easter riding in the haute savoie les gets

torico
torico Posts: 67
edited October 2007 in Training, fitness and health
I want to do some training for the etape in the alps at easter and was wondering if anyone has some recommendations for some winter rides. my normal routes wont be open( hopefully due to snow- I am skiing whilst I am there too) so am looking at the col de colombiere and other stuff around that area
I am based in les gets

Comments

  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    I've been skiing in the Portes du Soleil area 3 times in Feb/March and at Trois Vallees one time in April, and on all occasions the lower passes were open and 'clean' to ride on a bike, even if some had snow on their verges. On the way to the ski resorts I saw many cyclists out and about, and wondered what I was doing with skis rather than my bike!

    By lower passes I mean the one at Les Gets itself, and the small passes going off NE from the Taninges-Annemasse road to the Thonon-Morzine road, e.g. Col de Cou (which should allow you a circuit of 80-100 km from Les Gets).

    The road from Cluses up to Romme before descending to Reposoir at the foot of the Col Colombiere was also open, allowing a short 30 km circuit from/to Cluses.
    You could extend this by going from Les Gets to Taninges, then on to Cluses (between the two, there is a little pass), do the Romme circuit (the ascent up and over Romme is like a small pass in itself), then return via small roads between Cluses to St. Jeoire, then to Taninges and back to Les Gets.
  • torico
    torico Posts: 67
    cheers for the suggestions , I was looking for some higer altitude climbs and the main roads leading up to ski resorts might be my best bet , the road to avoriaz will be open and should be clear but the nice circle that would take me down to montriond wont be. like most people I want some circular rides but the climb ip to avoriaz might eb worthwhile for some climbing practice( its about 950metres vert)

    Not sure how the col de cou would be done I have mtb'd it but I am not sure where to go by road.
    can you let me know?
  • tambo46
    tambo46 Posts: 19
    There are two col de cou's, one is right on the border between france & switzerland and is accessed from the vallee de la manche, Morzine. The other is part of the vallee vert circuit
    http://www.savoiehautesavoie.com/images ... e.pdfessed which is open all year. You can always drop down towards thonnon and then turn up via Vailly and back to Tannainges via Bellevaux , Megevette & St Denis which should be open. Currently sitting in Morzine looking at a crystal blue sky, lack of wind and no bike!!! :cry:
  • torico
    torico Posts: 67
    yep I was definitely think of the col de cou down to chambery!
    thanks for the info
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    From my memory of having stayed in Morzine and having mostly skied up at Avoriaz and beyond, you'd be mad to consider riding up to Avoriaz even if the road is clear of snow and ice - too may cars going up and done all the time.

    They may not be as steep as real alpine cols but the Col de Cou which I mean, and also the Col de Jambas, de Tarramont and des Arces, all mean a climb of about 600 m, so still good practice in Winter.
  • torico
    torico Posts: 67
    yeah I know what you mean about the avoriaz road but I have been skiing in les gets for 16 years and easter is normally very very quiet.This year might be different as its very early but the main traffic is usually on change over day (saturday) and its normally quieter in easter than it is in the summer ( mainly cos theres very little snow!)
  • Down the Road
    Down the Road Posts: 949
    The Joux Plane road should be open then Not high but bloody tough, Can do a loop from Les Gets returning via Morzine, Down the hill might be a little hairy but you should get away with it.

    Remember it's the Alps you can get snowed out even in July
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting
  • torico
    torico Posts: 67
    not a chance of the joux plane in the winter, it might be ok up to the lake but the other side is a blue ski run and holds snow very well, its quite a major link for the les gets pistes and is pretty much always open in the winter
    thanks for trying though!!!
  • tambo46
    tambo46 Posts: 19
    the road to the top of the col d'encranaz is open from the Morzine side all winter (so is the bar at the top!) via la cote d'arbroz
  • torico
    torico Posts: 67
    yep nice little circuit behind mont chery will be well worth a ride

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