Arrived in Asti yesterday afternoon. After the long drive from Grenoble, we didn't feel like doing too much, so we just checked into our hotel (Hotel Lis) and veged out for the rest of the day. Found a great little restaurant close by to dine at that night, the Osteria del Palio. We started with some cured meats and bread, washed down with a local Asti Spumante (nothing like the rubbish we get back in Australia). Julie opted for only a main meal (lamb cutlets and...

Today we leave Grenoble and head over to Italy. Our first stop is Asti in the Piedmont region of Italy. Just to be different, we've programmed the GPS to take us through the Alps, avoiding major highways and tolls. Our route will take us from Genoble to Briancon, before crossing into Italy and on to Asti, taking us past Alp d'Huez, and the Col du Galibier. Looking at the map, it appears we will be following the valley floor most of the way. Wrong. Soon after lea...