to my pedalling, bringing the Francisco microbrewery bar, Brice makes relentless climb into the realms of the possible. The track took A LAKE THAT Galibier pale ale, wheat beer and Alpine us past a sprinkling of stone houses in the middle of nowhere, ale, and is working on others, cheerfully FOOD & DRINK apparently abandoned: when the snow melts, they will be beginning his tastings as early as eight in reopened as bars and shops. But winter was still in charge ONLY EXISTS the morning. The brewery is tiny, but it’s ESCARGOTS SUEDOIS here – when we reached it, the lake was still dry. The mercury hard to imagine a better host and more Produced at a farm Local firewater/ hovered around zero and there was sleet in the air. FOR TWO charismatic evangelist for craft brewing local to Valloire and digestif, 30 per As the temperature dropped, we descended back to cosy and the mountain lifestyle than Brice. baked in pastry with cent proof, made Valloire, and Brasserie Galibier (biere-galibier.com), France’s WEEKS A YEAR The next day, we drove out of Valloire, creamy cheese and/ with rhubarb: local highest brewery, started five years ago by former snowboard following Thierry, our guide, back up to or garlic and herb lore suggests it has champion Brice Le Guennec. Inspired by a trip to a San the closed barrier. We parked up and sauces. Not everyone medicinal properties. Thierry outlined our route to the top of the relishes the prospect mountain, still hidden from view behind but: (1) they are RACLETTE layers of other smaller peaks and climbs. actually delicious and Table-top mini- ‘We never speak in terms of horizontal kilometres,’ he said. (2) would possibly be brazier, which melts ‘I usually count on going up 300 metres in an hour – so, today, equally delicious if hunks of cheese two and a half hours up and two and a half hours down.’ they were just pastry, for potato- and We had been prepared for temperatures of minus 10 or sauce and no snail. charcuterie-dipping. worse, snow, sleet and high winds. But the sky was a rich, Proper stick-to-your- beautiful blue, the air was still and the temperature a TOMME DE bones mountain fare. balmy 14 degrees. We were roasting. Quite early into the walk, we started to find breathing harder, The Lyon to Galibier MICRO- though we soon adjusted. We made progress initially on the route is big on dairy BREWERIES road, with 10ft banks of snow on either side. Then, after pulling farming: the semi- Alongside Valloire’s on snowshoes, we walked across country to cut across the soft cheese Tomme Brasserie Galibier, hairpins of the road. It shortened our climb to the top, even is akin to Brie, with a there are 23 other though progress was slower and more awkward. taste that varies from small breweries in Walking with tennis rackets on your feet takes some getting village to village. Savoie Mont Blanc. used to – even with ski poles to help our balance, the steep >

FROM THE BEGINNINGS TO BOUNDLESS

1931 1950 1953 1988 The Morris Minor – the The first mass package tour using The first drive-on The digging of the 2016 first £100 car – goes on chartered flights is launched, car-ferry terminals ChannelTunnel begins – CSMA Club sale (average annual costing an average month’s wages. are opened at Dover it opens in 1994 relaunches earnings are £160) and Calais as Boundless

1923 1938 1979 1997 The CSMA is 1935 After a 20-year union British spending on EU deregulation of launched to bring Compulsory driving campaign, the new overseasholidays exceeds airlines brings a new together people with a tests are introduced Pay Act gives British spending on domestic era of budget flights led passion for motoring in the UK workers the right to a holidays for first time by easyJet and Ryanair and adventure week’s paid holiday 32 33 boundless.co.uk boundless.co.uk inspire More info savoie-mont-blanc.co.uk (for activities in Aix-les-Bains) THE CAR valloire.net (for cycling and walking guides on the Galibier) atout-france.fr (for holiday ideas across France) lyonhotel-leroyal.com DS 3 CABRIO PERFORMANCE THP 210 Thanks to cotswoldmotoringmuseum. co.uk for info on the 1927 trip.

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LV= Britannia Rescue’s CO2: 125g/km The cute design has made the INTERIOR TO KEEP COOL deluxe European cover Boot space DS 3 a popular choice since This sporty model has a classy includes vehicle recovery (max litres): 245 its launch in 2010, and the cabin with snug bucket seats or car hire, and money Website: revamped model can only and distinctive detailing. It From top The long walk slopes looked precarious. But our confidence and speed towards accommodation dsautomobiles.co.uk build on that success. The houses five people, although begins but, eventually, our increased with Thierry’s advice. In all, we were ascending for costs or alternative Performance version we tested taller adults will find it a touch 2016 pioneers enjoy the nearly three hours. When we stopped, there was an immense travel expenses.† really looked the part, with twin cosy in the back. The boot satisfaction of reaching silence, broken only – when the wind changed – by the distant chrome tailpipes and black, isn’t a bad size, but its narrow PREMIUM CHOICE the same height as the growl of snowploughs at the mountain top. It was so hot, I was Visit boundless.co.uk/ diamond-cut alloys. Punters like opening made it difficult for us The Citroën DS name was 1927 party putting fistfuls of snow down my shirt to keep cool. lvbritanniarescue to put their own stamp on a car to use the space. Never ones to THE DEEP revived in 2009 and, in 2014, Eventually, we reached the Galibier tunnel. Since the 1927 †Limits and exclusions apply. in this sector, and the DS 3 has travel light, we had to rely upon DS Automobiles was launched party came here, a new road over the top – 260ft higher – has more than three million option the load-lugging skills of our Motoring PictureMotoring Library, Getty as a stand-alone brand. been built. Today, that altitude was the domain of the avalanche SAVE UP TO 10% WITH EXHAUST combinations available. accompanying DS 5. experts, but we had reached as far as the CSMA pioneers. BRITTANY FERRIES The 1927 crew made a fire and had lunch and, of Getting to France couldn’t NOTE course, a cup of tea here. ‘Did not the eyes sparkle and be easier with our Approved the tongues wag,’ said the official report from 1927. We Partner. Travel from Plymouth, BURBLED ate local cheese and charcuterie and took a team photo, Poole and Portsmouth as they did, and prepared to descend, sliding part of the and choose from options Win a way down on our backs through the soft, snowy slopes, including high-speed and AWAY DS 3 Cabrio! tobogganing without toboggans. overnight ferries. With easyJet and Sat Nav on our side, our epic p135 for* See Ts & Cs AS WE journey was not quite the leap in the dark it had been Visit boundless.co.uk/ ELECTRIFYING IDEA Turn to p21 in 1927. But, for a moment, up at the top, three figures brittanyferries, or call 0330 The brand has been showing for details against a huge wall of snow, with only snowploughs 159 7000, quoting ‘602566’ CLIMBED off its ideas for the future by and our avalanche alarms for company, we had seen unveiling the all-electric GT

through the eyes of the old pioneers. Sean McGreevy Words HIGHER concept, DS E-TENSE. 34 35 boundless.co.uk boundless.co.uk