If anyone happened to watch the Tour de France yesterday (Tuesday 21st July) you would have seen the riders re-tracing the exact route of Napoleon's famous crossing of the Alps via the Grand St Bernard Pass into Italy in 1800.
Nice and sunny at this time of year, but watching the excellent footage of the rugged terrain it was not hard to imagine what a feat the climb and crossing must have been for the French army in mid May when the pass is still bound by snow, ice, and avalanches.
Well - I thought it was interesting anyway...