Geneva Flights booked- advice required

smithy21

Ok, so we have flights booked to Geneva in June. Last year we went to Morzine which we could do again but I wondered if anyone had any recommendations.

Last year we arrived on Friday afternoon did around 40 miles that afternoon including Joux Plane and Encrenaz. Next day we did Joux Plane from the other side and on to Colombier finishing in Annecy and then a quick blast on Sunday morning before an afternoon flight back.

This year we would follow the same format. On an initial first glance I was looking at maybe staying in Albertville and doing Col de la Madeleine then on to Croix de Fer and Glandon?

Anyone got any views on this- thoughts on the area?

dodgy

I've been to the same area for the last 2 years, we stay in Verchaix which is about 2 miles from Samoens at the foot of the Joux Plane. I think this area is just perfect and the only reason we're not going again this year is that our friends who own the place we stay at now have a long term let

Albertville sounds good, slightly different area with some good epic climbs nearby. Shame yoiu can't go a little later and enjoy in the TdeF madness that will consume the area!

sssstelvio

geneva to la clusaz, col d'aravis, col de saisies, cormet de roseland, down to bourg st maurice, down the valley to chambrey and back to geneva via mont saleve, if you have longer from bourg st m try the col de l'iseran, or la plagne (remember stephen roches epic), or les arcs
or from bourg try the petite st bernard over to aoste, then grand st bernard down to martigny and train back to geneva or ride round the south coast of lac leman

daviegb

If you don't mind a bit of a drive from Geneva, then Andermatt is amazing! We stayed in a small village called Goschenen.

I went last September for 3 days of riding in the mountains, having previously been to Joux Plane, Colombiere & Col de Pierre Carree.

There is a great 70 mile loop which takes in 3 mountain passes - Susten, Grimsel & Furka totalling 11,500 feet of climbing.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113273123

We drove to Andermatt on day 2 & cycled both sides of Operalp.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113542453

Day 3 involved a climb of Neufenen & Gotthardpass - Neufenen is the best descent I've ever had the fun of doing - totally empty roads, which allow you to get up to 50 mph!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113845772

If you liked Joux Plane, this will give you more of the same! Wherever you choose to go, have a great time.

sancho_panza

Andermatt bit of a hike from Geneva - good advice though on routes; will check them out myself come May/June.

Coming out for La Morzine sportive late June? That's a cool route even if you're not in the race.

durhamwasp

Theres a book called "Cycling in the French Alps" (£10 on Amazon) and he starts a tour or two from Geneva airport.

I have spent time in le Grand Bornand (about 60km from Geneva) and there is so much cycling to be done its unreal! There was a tourist map called the "100 cols of Savoie" or something, you could spend weeks there!

smithy21

Thanks for the replies. I think we are currently erring on the side of Morzine again but there might be a question mark over the availability of the place we stayed at last time. Anyone stayed in Saint Jean de Maurriene? Looks convenient for Madeleine, Glandon, Croix de Fer etc?

sancho_panza

Morzine - brilliant place for riding

malcolmfrost

Bourg St Maurice is good, nicer town than St Jean de Maurienne.
Climbs are Iseran (highest paved through road in Europe) Roseland, Pt St Bernard, Les Arcs and N side of the Madeleine.
We stayed at the Chill Chalet.

chieflordy

I have used Albertville as a base a few times and would recommend it, plenty of decent climbs in range, Col des Saisies is my personal favourite.
Some good tips on here: http://www.albertville.com/InfoliveDocu ... e_velo.pdf

smithy21

Chieflordy

Thanks for the Albertville stuff. Any recommendations on accommodation?

Cheers

chieflordy

I have always stayed in the Fasthotel, fairly basic, smallish rooms but cheap, clean, decent breakfast, chalet style with your own front door and good gated parking right outside your room. Nice quiet leafy spot as well, right opposite the Olympic park, about 1k from the centre and a big Geant hypermarket close by. Also a good bike shop just around the corner.

http://www.fasthotel.com/hotel/1/hotel- ... ille.shtml

DavidCr

Sancho Panza wrote:

Coming out for La Morzine sportive late June? That's a cool route even if you're not in the race.

Or the Time Megeve on June 12, this too is a great ride. This year it will include the Aravis and Croix Fry, and for the middle and long courses it will also go over the Col de Saisies.

craigenty

Don't forget the Cormet de Roseland - it's stunning riding up past the lake and be done as a loop with an amazing descent in to Bourg SM -between 80 and 90km if I rememebr.

bobinski

malcolmfrost wrote:

Bourg St Maurice is good, nicer town than St Jean de Maurienne.
Climbs are Iseran (highest paved through road in Europe) Roseland, Pt St Bernard, Les Arcs and N side of the Madeleine.
We stayed at the Chill Chalet.[/quot

We are thinking of staying at Chill Chalet in August. Reviews elsewhere suggest its a good base. Would you agree?

malcolmfrost

We had a good stay last year, I'm not sure I'd want to be there with 12 snowboarders, but we had a floor each (3 of us) and the place to ourselves. There are at least 2 decent bike shops in walking distance, and the chalet is close to the station, which has direct services to Paris. Chalet food was fine.
The climb up and descent down from the Cormet de Roseland is one of my favourites.
This is what we did:
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522775
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522772
http://app.strava.com/activities/1508198
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522776

bobinski

Darn, those routes look good!

They have offered us a whole floor at a discounted rate even allowing for fact they are loosing a bedroom to rent.

cc78

From Albertville you also have access to the superb "piste cyclable" that runs all the way up to Annecy... an absolutely glorious ride beside Lake Annecy if you need a rest day of spinning between more taxing climbs.

http://cbandiera.free.fr/vv/annecy/

The Savoie-Mont Blanc tourist board website has a good list of routes in the area too:

http://www.savoie-mont-blanc.com/itiner ... -22-1.html

bobinski

cc78,
thanks for this. My french is a little rusty but i will try to run the first link through google.

I have to say i will be cycling on my own and just a little wary of some of these rides, just in case anything goes wrong. A quick look suggests that none are too far from civilisation but just checking! To think i went cycle touring in Nepal and China 25 years ago with nary a doubt or hesitation :oops:

bobinski

malcolmfrost wrote:

We had a good stay last year, I'm not sure I'd want to be there with 12 snowboarders, but we had a floor each (3 of us) and the place to ourselves. There are at least 2 decent bike shops in walking distance, and the chalet is close to the station, which has direct services to Paris. Chalet food was fine.
The climb up and descent down from the Cormet de Roseland is one of my favourites.
This is what we did:
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522775
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522772
http://app.strava.com/activities/1508198
http://app.strava.com/activities/1522776

Malcolm,
We are now booked for mid august and i wondered if you had garmin friendly files for the strava rides above? I am going to take my own bike rather than hire but good to know i can hire bikes for the rest of the family.
Many thanks
Bob