Places To Stay In The Alps

nicksun

Morning all,
I'm planning a trip to The Alps in September this year, does anybody have any recommendations as to where to stay? There will be four of us and the trip is primarily to ride as many classic TdF Cols as possible in 5-7 days. We willl not be doing high mileage rides. Just staying in one place would be ideal to save on packing up etc.. but 2 woulid be fine. As we'll be taking a car, driving to climbs would not be a problem. Somewhere central and within 45ish minute drive would be ideal.
Any suggestions and recommendations will be welcome.
Thanks
Nicksun.

bahzob

King of the Mountains cycle lodge. Run by ex-pat couple, Guy and Helyn, with lots of local knowledge, great food and help yourself drinks. They will ride with you and also help support a ride so you could, for example, ride the 2006 Etape or Marmotte routes if you fancy a real challenge.

Links
http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/
http://kingofthemountains.blogware.com/blog

vermooten

Downside of kingofthemountains that it's situated HIGH up on a hill in the middle of nowhere. Better to get a place in Bourg d'Oisans, easy access to climbs as well as 2 bike shops, places to eat and shop etc etc. Loads of places ot stay too.

pneumatic

I did a trip like that a few years ago:

Geneva - Grand Bornand - Beaufort - St Michel de Maurienne - La Grave - Grenoble

Flew to and from Geneva and got a (very cheap) train back from Grenoble to Geneva.

Cols involved:

Aravis, Saisies, Cormet de Roselend (Iseran) Telegraphe Galibier Alpe d'Huez (I blew up on the Cormet, so had to drop Iseran and go round the long flat way)

Accommodation

Hotel Vermont at Grand Bornand (run by a friend of mine but very comfortable)
One of the several small family hotels in Beaufort (also very good)
Hotel Galibier in St Michel (avoid; it was like a sanitorium, only dirty and expensive)
Hotel Edelweiss in La Grave (run by cyclists for cyclists, including TDF teams - superb)
Grenoble has loads of hotels

andrew_s

Barcelonette is a nice place to stay.

Cols de la Bonnette, Cayolle, Allos, Vars and Larche are handy.

mileendwall

if you're looking for self catering then this place is good. Tour goes through Guillestre on a regular basis and the local cols are; d'Izoard, Vars, Bonette, Agnel, Cayolle Larche and Galibier

www.alpineaccomodation.com

Great place and the locals cheer you on rather than try to run you off the road

Cheers

morrisje

I've booked this place for the end of June. It can sleep 12 but accomodation is arranged in appartments off a central area so smaller groups can stay there. It is half way up Alp D'Huez
http://www.chaletribot.com/index.html

Fogliettaz

I have an apartment in Ste Foy Tarentaise, which is ideal for the Col d'Iseran, Col de Petit St Bernard, Cormet de Roselend, Col d' Madeline plus numerous others.

jobless

My mate at Purechalets.com might be able to help. Run by an English couple, Andy and Liz. They are in Samoens and that is near about half a dozen great climbs. One or two of which are being used this year.

Drop them an email - they may be able to help.

inaperfectworld

nicest meal i had in bourg d'oisans was hotel le florentin, rue ernest graziotti. french cuisine about30 euros. room was a bit pricey 69 euros. best value hotel i stayed in was at st jean de maurienne (telegraph, galibier madeleine all close by) hotel bernard; clean, does all i want in a hotel, and my bill for room, breakfast,meal (simple rustic and well, cooked) glass of wine, aperitif and coffee was 58euros 40.

russell_in_france

For me, there are two great locations for riding some of the big climbs.

The first is Bourg d'Oisans - with access to Alpe d'Huez, Galibier, Croix de Fer, Glandon amongst others.

The second is Bourg St Maurice, which has some lovely climbs close by including Iseran, Cormet de Roseland, Pt St Bernard, Les Arcs, La Plagne etc.

Each of these locations has enough to keep you busy for a week of riding.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

CumbrianMan

Nick

I can echo what Russell says.

Stayed in both areas, and there is so many climbs to do.

We're back to Bourg D'Oisans this Sept. Previously stayed at Chalet Ribot (mentioned above), owned and run by Sue & Daniel. Food is spot on. Only downer is that it's on hairpin 12, so a fair hike up at the end of the day.
Or, you can leave your car in the car park at the foot of ADH, or Daniel will even come and pick you up. Good fella !

