Another pipedream thread but my 40th is coming up and I might get a chance to sneak away with the road bike in the next year or two. Had planned on visiting Roubaix/Flanders but I think three days of battering cobbles might not feel like much of a holiday after Day 1...
Have been to Bourg d'Oisin once before and really liked it, could happily base myself there again which puts all the classics within range over two big days and maybe a final short day dedicated to Alo d'Huez and the surroundings.
Any better suggestions out there? I loved the idea of La Marmotte but getting that fit/tough again seems like a very long road!
I would say Valloire.
We stayed there for a week in 2011 to watch the tour,another year they did Galibier twice.It was a great base* with a good collection of climbs nearby .Watching them has made me want to go back to the area again.* You are a bit trapped at the top of Telegraphe and base of Galibier,so every day you head out is a big hill day 🙂
Will you have a car? We stayed just outside of Briancon, having the car meant we could drive a little further out which gave us a little more flexibility with routes.
I would say Valloire
Had to check where it was! I'm not sure I could get my head round starting and finishing halfway up the mountain each day 😎
Will you have a car?
No, by necessity I think it would be too short a trip to justify a car. Although Briancon could be a good shout as a base, I've always fancied Col d'Izoard and I think Galibier and Alp d'Huez are still in range?
... scuttles off to Strava route planner again...
Have stayed near Vaujany before, that was a good base for quite a few climbs. Plus nice little place to stay.
Barcelonette.
3 big days:
1 - the Cayolle, Champs, Allos loop.
2 - over the Bonette returning via the Cayolle.
3 - out and back over the Vars to the top of the Izoard and back.
Having also done a trip to Bourg D'Oisnas I'd say Barcelonette is much nicer and the roads are quieter. It is cycling heaven down there.
Nice one, was intrigued by Bonette, will have a look at those routes 👍
over the Bonette returning via the Cayolle.
How do you do this? Looks like a 225km day with 4 big climbs!
Come over the Couillole in between them so 3 big climbs. About 120 miles I think. I said it was a big day!
Ventoux, then days out around the Gorges de OA Nesque (sp)
Stunning scenery, you’re in Provence, and you can go by train.
We did it on Bastille day to watch the tour (when Frome ran up it) but it was closed at the top.
Went back the next day and did it properly, then went back the next year and did the 3 ways up in a day. I yearn to go back.
Got all the info from threads off here.
Edit, just had a look at that Ubaye link above- I’d do that instead.
I said it was a big day!
Lol, so you did, and you probably weren't to know I was posting from my currently weakened state where even 100km on the road seems a bit daunting... Need to toughen up anyway!
Ventoux
Yeah, my pals have all been out in various forms over the last couple of months and I've been very jealous, but I've been hankering for proper big mountain Alps. The descriptions I've been reading of the Ubaye region are like music to my ears, I think I'm sold 😎
You won't regret it. Shorter routes are avaliable! TBH the Bonette is so good that an out and back to the summit or to the cafe halfway down the other side would be worth doing.
The Cayolle/Champs/Allos loop is an absolute must though. Best 80 miles of road riding I've seen.
There's another loop you can do over the Vars and then back via Embrun and the Col de Pontis.
I've stayed in Montgenevre, I rode the Izoard, Croix de Fer, Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Sestriere. Not too much driving needed and still loads of other climbs that I didn't manage. I'd happily go back.
No, by necessity I think it would be too short a trip to justify a car. Although Briancon could be a good shout as a base, I’ve always fancied Col d’Izoard and I think Galibier and Alp d’Huez are still in range?
d’Izoard loop from Briancon is a fantastic ride.
You could also do Lautaret and south side of the Galibier. Telegraphe side might be a bit of a push though, as would Alpe d’Huez.
Briancon would be a good option. d'izoard is my favourite day on a bike ever. You've also got Galibier and Granon. There are a few other ones as well. Briancon is a lovely old town. If you get bored on the road there is also the Serre-Chavelier bike park and there are a few places you can hire enduro bikes from and get the lift up
Another vote for somewhere near Briancon - we stayed just over the French-Italian border from Briancon in Bardonecchia a few years ago to watch the tour and did a few days cycling.
From Bardonnechia we did: a day up to the Izoard via Briancon (watched the tour at the top of the Izoard); Mont Cenis; train from Bardonnechia to Modane then rode Telegraphe, Galibier, and Montgenevre; then you can also do Sestriere another day and if you fly into Turin or Milan and have a car you can always head over to Colle de Nivolet on you way to/from Bardonnechia which is supposed to be pretty incredible.
I went in May and stayed here. It's absolutely fantastic. Traverse.vc
It's at the bottom of the Col de la Colombiere, Col des Aravis, Croix Fry, a few km from Lac D'Annecy (went paddle boarding when I was too worn out to ride!) and also near the Plateau de Glieres.
The only limiting factors over a 5 day trip were my legs. Recommended.
A friend of mine was recently in St Jean de Maurienne for a few days.
Croix de Fer
Glandon
Mollard
The Lacets
Chaussy
Madeleine
Telegraph/Galibier.
St Jean/Michel de Maurienne or elsewhere along the Maurienne valley. Galibier, Glandon*, Croix de Fer (the route they did on stage 12), Lacets de Montvernier, Madeleine, Chaussy, Mollard are all available without riding more than half an hour of valley time to get to them. Managed to do all those in 4 days without ever riding more than 100km - both me and my companion were short on training due to injuries so wanted to keep distances down.
To the east (which is an uphill drag) are Lac mont-Cenis and think the Iseran was doable too.
*Note Glandon, not Glanon that they did on stage 11.
Having also done a trip to Bourg D’Oisnas I’d say Barcelonette is much nicer and the roads are quieter. It is cycling heaven down there.
