Switzerland

We left Madrid under a flat July sky. By the time we crossed into France, the temperature had dropped ten degrees.

Southern France ended up being one of the highlights. Friends had told us the castles and historic places were worth a stop, and they were right. We took it day by day: stopping when we felt like it, sleeping where we could, and letting the road set the pace.

The farther we rode, the greener everything became. We still remember the vineyards, and the first hint of mountains on the horizon. We spent a night somewhere near Autun and woke up to mist rising off the fields.

By the time we reached Annecy and caught our first view of the Alps, it felt like the real riding was about to begin.

In Switzerland we were surrounded by peaks that made everything we'd ridden so far feel like a warm-up. The villages were spotless, the roads well maintained, and the views hard to ignore.

We also learned how much time 50 km can take here. In that distance the elevation can change a lot, with constant curves and the occasional traffic slowing you down. It's a place to enjoy the scenery and ride smoothly.

One of our favourite stretches was the Furka Pass. We climbed in good weather, had some local food, and stopped often just to take in the views. From there we headed down toward Milan, passing a few lakes as the mountains eased away.

South of the Alps the world changed. The air warmed and the roads straightened. We skirted Milan — too hot, too busy — and turned west along the coast.

We rode the French Riviera and stopped to sleep in Montpellier. The next day would be a very long stretch from there to Madrid in one day.