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Hi
Myself and a couple of pals are going road cycling in June. Obviously we are going to climb Alpe D’Heuz. I’m wondering what clothing might be ideal and how cold does it typically get at the top? Depends on the weather of course but I’ve never done anything like this and would like to hear of others experiences.
Also we fancy doing another iconic climb in the area and happy to drive a short distance. Any other must do routes of around 50-70 miles would also be welcome.
Thanks in advance
Croix de fer is rideable from borg. Another is galibier but the route from borg is a busy road and it's quite a long drive to get to the other side.
When we went it was red hot, didn't need anything extra clothing wise, but it will depend massively on the weather.
Most of our rides ended up as out and back rather than loops because to make a loop turns it into a massive ride with huge amounts of climbing.
Anything froma blizzard to 30°C in June. Col de la Croix de Fer is the other obvious one - do the loop round the Maurienne and back over the Glandon if you're feeling good.
Sabot is another good climb, we did that as our first taste of alpine climbing, nearly killed us! If you pass a load of people near the bottom who are taking it easy, don't whizz past them thinking you are a riding god, they probably know what they are doing and are used to riding up hill for over an hour in red hot temperatures 😅
There is also a nice out and back ride down the valley on the d530 if you want an easier day. It still has dams,hair pins and balcony roads but doesn't go up any cols. Turn right off the d1091 on the way out of borg towards les deux alp.
Even on a clear day I'd take a flyweight waterproof and a couple of base layers to put underneath. Obvs check the forecast but mountains can be unpredictable etc etc.
Nice loop is up and over the col de Sarenne and down Alpe d'Huez. Much quieter on that side.
As others have said Alpe d'huez and Col de Sarenne, Croix de Fer, the ride around the balconies is really nice as is the ride over Col du Solude but the surface gets bad towards the top
For something less strenuous ride up the Alpe as far as La Garde then take the D211A balcony route to Le Freney and the D1091 back to Bourg.
Went out with a few friends back in 2017, and also going again next month, see you there! These were the rides we did. Maybe a bit shorter than you're after.
This one is fantastic, there's a bit of gravel over the top of Villard Notre Dame, but we all just rode it on normal road bikes with no issues, the views were amazing, and the descents were brilliant fun on quiet roads:
[url= https://www.strava.com/activities/1179191605 ]Villard Notre Dame and Bons[/url].
Alpe d'Huez, then coming along the balcony road, down into Freney d'Oisans and up to Deux Alpes, which is similar to AdH, a bit tougher I'd say, and not as pretty.
[url= https://www.strava.com/activities/1180566456 ]Alpe d'Huez, Balcon Freney & Deux Alpes[/url].
[url= https://www.strava.com/activities/1182024908 ]Croix de Fer[/url]. It poured with rain solidly once we got onto the climb, and didn't stop until we came down back into the valley. It's a very long climb, much more undulating than AdH or some of the others, there's some material sections of descending in the middle. Cafe at the top did a decent croque monsieur though, even out of season!
We had plans to go over the top of the Glandon, down into the Maurienne valley, and then back over the Telegraphe/Galibier/Lautauret (ie the Marmotte without AdH at the end), but the weather wasn't up to it (we were there in September last time).
Aside from the Croix de Fer in the pouring rain, where I donned a gilet, I wore shorts and short sleeves the whole time, but as noted the weather is obviously incredibly changeable. If you've not ridden out there before rides do take a long time, we weren't killing ourselves admittedly, but I'd happily do 18-19mph over that distance at home, so 12mph came as a shock!
If you want any of those GPXs just shout.
Been there a fair bit, route options are pretty much covered above - it's pretty simple round there, there aren't stacks of little lanes or turnings to get lost on.
