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It looks likely I'll head to the Alps with my partner for a cycling trip next month. We'll be looking for big, epic, but technically easy riding; so long 100km days, lots of climbing welcome, but very big rocks or steep ground not. Gravel riding, you may say...
We ideally want to drive somewhere, rent out a cheap and simple room, and bike from there everyday so as to keep driving to a minimum while we're there (we don't mind some miles on the road to and from the trails)
So my partner's Italian and has done a bit of research herself, and has found that Bardonecchia seems a good base. It's surrounded by huge multi-1000m mountain passes with gravel roads snaking up them. Like these...
https://www.cycling-challenge.com/colle-del-sommeiller/
https://www.cycling-challenge.com/monte-jafferau-from-savoulx/
So a couple of questions:
Does anyone have experience of this Bardonecchia place? Or any other recommendations that fit the above?
Where shall we look for (online and paper) maps, trail guides etc.?
(TBH I find the process of deciding upon rides and locations a bit overwhelming and need my freedoms constrained somewhat otherwise I become a bit mentally paralyzed)
I take it, it's a given you will be using Ebikes.
If not wow!!?? old school XC is alive and well, bravo.
Riding up the fire roads and getting the lifts down, respect.
Err not quite sure what Fergal is on about...but anyway.... Bardonecchia is well placed. As are other places nearby: the Inature of the history along the Italian/ French border will give rise to lots of tracks that will give the type of riding you describe. Lots of routes in the Rough Stuff Cycling in the Alps book. Along with plenty of 'interesting' routes...... For paper maps well, you could buy online (Stanfords for example) or just pick up the French/ Italian maps when there. Loads of resources online.
Usually 'next month' will give you some cooler weather especially at night with the low risk of some heavy weather/ even rare snow towards October. Septmeber can and usually is great weather though. If you are coming by car then you could really just wing it and move around (camping gives you this flexibility). If the weather in the alps goes rubbish go further south and even maybe over to the Cevennes/ Ardeche etc...
The Torino Nice Rally is a great adventure but I'm fairly sure it's full up for this year and sounds like you wnat to do day rides from a base rather than multi-day voyage.
I live near Grenoble so can try and help with more specific questions
Have fun.
I have stayed in Bardonechia and driven all those gravel tracks you mention (and others). There really is a vast number of options for cycling as many of them have been closed to vehicles due to landslides and erosion, but are still passable on a bike. There are some great web based resources out there, though mainly in German. Try this one....
This is Mont Jafferau but the map is interactive so you can move around the area and click on any of the other tracks to get the info on them. I guess with Google translate it will make some sense.
Great, looks like we're in the right direction, thanks 🙂
E-bikes, erm, no, we're (vaguely) sprightly early-30-yr-olds on rigid 29ers
I'm in Austria at the moment - Mayrhofen. The routes here are exactly as you describe. Non technical gravel riding with epic scenery.
Süd Tirol and Trentino area of northern Italy would be my shout.
Lots of old military roads snaking their way up to the highest passes and peaks thanks to WW1.
Looks and sounds superb, report back on how it went please!
Torino-Nice rally fits this kind of riding it seems, just my cup of tea...maybe next year!
I rode both those routes last September on a gravel bike. Absolutely brilliant fun. PM me if you want more details plus info on other routes that are worthwhile.
Great place to ride. Lots of gravel type roads up above Sauze Doux which is close by. Lots of trails ridden by dirt bikers. Had a quick bash few years ago all seemed ok. Maybe search for off road motorbike touring and see what they do. From hazy memory lots of ex military roads. Plenty of empty ski apartments to rent.
Also there's the main colle de finestre-Sestrieres (Asietta) track which is well known: TCR did it one year and TNR does it. There's loads of other tracks that goes off it as well to nip up other cols....
And then there's all the stuff around col de Tende just above Nice: via del Sale etc etc...
Mmmmmmm <looks out of window, squints and dribbles.> The Alps!!!!