Take the High Road

 

1956: Opening of Sichuan-Tibet and Chinghai-Tibet Highways

Take a spectacular drive though the mountains, canyons and valleys of China and Tibet. This is the most precipitous road in China which opened in 1954. A truck convoy makes its way slowly to its destination.

1949: Landscapes

Not a lot of leeway for this truck coming out of a tunnel on the Val d'Anniviers Alpine road (considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Switzerland).  The road initially runs parallel to the mountains before starting to climb, winding along cliffs and passing through avalanche tunnels dug into the rock.  In the distance is a bus which perhaps is one of the yellow Swiss post buses.  A cyclist commented on the road "Thrills are guaranteed as you scale your way up the first hairpin bends from the valley and on the road cut into the rock at Niouc"

1937: Opening of Col de L'Iseran Road

The high mountain pass of Col de L'Iseran is Europe's highest paved road, 2764m (9068ft) and opened in 1937.  An irresistible opportunity to the Tour de France organisers as they made it part of the tour in 1938. It has been part of the Le Tour eight times, most recently in 2019 when thing did not go to plan.  Egan Bernal crested the top Of Col d'Iseran first but on the descent freak weather conditions of snow and hailstorms and news of a landslide blocking the route further on meant the rest of the stage was cancelled.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Roads - travel  to See It On A Postcard