Bourg D'Oisans 2013....

Crispyapp

Hi all, I have booked a cycling holiday for a group of 8 for next yr to Bourg D'Oisans. We will be going for a week and cycling everyday. We have never been to the area and as such have no idea what the routes are for decent rides. I'm aware of the area and would welcome any advice from anyone who has been or knows the area. Can you point me in the direction for maps with routes, or maybe you have gpx files you could share?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

daviegb

You're spoilt for choice around Bourg - routes to try include;

Col du Glandon & Col de la Croix de Fer (they are effectively the same climb from Bourg via Allemond
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51354778

Alpe d'Huez - up the Mythique & then along the balcony road via Villard Reculas (can also include Col d'Ornan)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51235591

Col du Galibier (via Lauratet)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51525425

Les Deux Alpes & La Berarde
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216311055

If you have cars, then St Jean de Maurienne is worth a drive - from there you can ride to;
Col du Mollard & the other dies of Col de la Croix de Fer (75km loop including a descent of Glandon).
Col de Mont Centis (140km out & back).
Col du Telegraphe & other side of Galibier (100km out & back)
Col de la Madeleine & La Chaussy (94km out & back)
Col de l'Izoard - both sides (72km out & back)

Try this website for even more options - I've used it to plan my last 4 trips to The Alps - it has pretty much every major (& minor) climb;
http://www.cycling-challenge.com/?s=bourg+d%27oisans

If you want any more info, just send me a PM - have a great trip!!!


Gavin

Crispyapp

Thanks for the info Gavin, we will not have transport other than our bikes when we are there. Shame in a way as I'd really like to ride the vercors in the Grenoble area....the scenery on these rides looks out of this world.

Again thanks for these. They will come in useful.

Christian

DavidCr

A few more:

The road up to Vaujany
The balcony road from La Garde(on the Alpe d'Huez road- virage16?) to Freney d'Oisans
Col de la Sarenne
Les Deux Alpes

You could also try Col de Parquetout after the Col d'Ornon, a short but tough climb ( http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp? ... ainID=6312 )

Crispyapp

Thanks David. If you have any or think of any other routes pls post them here. It would be great if I could put a weeks training together before we went...

rc856

I can vouch for those rides
Stayed in Allemond a few years ago and as already said, you could go up to Vaujany on the way to the Glandon/Croix de Fer. You also pass the Oz ski station as well.

If those Garmin routes aren't enough, I still have the good old fashioned paper maps I took with me

phreak

A couple from off the Tour tourist trail are the Parquetout (steeper than all the others and reasonably long), and the ride to Villard Notre Dame. Not sure you can do that last one as part of a loop, but it's right out of Bourg and well worth a ride up and back down again. Will be much quieter than the others and the views are awesome. Oh and it has some wicked tunnels where you won't be able to see a thing, so take a light.

Crispyapp

RC856 wrote:

I can vouch for those rides
Stayed in Allemond a few years ago and as already said, you could go up to Vaujany on the way to the Glandon/Croix de Fer. You also pass the Oz ski station as well.

If those Garmin routes aren't enough, I still have the good old fashioned paper maps I took with me

I was thinking of getting the old faithfuls. Did you get the standard os maps?

Crispyapp

phreak wrote:

A couple from off the Tour tourist trail are the Parquetout (steeper than all the others and reasonably long), and the ride to Villard Notre Dame. Not sure you can do that last one as part of a loop, but it's right out of Bourg and well worth a ride up and back down again. Will be much quieter than the others and the views are awesome. Oh and it has some wicked tunnels where you won't be able to see a thing, so take a light.

Yes I imagine some of the tunnels are like riding the vercors region..... Would like to go there but without transport it ain't gonna be possible.

stanthomas

The Oisans tourist board has a whole website for you to browse at http://www.bikes-oisans.com/bike-oisans-cycling.html which, amongst other things, links to a PDF of a little booklet of routes available foc from the Tourist Board Office, http://www.bikes-oisans.com/IMG/pdf_186-guide-cyclo-1112-web-2.pdf.
I can heartily recommend Les Balcons d'Auris ride early on a sunny morning.

There's an MTB booklet too.

oldhairylegs

It really is a fantastic place to access lots of stunning rides - many of which are already covered above. The balcony road rides are really stunning on a sunny day. We did one of the less well used routes beyond Vaujany up the Col du Sabot; it's a dead end at the top, but the route gives some truly breathtaking views.

Here is a video of our club descent off the Col d'Ornon earlier this year. This one is not to be missed and it's well worth the pain of riding up from the other side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEHAaEDRpr8

Enjoy your week!

dylanfernley

The ride up to Villard notre Dame is awesome , there is a small cafe in the 'village with stunning views across to the alp d, you can then continue on a forestry track that is ridable on a road bike to Villard raymond, then you descend to join the D526 coming down from the col d 'ornon and back to bourg, its only a short jaunt but you will never forget it.

Crispyapp

stanthomas wrote:

The Oisans tourist board has a whole website for you to browse at http://www.bikes-oisans.com/bike-oisans-cycling.html which, amongst other things, links to a PDF of a little booklet of routes available foc from the Tourist Board Office, http://www.bikes-oisans.com/IMG/pdf_186-guide-cyclo-1112-web-2.pdf.
I can heartily recommend Les Balcons d'Auris ride early on a sunny morning.

There's an MTB booklet too.

Thanks ror the links, ill dl what I can.

Crispyapp

dylanfernley wrote:

The ride up to Villard notre Dame is awesome , there is a small cafe in the 'village with stunning views across to the alp d, you can then continue on a forestry track that is ridable on a road bike to Villard raymond, then you descend to join the D526 coming down from the col d 'ornon and back to bourg, its only a short jaunt but you will never forget it.

