Col de la Colombiere...

alpineaddict

Hi folks... Looking at doing the Col de la Colombiere, from Cluses and over to Le Grand-Bornand this summer/autumn when over in France... Just wondered if anyone had been up this climb and could offer any advice on how 'fit' you need to be to do this... I have seen, in comparison to some, the gradient is not 'horrendous', but it at 16km, quite a long one...

Not done any alpine climbing as such before, but enjoy a good climb and am now starting to get back into my cycling, after a lengthy lay off due to a back injury...

Any thoughts welcomed folks...

mercia_man

I've done it with my wife Sue and it's a good, not too tough ride. I was on a road bike with a 36-29 bottom gear, Sue was on her Bike Friday folding bike with a triple chainset. If you take it at a steady pace, have a reasonably low bottom gear and maybe have an occasional rest stop, most cyclists would find it a pleasant introduction to alpine climbing. It is quite steep in places but not too long. The descent to Le Grand Bornand is fantastic.

alpineaddict

Hi pal... Thx for this... I have a 12-27 on the back and 50-34 on the front... I was actually thinking of getting a 12-28 for the back??? Not sure how much difference that extra bout would make...????

Looking forward to it regardless...

thegreatdivide

Did it last summer but from the Grand Bo side. It's a lovely climb! There's a nice cafe at the top too :-)

The descent back down to Grand Bo is indeed great fun.

You've also got the Croix Fry and the Aravis in easy striking distance too.

I managed it on a 12/27 50/34.

thegreatdivide

In fact you can pretty much freewheel from the top of the Colombier to the foot of the Aravis and either go all the way up the Aravis or half way up then branch off and do the Croix Fry from the easy side (the other side is a beast - see Stage 19 for last year's Tour).

whoof

The larger the gearing you have the more you will use your back if you start to tire. I would suggest seeing if you could run a 30t sprocket at the back. If you don't need it that's fine but if you get halfway up and your back starts to hurt it could be a miserable ride.

mercia_man

alpineaddict wrote:

Hi pal... Thx for this... I have a 12-27 on the back and 50-34 on the front... I was actually thinking of getting a 12-28 for the back??? Not sure how much difference that extra bout would make...????

Looking forward to it regardless...

Your bottom gear is pretty much the same as I used. I wouldn't bother changing your cassette to a 12-28. You'd need to go to something like a 12-30 or even 32 to make much difference.

As said above, the Aravis and the Croix Fry (which I have mainly ridden from Thones, the hard side) are both excellent climbs. If you want a real test of climbing, try the Col des Glieres between La Clusaz and Le Petit Bornand les Glieres. It's short but very steep with a rideable section of unmade track and Resistance memorial at the top on a really beautiful plateau. Sue and I found it well worth the effort of riding up.

Rob Somerset

This was my first alpine climb back in 2009. Did it on a triple 52-39-30 12-25. the 30.. 25 combination was used a lot and this is pretty much the same ratio as 34.. 28. It was pretty managable, though I remember the last couple of km dragged as I was tired and it was a long straightish drag where you could always see the summit but it never seemed to get any closer. Nice cafe at top, where I was amazed to see some local cyclists stopping for a fag and a beer!. Good descent to Grand Bornand. Fond memories -- you always remember your first one !

alpineaddict

thegreatdivide...Awesome info... Will def look into this, My Mrs will be meeting me at the cafe at the top, had originally planned on descending back down the same way to head home, but will consider the Grand Bornand descent and see where it takes me...

whoof/Mercia Man... Again, great advice... Gonna head unto my local to discuss this as I do need to protect my back a bit... Hoping that the spinning classes I am starting will go someway to building that core strength up... Might take the climbs in small steps and see how I get on on the Colombiere before I get too excited

Rob Somerset... I am hoping my memories are good ones as I love the alps and love cycling... Just want to combine the two now

Thx again folks... Much appreciated...

rolf_f

If doing it from Cluses, do it properly and go via Col du Romme! That's an awesome climb with a great view of the Colombiere at its summit.

I found the Colombiere (ascent from Le Reposoir) straightforward until the final drag which looks pretty straightforward but just goes on and on and on! It was a hot day though which made a big difference.

cc78

The first section to Le Reposoir is a fairly gentle spin up through the forest with a good 1-2km of false flat before the village. After Le Reposoir the gradient kicks up and gets steadily steeper, the last 3km are the toughest at around 9% average (over 10% in places). As others have said this is a long, mainly straight stretch so you can see the chalet at the summit but it approaches painfully slowly, especially in a headwind. It's worth it though and yes the descent to Grand Bo on the other side is great fun.

The ascent via Romme is a nice alternative (quieter and tougher) route to Le Reposoir.

To answer the original question, it's tough but as long as you leave plenty in the tank for the second half, you will be fine.

The Glieres and Croix-Fry climbs mentioned above are also superb. In fact there are tons of great roads in the area, you'll love it.

alpineaddict

OK... Just checked out the Col du Romme route on Google street view... Looks nice, and beautiful scenery all the way up as I think the street view cam went up in Autumn which potentially is when I could be there...

