Barrage de Moiry from Chippis via Briey

Awe inspiring climb. The dam appears around a corner with three kms to go and looks entirely unassailable. The first climb is mostly switchbacks on a small road through quiet vineyards. While the road surface isn't perfect, it gets the job done. After Briey you join a larger road which is much smoother but a bit more trafficked. A tiny descent after Vercorin leads to couple kilometers of very scenic climbing before a surprisingly difficult descent Mayoux. This descent terminates very abruptly in a sharp turn uphill and after flying for a few kilometers you'll feel as though you're moving through molasses uphill. Another note on the descent: while it is represented here as a "two kms at 1％" this doesn't embody the feel at all, as it is better broken down as 1k of -5％ and another at 6％. The climb Mayoux to Grimentz is both beautiful and best not to be taken too hard. This is an exceptionally long climb, which is something you really only start to feel when you get through Grimentz and still have 8 steep kilometers to go. Especially the four or so kilometers out of Grimentz was when I started to feel the kind of fatigue and soreness in my legs that begin to make even the gentle grades feel difficult. There are of course, also no gentle grades so that too adds to the difficulty. After 5kms the barrage rises up to impede your path up the valley and, ploting the trajectory mentally you'll reach the inevitable conclusion that reaching the top will necessitate a massive change increase in gradient. It does. This single switchback which takes you from the base to the top of the dam also has at least a kilometer to eye you down from its place up on the side of the mountain. It also runs directly into a tunnel, which shrouds its exact distance. The first section of switchback is quite steep and likely the hardest part of the whole day. After turning, you head toward the mouth of the tunnel. Once inside, the exit appears as a small, somewhat distant speck of light well above you. If not for the pain this would be quite funny as a literal light at the end of the tunnel but one shouldn't be begrudged too greatly for not finding the humor in the moment. Although it feels at first like the light will never get closer it inevitably does and your view is opened onto a vast, intenselyblue lake. Go get a tart at the adjoining restaurant and have a nice look out over the water, or over the enormous height of the valley below.