Cols closed but open for cyclists,Galiber,Izoard,Granon etc

gavinbay

Don't know if anyone is aware but they are again shutting some Cols over the course of two weeks this Summer.

Last year I was based in La Grave and just happened to be there when they shut Galibier and Izoard on two separate days from 09:00 to Noon - was a really great festival atmosphere - this year they are shutting 5 cols over 5 days in July and again in August.

I wrote quite a detailed blog of last year with photos and the like as well as GPS tracks etc

I'm planning to go out for July - probably camping in La Grave.

More info about the Cols Resvere here http://www.hautes-alpes.net/cyclotouris ... auban.html

If you're not super cycling fit for the likes of the Etappe / Marmotte etc then it's a great way to enjoy cycling some of the famous Cols. You literally see all shapes and sizes cycling up them.

du 2 au 6 juillet 2012 : rejoignez la légende !
Durant cette semaine sportive, venez vous mesurer aux grands cols mythiques du nord département des Hautes-Alpes!
Lundi 2 juillet de 9h à 12h : Montée de Risoul
Mardi 3 juillet de 8h à 12h : Col d'Izoard*
Mercredi 4 juillet de 10h à 13h : Col Agnel
Jeudi 5 juillet de 8h à 12h : Col du Galibier*
Vendredi 6 juillet de 9h à 12h : Col du Granon

du 6 au 10 août 2012 : découvrez nos cols insoupçonnés
Durant cette semaine ludique, profitez des boucles cyclotouristes du sud du département des Hautes-Alpes

Lundi 6 août de 9h à 12h : Montée de Chabre
Mardi 7 août de 9h à 12h : Col d'Espréaux
Mercredi 8 août de 9h à 12h : Mont Colombis
Jeudi 9 août de 9h à 12h : Col de Moissières
Vendredi 10 août de 17h à Minuit : Col du Noyer**

sancho_panza

I happened to be in Gap for this last year - it was super. The closures are pretty high up though so you need to start early. You're right about the atmosphere though, it was great and a really good way of enjoying some of the amazing riding just south west of Gap.

Thanks for the info - think I'll be there again for the Gap ones in August, based in Montmaur for a couple of weeks I think.

davidof

Gavin, same thing in the Savoie

http://www.choisissezvotrecol.com/

16/06 : Montée du relais du mont du Chat
24/06 : Col des Aravis
30/06 : Col des Glières
08/07 : Col de l'Iseran
10/07 : Col de la Croix-de-Fer
27/07 : Col de Pierre Carrée
29/07 : Col de Joux-Plane
04/08 : Col du Glandon
19/08 : Col de la Ramaz
23/08 : Col de la Madeleine
25/08 : Col de Champlaurent & Grand Cucheron
02/09 : Montée du Cormet de Roselend
16/09 : Montée du Semnoz - Col du Châtillon

gavinbay

davidof - Might you be around in that week in July - and what's with the location S Africa :?

Plus noticed that the link in my original post was not working, so that's fixed, as well as repeating it below....

I wrote quite a detailed blog of last year with photos and the like as well as GPS tracks etc

davidof

GavinBay wrote:

davidof - Might you be around in that week in July - and what's with the location S Africa :?

ah that's from my former days as a South African Pro rider

I'm looking at your list, either the Galibier or Izoard tempt me. The Izoard is a really nice col. I'm not so keen on the road to the Granon - although there is a nice MTB descent from the top down to Briancon.

petemadoc

Well this is lucky, thanks for the link. I'm in the area on July 10th so Croix de Fer will definitely be included in that days ride!

Sorry for the noob question but do they just close the roads for the joy of cycling? No particular event just fun?

gavinbay

PeteMadoc can only comment on the Southern Cols, but they put up a barrier stopping all cars / motorbikes and only allowing cyclists to ride up / ride down. So logistically you have to work out how long it will take you to ride up, and then work out where you will cycle from to then cycle up and down, or whether you can include the Col in a circuit.

Davidof last year I did a circuit taking in Izoard from the Arvieux side, Casse Desert ascent track log here that worked really well. We left the vans at Mont Dauphin and then cycled round into Queyras - good ride except the team time trial that developed for the last thirty km where your truly was spat out the back a couple of times :oops:

Agree about Granon, damn, damn tough - meant to be one of the steepest roads to a high mountain Col in the Alps, and after last year think I'd agree with that. My front carbon rim over heated going back down and blew, not good, but I was a little new to downhill riding, did get progressively better over the following days :roll:

davidof

Izoard I've only done from the Briancon side, I'd like to do a loop from the Queyras end, better climbing the south side in the morning. Did they close the col on both sides when you road?

gavinbay

They shut the Cols on both side enabling people to ride up one side, summit, then go down the other side, turn round and then back up & over again.

