The original 'Fred Wright tribute' route over the Col des Peas that we explored during the route recce in 2015. We didn’t do any more than look at the map and see a path marked on it, linking the valleys. We found a beautiful, quiet road up an open valley that leads to a small village with food and lodging possibilities, then there’s a push and a carry up to the Col des Peas. It’s followed by a descent that starts as singletrack before becoming a stone and gravel track to Chateau Ville Vieille with a wonderful view of Fort Queyras.

Every good ride includes some hike-a-bike and the less easy the route, the quieter and more remote it is. It isn’t an easy section but on the true scale of hike-a-bike it’s nothing major. Don’t try it in road cleats though, or with a 50lb bike that you can’t carry. If you’ve packed light and are wearing MTB shoes you have no excuses really. After all, “What would Fred do?”