Col Fromage
AlpineRider
Posts: 14
Stew and I decided that we should have a ride to this col so that we could take some cheesy photos.
This ride goes through some amazing scenery right in the heart of the Queyras with stunning views. The ride starts out, like so many around here, with a bit of a climb, 800m up to the Sommet Bucher at 2254m. The Bucher sits right in the centre of the Queyras and from it you can see the full extent of the park in all directions. To the east is the valley leading up to the Col Agnel, the highest international pass in the Alps, and behind the col Monte Viso can be seen still with snow on its jagged peaks. Further south is St-Veran the highest habitation in Europe. To the north you can see the col d’Izoard a favourite pass for the Tour de France.
After the initial tough climb the trail gets a bit easier with a short steep descent to some mountain pastures full of cows followed by a long fast descent through the Bois de Bourrels. After this there is about 100m of climbing again of which about half can be ridden and the rest is a push.
The trail then traverses along great singletrack through spectacular scenery all the way across to the col Fromage. Up above the col Fromage on a knife edge ridge with no easy access at all (the paths on the map show as dotted lines signalling scrambling) is a fairly large stone building which must have the most fantastic vista over the whole area. The building was built in 1900 by the military as an optical morse code signalling station.
From the col there is an awesome 10k of descent that drops you nearly 900m back down to the car. The trail alternates between fast flowing single track and the odd section of steeper more technical terrain but it is all rideable and it is all downhill.
Back in the little village of Montbardon perched on the hillside above the Guil Gorge there is a gite called Au Cadran Solaire which is a highly recommended place to eat.
Route Map here http://www.alpinebreak.com/blog/2007/mountain_biking/col-fromage/
Cheers
This ride goes through some amazing scenery right in the heart of the Queyras with stunning views. The ride starts out, like so many around here, with a bit of a climb, 800m up to the Sommet Bucher at 2254m. The Bucher sits right in the centre of the Queyras and from it you can see the full extent of the park in all directions. To the east is the valley leading up to the Col Agnel, the highest international pass in the Alps, and behind the col Monte Viso can be seen still with snow on its jagged peaks. Further south is St-Veran the highest habitation in Europe. To the north you can see the col d’Izoard a favourite pass for the Tour de France.
After the initial tough climb the trail gets a bit easier with a short steep descent to some mountain pastures full of cows followed by a long fast descent through the Bois de Bourrels. After this there is about 100m of climbing again of which about half can be ridden and the rest is a push.
The trail then traverses along great singletrack through spectacular scenery all the way across to the col Fromage. Up above the col Fromage on a knife edge ridge with no easy access at all (the paths on the map show as dotted lines signalling scrambling) is a fairly large stone building which must have the most fantastic vista over the whole area. The building was built in 1900 by the military as an optical morse code signalling station.
From the col there is an awesome 10k of descent that drops you nearly 900m back down to the car. The trail alternates between fast flowing single track and the odd section of steeper more technical terrain but it is all rideable and it is all downhill.
Back in the little village of Montbardon perched on the hillside above the Guil Gorge there is a gite called Au Cadran Solaire which is a highly recommended place to eat.
Route Map here http://www.alpinebreak.com/blog/2007/mountain_biking/col-fromage/
Cheers
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