Hmmm is rideable on a road bike doesn't fill me with confidence, I have to be honest. What surface is it?

Crispyapp

To add to my post ..... How self efficient do we have to be ie taking food on rides? What I want to know is there many places to stop on these suggested routes to refill bottles and grab something to eat? Our plans are to take bars and bottles each day but our main fuel will ideally be stopping at bars/cafes..... After all it is a holiday ...

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply and post the links. It is appreciated .

dylanfernley

its only a short section, its an old route, the worst that can happen is you walk for a few metres, but the bar in notre dame will do food, simple stuff but good, you are never far from food in france. We were camped in the woods just outside bourg as the place was full for the tour, above our heads was a sheer cliff with a road cut into it-- we thought we had to check it out, thats how come we went up there. The surface on the track is fine stone mixed with wood chip, they use it for access to the forest up there. You will be able to ride and eat out easily, you not going till next year-- i have a friend who has a flat in Alp D- will query him for some more info when i see him at football matches, he lives in london for the winter. allez

Crispyapp

dylanfernley wrote:

its only a short section, its an old route, the worst that can happen is you walk for a few metres, but the bar in notre dame will do food, simple stuff but good, you are never far from food in france. We were camped in the woods just outside bourg as the place was full for the tour, above our heads was a sheer cliff with a road cut into it-- we thought we had to check it out, thats how come we went up there. The surface on the track is fine stone mixed with wood chip, they use it for access to the forest up there. You will be able to ride and eat out easily, you not going till next year-- i have a friend who has a flat in Alp D- will query him for some more info when i see him at football matches, he lives in london for the winter. allez

Yes that sounds ok, thanks for that... I thought it would be the case regarding food but then again when your in the mountains you just never know. I know what there like in winter as I ski but I've never ridden these big lumps. The link posted above from the tourist office is brilliant, exactly the type of thing I'm after. It shows 30 different rides of all lengths and difficulties. Perfect. Maybe if you get any time you co utd check it out and let me know if the route your talking about is on there?

Thanks again

dylanfernley

Yes its Route no 8-- but as you can see from the map, there is a white road that connects notre dame with villard raymond, which will take you down route 9 !-- This is a wonderful little trip, you will not meet any traffic i doubt, the tunnels are not long, they have no lighting in them, a headtorch would be ample. I am envious of you already!

phreak

To wet your appetite for the Villard Notre Dame, I recommend here.

http://www.steephill.tv/2006/villard-notre-dame/

Some cracking photos. It's nowhere near as popular as the Tour climbs in the region, so you'll often have the road to yourself.

dylanfernley

Some great photos that bring it to life, i had forgotten about the 'warning' at the road over to ville raymond, as the man says perfectly ridable, we went that way ten years ago, the blog is 2006, my mate was there last year so it will be fine.

Its way more memorable than the Alp D-- thats a metronomic switchback, this route is well impressive, and barely used.

Crispyapp

stanthomas wrote:

The Oisans tourist board has a whole website for you to browse at http://www.bikes-oisans.com/bike-oisans-cycling.html which, amongst other things, links to a PDF of a little booklet of routes available foc from the Tourist Board Office, http://www.bikes-oisans.com/IMG/pdf_186-guide-cyclo-1112-web-2.pdf.
I can heartily recommend Les Balcons d'Auris ride early on a sunny morning.

There's an MTB booklet too.

Got home today and the owner of the chalet has posted me the leaflet you directed me to. V happy indeedy. Just need the area map and I think our rides are pretty much sorted.

The Sooper

Just to endorse everything that's been said about the ride to Villard Notre Dame (torch is essential for the tunnels). A real tranquil delight and fantastic scenery. Did this a couple of months ago and would recommend completing the loop, rather than returning back the same way. The unsurfaced link to Villard Raymond is a relatively level and compact fine gravel track, a touch better than most forestry roads in the UK and no problem on my 23mm tyres. As well as the bar in Villard Notre Dame, there's also a very nice Gite at Villard Raymond serving excellent food. I did the ride in both directions and can recommend both options.

dylanfernley

glad to hear that sooper, when we camped below that cliff, we saw a vehicle at night going up to the ville n d-- it looked like some trick , a sheer cliff with a car driving across it, its what drew us to go up there and of course everyone loves a loop- . In many ways, although we rode up from nice and had a superb 'tour' --that little ride up over the villen d was one of the highlights for me. That view from outside the bar in the village while sipping a cold beer after that climb was ....just so good..
we didn't stop in villard raymond, so i guess i'll just have to go back there and do as you did, ride it the other way, for a descent through the tunnels i can see the need for a light, but in ascent you are going so slow its not as critical.

allez

Lazarus

Check out the link below I did this very ride a few years ago and for me it was the highlight of the holiday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8GEJMm0hPw

That and a post ride Stella sitting outside the Hotel Milan.

Crispyapp

Lazarus wrote:

Check out the link below I did this very ride a few years ago and for me it was the highlight of the holiday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8GEJMm0hPw

That and a post ride Stella sitting outside the Hotel Milan.

Looks pretty spectacular..... Have you got the map directions or gpx files for it?

Lazarus

Sorry no gpx , I did it several years ago but that video was posted last year by a fellow forumite Russell in France.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40003&t=12807369&hilit=russell

Maybe he could help you

dylanfernley

if you watch the video and note the names of places it is fairly easy to plot it ion a map,if you look in the link earlier for the rides from the tourist office it uses route 2/3 and 5 -- i think