In BSM, we stayed at a private apartment, but have a look at ChillChalet.com. They look like a good bet.

Never know, may bump into you in Sept.

Cheers

nicksun

Thanks for all the replies. I've now booked and we're going to be staying not far from Bourg-Saint-Maurice in a place called Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise. It's an apartment owned by Fogliettaz, who posted in this this thread.We opted for self catering as it gives us flexibility and we get a fridge for beer and cheese! I'm really looking forward to going, just got to get a few training miles in! I'll let you know how we get on when we return in September.

Cheers

Nicksun

ecrinslodge

I see I am little too late with this, however for the benefit of anyone else interested in the Bourg d'Oisans region, I can fully recommend both kingofthemountains and chalet ribot as great cycing accommodations. However if your looking for somthing with a valley location then perhaps try the Ecrins Lodge between Bourg D'Oisans and Venosc.

ecrinslodge

I see I am little too late with this, however for the benefit of anyone else interested in the Bourg d'Oisans region, I can fully recommend both kingofthemountains and chalet Ribot as great cycling accommodations. However if your looking for something with a valley location then perhaps try us at the Ecrins Lodge between Bourg D'Oisans and Venosc.

farmerr

hi for all those looking for accommodation in and around bourg oisans try our website www.vaujanyapartments.co.uk where we have 2/3 bed apartments and 4 bed chalets. All are self catering and are cycle friendly with excellent storage facilities. Located ideally for all the classic tour de france routes plus amazing mountain biking at alpe duez.

ChamRider

I see I am little too late with this, however for the benefit of anyone else interested in the Bourg d'Oisans region, I can fully recommend both kingofthemountains and chalet Ribot as great cycling accommodations. However if your looking for something with a valley location then perhaps try us at the Ecrins Lodge between Bourg D'Oisans and Venosc.

We stayed at Cycling Accommodation Alpe d'Huez - Will and Alex at Ecrins Lodge looked after everything for our trip in the Alps.

SJO76

Anyone booked through Tour D'Oisans? I am considering either staying there or at King of the Mountains. I must admit the TDO's location in Bourg D'Oisans is swaying me. But I want to stay in the place that offers the most to a single rider.

http://www.tourdoisans.com/
http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/

ChamRider

SJO76 wrote:

Anyone booked through Tour D'Oisans? I am considering either staying there or at King of the Mountains. I must admit the TDO's location in Bourg D'Oisans is swaying me. But I want to stay in the place that offers the most to a single rider.

http://www.tourdoisans.com/
http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/

I haven't stayed with kingofthemountains as they were full when we tried to book. Guy was really helpful though and their place sounds great. and it was him that put us onto http://www.ecrinslodge.com near Bourg d'Oisans

inaperfectworld

My suggestion for an alpine base is St Jean de Maurienne. Never seems to get a mention. Close by areThe Madeleine, the very beginnig of Croix de Fer (2 ways up: one by the 40 odd hairpins of col du Mollard) Telegraph and Galibier are all nearby. Plus there is the Col du Chaussy via the "lacets de montvernier" which is sbout the same overall gradient as Alpd'huez. Furthermore there is a station: take a loclal train to Modane about 20 miles away(no need to book a bike just walk on with it) and you are at the start of the south climb of the col de L'Iseran.
It is a proper little working town: there is a steel industry there. there's and old bell tower, a small cathedral with some nice carvings on the miserichords and colonades along the shop fronts. Hotels are cheaper than Alp d'huez: both the hotel Bernard and Hotel del'europe are nice and do good but inexpensive meals . La Gavroche is good if you want to splash out on a meal. the owner of the l'europe is a bike nut.
Bourg d'oisans is not particularly attractive, mainly exists for tourism. Hotels are dearer and I reckon there's only 1 decent restaurant ( the flore or something like that) for a proper meal.
As it is in the next valley from bourg d'Oisans you could come over the Croix de fer or Galibier to spend a night in Bourg d'oisans and do Alp d'huez.
And I overlooked thast the climb to the col du Glandon, from the north side is about 5 miles away