Had fresh snow in Alpe d'Huez in July, and nearly boiled to death in 40°+ heat in the same place a year later. Take a lot of clothing options with you, there is no way of predicting what it will be like in advance, but at least the weather systems tend to be quite stable so once you are there it should be obvious enough to work out what you will need to wear or carry each day. Just remember, it can be significantly colder at the top of the Alpe or Galibier than it is in Bourg.
Tonnes of beautiful rides there
As recommended above, Villard Notre Dame is brilliant. If you go over the top and to the other side (eg not just go up and down the same way) there is a beautiful ~2km gravel track over the top of the mountain to get to the other side, where you get to see Alp D'huez from a viewpoint not many will ever see it from. It's directly opposite!
I've been lucky enough to only ever go when it's warm. Both July time and it was 30 degrees every day. Alp D'Huez itself is VERY hot at the bottom with the rock face, until you get about 1/3rd up where it opens out.
Even when really hot, I'd definitely take a 'super thin packable jacket' type thing for descents. I have a castelli one that weighs literally nothing, folds into the size of a large phone. Mountains aren't to be messed with, weather wise.
If camping, it gets very cold at night in the valley.
Only 40 miles out and back but well worth doing.
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/mIPSdfEzjqb
La Berarde
We were MTB riding above Alp D’huez in shorts and T shirts all week. Had lunch at the top of the road climb and all the roadies were looking proper hot in just short sleeves
Heading there in 2 weeks time. Already feeling a little nervous about the climbing. Have done a couple of trips to the Pyrenees and Alps in the past but these are probably a little tougher. Plus I'm a bit heavier and have a spine held together with titanium! If I make the top of the CdF or Galibier you'll probably hear the celebrations from here.
Ditto all above. La Bérarde via Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans - I rode from Venosc where we were staying, but very doable from Bourg (a bit boring though). This was an easy ride and totally lovely with an ace cafe at the end, inc Marmots 🙂
Col d'Ornon from Bourg and back is easy and nice - cafe at the end.
From Bourg - Balcony ride - turn right off a few turns up AdH. CdF and Glandon. I have always found the ride up to Galibier pretty quiet, and if the wind is behind you 50k descent back to Bourg.
If you have a car, Lacets de Montvernier for the fun of it, Mollard, or get a lift to the bottom of Telegraph, do the best route of Telegraph and Galibier and all downhill back to Bourg.
Timely thread as I'm in the Alps in mid_June with my road bike. Wasn't sure what the quieter climbs might be so this is useful. Am going via Ventoux, southern Alps (Madone) and some Pyrenees so I'll either be knackered or superhuman.
In June there isn't huge amounts of traffic even on the roads that go somewhere. It's from 14/7 to 15/8 that you ride in a fug of diesel fumes getting cut up by foreign camper van drivers that haven't heard about 1m50 for bikes.
Gilet and arm warmers or thin windproof/waterproof as heavy rain can strike anytime, also it gets cold descending for ages, I'd even consider some thin full finger gloves.
Drive to La Chambre. Ride up the Madeleine and back down. Have a croque monsieur then ride up the other side of the valley the Glandon. Two very different descents. The Madeleine is much more engineered to tight bends while the Glandon is more open and you can see what's coming ....
Look up Malcolm Moore's videos on YouTube. He's a snowboard instructor in winter and guides road bikes in the summer, based out of Les Sables (so basically Bourg).
Ridden in and out of B d'O just once in late June 2019 I think. col de la Madeleine, croix de fee and one other one stick in the mind for the way in, Galibier for the way out.
Anyway, arm warmers and a light waterproof are minimum. It's still pre season, loads of bikes, not too many cars. Galibier was great. It snowed a bit on the high stretches. They'd only just opened the iseran and friends got properly cold on the way down and had to hole up in the one open decent restaurant in Val d'isere.
This thread made me look at the old WhatsApp chat. Fantastic place. Must do again.
Search up
Bike oisans on t’interweb - loads of routes on there
This is great. Thanks so much.
Might be a silly question in this area but any flat valley rides at all?