Izoard was shut on the South side at Brunissard and Le Laus (just up from Cervieres) on the North side.

Galibier was shut at Lautaret and on the other side at Le Crey Baretaz.

They don't exactly publicise it that well either - when we did Izoard last year there was no mention of the Col being shut on the big digital signs as you turn off at Guilestre, in fact they mentioned that the Col would be shut on the following Sunday for a cycle race, and the guys I was with questioned me as to whether I had the right day!

Then, further up into Queyras still no mention, and even when you turn off the main road coming from / to Abries and on to Col Agnel still no signs of anything. So end result was that loads of people driving / motorcycling over from Italy via Agnel and then planning to go over Izoard did not find the Col shut till they arrived at the barrier!

Think it was all a clever plan by the Marie on behalf of the Cafes and Restaurants in Arvieux Brinissard who then had a captive audience for three hours or so, because most people thought that they had come this far and was pointless turning back!

davidof

> Think it was all a clever plan by the Marie on behalf of the Cafes and Restaurants in Arvieux Brinissard who then had a captive audience for three hours or so, because most people thought that they had come this far and was pointless turning back!

Sounds like France!

The number of times I've driven km down a road to find things like "bridge out" 100 meters from a collapsed bridge and stuff like that.

Better was the Col de la Croix de Fer last week. There was a big sign saying "U Turn, Glandon Closed, Access to Maurienne via Grenoble". Like doh! the Croix de Fer was open it was just the Glandon fork that was shut still.

You've probably got to be careful not to have a head on with cyclists on the wrong side of the road on the way down?

> My front carbon rim over heated going back down and blew,

gadzooks! zoiks! that sounds interesting, not!

gavinbay

My front carbon rim over heated going back down and blew,

Sorry used the wrong description there - I was worried that the rim was overheating as I had read about possible issues with carbon rims - I rode across some wet water that was dribbling across the road from a stream, and after about 10 seconds the blocks were rubbing, on closer examination part of the rim had blown / delaminated presumably with the temperature change with a few drops of water!

Luckily for the rest of the trip I used Robin's (from the Edelweiss) wheels - needless to say the carbon wheels went back on my return and I then had a long time challenging the warrantee claims, in the end I took a refund and bought some Fulcrum Racing Red's carbon but with alloy rims!

davidof

I've got to admin, I DON'T like reading about your many misadventures although in this case no real harm done other than it being a PITA.

I'll keep my Mavic Open Pro SSC alloy rims for now.

gavinbay

davidof wrote:

I've got to admin, I DON'T like reading about your many misadventures although in this case no real harm done other than it being a PITA.......

Thought you might have thought that :roll:

I daren't tell you what I'm up to in a couple of weeks time, this is one sport where you can really feck up 8)

Are you on Strava ?

knedlicky

They have the same sort of pass closures to cars (so passes only open to cyclists) in the Italian Alps.
I don't know of all the dates, but the Sella-Round (the 4 passes around the Sella-Massive - Sella, Pordoi, Campolongo and Gardena ) is closed to cars on 24 June, and also a second time later this summer.

davidof

GavinBay wrote:

davidof wrote:

Are you on Strava ?

No but you are not the first to ask.

I'm building my own site for route sharing, it is based on the Lucene search engine!

gavinbay

davidof bad news I've been let down by my mate who was coming with me all of a sudden - business worries

So I'm passing on this - had a nice camp site in the Queyras booked as well.

That said I'm currently trying to get an Etape place as I have other friends doing that, so can split costs etc

And a great cycling friendly Hotel in La Grave have just had their new website go live

http://www.hotel-edelweiss.com/

davidof

The Madeleine, Croix de Fer Etape? They'll need some body bags ready for that I think!

gavinbay

Yes first Etape - Albertville start - had it all confirmed today while I'm on stop over in Casablanca before flying on to Dakhla later this afternoon - http://www.anotherharddayattheoffice.co ... gblog.html

lostboysaint

GavinBay wrote:

Yes first Etape - Albertville start - had it all confirmed today while I'm on stop over in Casablanca before flying on to Dakhla later this afternoon - http://www.anotherharddayattheoffice.co ... gblog.html

And why are you going to Dakhla? Because you've finally come out!!