Marmotte advice

dbg

Having done a few sportives with a couple of mates we quite fancy a stab at this next year.
None of us have done any European events and don't exactly have money to burn so I was wondering what's the cheapest way of tackling the Marmotte re: travel, accomodation etc. Also can you just enter via a website as the one I found didn't look very clear!
Some of the organised companies seem a bit of a rip off tbh.

Le Commentateur

Yes, you can enter via their web site, though not just yet.

There are plenty of camp sites near the start (at the foot of ALpe d'Huez itself, or slightly further away in Rochetailée and Allemont) which are the cheapest form of accommodation. French camp sites tend to have better facilities than a lot of UK ones. Some of these have their own web sites and you can either book through those or email them.

Also the tourist office in Bourg d'oisans has a list:
http://www.bourgdoisans.com/otbo_uk/index_uk.htm

If you get to Grenoble there are local buses that leave there for Bourg d'Oisans every hour or so (bus station is right next to the railway station; you put your bike boxes/bags in the lockers underneath the coach-type bus).

dbg

Brilliant thanks
I'm guessing that flying to Grenoble will be cheaper than train?

itisaboutthebike

Don't knick pitch 115 on camping colporteur - its mine for next year !

itisaboutthebike

I'm sure you've seen this thread http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12635042

andyp

I don't want to sound like a naysayer and purveyor of doom, but if you've never ridden a continental sportive then I'd recommend you do an easier one before you attempt the Marmotte. Nothing you've done in the UK can prepare you for the type of climbs you encounter on the Marmotte, nor the potential heat.

If you do decide to go for it then it's very easy to do on a budget. If you book in advance the train can be as cheap as flying and is a far less stressful way of travelling. I'd recommend going via Lille as it's easier to change trains there than in Paris. I travelled to Valence when I did the Marmotte and picked up a hire car there.

There are a lot of hotels in Alpe d'Huez itself or you can stay in somewhere like Vaujany or Les Deux Alpes too. There also lots of gites and camp sites in the area.

dbg

Thanks Andy
Could you give me a rough guide to cost of travel/accom - budget is tight

itisaboutthebike

Camping Colporteur was (this year) 15 euro a nite. 500 yards from the start/centre of Bourg and great facilities

andyp

dbg wrote:

Thanks Andy
Could you give me a rough guide to cost of travel/accom - budget is tight

Camping will be the cheapest option by some margin, but you can probably find a hotel in Alpe d'Huez for around €50 a night. The Tourist Office in Alpe d'Huez is very helpful in my experience, www.alpedhuez.com/ete/en/38/70/contact.html

The SNCF release tickets three months in advance of travel, so if you book the day they release tickets for your journey then you can get a very good price. I've paid as little as £120 return to get to the southern half of France using the Eurostar and TGV. I've always found their own website, www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/, to offer the best deals. The Rail Europe site, www.raileurope.co.uk, tends to be the most expensive.

dbg

More thanks - I see a plan forming!

itisaboutthebike

Remember if you stay at ADH then you've got to climb it every time to get to your digs.

Ok if you have a car(for those times you're not o n the bike) and probably ok if you just plan to be there for a couple of days prior to the Marmotte.

If you're spending a week there then much better to be down in the valley at Bourg.

Only downside of this is when you're actually on the Marmotte its easy to pack at the bottom of the Alpe - if you're staying in ADH then you've got to climb it anyway !

sherer

not sure how fit you are and how well you cope with UK sportives. If you want to do one on a budget you might be better with Amstel Gold or Tour of Flanders.

I just did the Vaujany which is easier than the Marmotte. Having never riden the Alps we weren't prepared for a 20k climb followed by another one later on in the day. This needs practice and that can lead to recovery problems from a training ride a few days before so a longer trip is better

itisaboutthebike

Remember if you stay at ADH then you've got to climb it every time to get to your digs.

Ok if you have a car(for those times you're not o n the bike) and probably ok if you just plan to be there for a couple of days prior to the Marmotte.

If you're spending a week there then much better to be down in the valley at Bourg.

Only downside of this is when you're actually on the Marmotte its easy to pack at the bottom of the Alpe - if you're staying in ADH then you've got to climb it anyway !

bs147

itisaboutthebike wrote:

Don't knick pitch 115 on camping colporteur - its mine for next year !

We were on Pitch 118! I'll be back there again next year!

dbg

Just a thought re: camping, how much gear do you take - just one large rucksack and the bikebag? and could you get away with that much baggage on the train

itisaboutthebike

We were on Pitch 118! I'll be back there again next year!

So will I hopefully............

Re: kit depends how luxiouiors you want your camping - I take a trailer tent with uber comfortable beds !

bs147

dbg wrote:

Just a thought re: camping, how much gear do you take - just one large rucksack and the bikebag? and could you get away with that much baggage on the train

I think you'll struggle with a minimalist approach - it may make the whole trip feel like a hardship test! Especially as it's sensible to have a few days down there in advance getting your legs freed off!

We drove down and had a small tent - just about enough room in the car (small hatchback) for bike plus sufficient kit/clothing for a week. I've been backpacking/wild camping before and there was just too much to take. We bought food in the supermarket down there.

Driving was pretty expensive - unleaded is the equivalent of £1.15-£1.25 per litre (the latter on the autoroutes), plus the tolls worked out at just over £60 each way...

meenaghman

If you do go with a hotel .. go half board.. most offer it.. as meals can be expensive enough and most of the Hotels are geared up for cyclists .. ie giving them a decent breakfast and good 3 course evening meal.. I suppose it may depend on whether you're a fussy eater.. I'm not.

Another advantage of staying on Alpe D'huez is the heat. or lack of it.. In Grenoble it was mid - high 30s in the shade on Thursday before Marmotte, In Bourg it was about 30 while on the Alpe it was about 25, with a pleasant cooling breeze. I certainly felt the heat down in Bourg that day when I stopped off mid afternoon and was glad to get up to the Alpe.

If you're hiring a car and not that confident on LHD then think about an automatic.. I actually hate them with a vengenance but was given one (even though I booked a manual) in Geneva. it was crap for motorway driving and overtaking (the car an A series merc was underpowered) but it was a blessing in disguise for driving up and down the Alpe.. no gear changing necessary... concentrate on the hair pins and cyclists.