Question, how much more physically demanding would it be to do the route via the Col du Romme/ I am thinking 'small steps' considering this will be my first proper alpine climb...???? Or is the difference between riding up the normal road, and via the Romme, negligible due to the nice downhill section into Le Reposoir for a break...???

Baby Trek

So long as you go at your pace then you will be fine, you can always stop for rests on the way. My husband did it when we were over there and his biggest piece of advice is to start as early as you possibly can...depending on the time of year you go.
We were over there in July and he tackled it mid-morning when the temperature soared to 100 degrees...not good when you are used to UK weather.
Also, take plenty of fluids and if you pass through a village, fill up your bottle from the water fountains that are all over in France.

cc78

If you do Romme and then the second part of Colombiere, you are doing effectively doing two shorter, tougher climbs with a bit of rest in the middle, instead of one long effort that gets tougher the higher you go.

I wouldn't launch straight into it on the first day if you have never ridden in the Alps before. The other side from Grand Bo would be a nice introduction, if you are able to do that first (I'm not sure where you are staying). If you are further north, the road up to Les Carroz/Flaine would also be a good one one to try, length-wise it's probably similar to the Colombiere but it's not as hard (and you have to come back down the same way you go up so you always have the option of turning back). It starts about 10km east of Cluses, towards Sallanches.

There is a fountain on the right just as you come into Le Reposoir on the main road (if coming from Romme you would have to go back down about 300m or so to find it). And the cafe at the summit has a water tap at the bar with a tin for donations should you feel that way inclined (or buy something else and it's free).

Hope this helps. The autumn colours are fantastic, by the way (although it's normally late September/early October when they are at their best).

shmooster

Looking at doing this at the end of the month which includes colombiere

http://www.legrandbornand.com/16e-cyclo ... 5HGXPldV5g

Theres a bit more info on the climb on climb by bike

http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Co ... ainID=6095

cc78

shmooster wrote:

Looking at doing this at the end of the month which includes colombiere

http://www.legrandbornand.com/16e-cyclo ... 5HGXPldV5g

Lovely route. Hopefully the road between St-Pierre en Faucigny and Grand Bo will be open by then (it's been closed for work on the cliffs for the last two months)!

shmooster

cc78 wrote:

shmooster wrote:

Looking at doing this at the end of the month which includes colombiere

http://www.legrandbornand.com/16e-cyclo ... 5HGXPldV5g

Lovely route. Hopefully the road between St-Pierre en Faucigny and Grand Bo will be open by then (it's been closed for work on the cliffs for the last two months)!

Looping back on this, the weather was atrocious on the day, the Grand Bo long route was closed and we were delayed setting off by 30 minutes. Going was slow so we missed the cutoff (unadjusted for the late start) to do the medium route.

So never got to do the Colombiere on the Grand Bo but we went back and did it the next day, what an amazing climb and a great descent, highly recommended.

itboffin

I did it a few years back with a separated shoulder including over the Aravis twice in the same day, stupidly riding a standard double chainring however I was taking tramadol in MASSHOOF doses very regularly, washed down with a lot of beer :roll:

on the last day of our trip we did the Croix Fry that really caught me out, I should have guessed that after an endless descent from La Clusaz there would be a lot of climbing to get back

durhamwasp

The Colombiere was the first Tour col I got my 2 year old daughter to the top of, on the back of my bike. Lovely climb up from Grand bo! Also did the Aravis and Croix Fry with her, and then the Ventoux the year after.

alpineaddict

So, in short is it a better ride up form Grand Bo, or down from Cluses...

Not sure I would have enough in my tank to go up from both sides...

cc78

I wouldn't like to say one was better than the other, they are both great roads, the Cluses side is longer and more difficult (especially via Romme) although the climb from Grand Bo is still a decent challenge. There are lovely views on both sides.

Where are you staying? That would probably sway my decision if I was only going to one of them, although you can do a nice loop between Grand Bo and Cluses (or vice versa) either to the east via the Aravis, Megeve and Sallanches, or to the west via Bonneville and the Gorges du Bronze/Mont Saxonnex.

NB like the Aravis and to a lesser extent the Croix-Fry, the Colombiere is best ridden on a weekday as the road can be busy on weekends with tourists (and pesky motorbikes).

alpineaddict

cc78 wrote:

Where are you staying? That would probably sway my decision ...

I have a place over in Les Contamines... As I mentioned before, I have been off the bike due to injury for a while so my legs, as far as long rides are concerned, prob will not be there, so was planning to drive closer, do the climb and poss a small route and then drive back...

Not sure I'd have it in me to ride all the way up to Les Contamines afterwards.. :shock: :shock:

durhamwasp

Easier from Grand Bo, that's for sure, nice climbs both sides, and picturesque.

cc78

alpineaddict wrote:

cc78 wrote:

Where are you staying? That would probably sway my decision ...

I have a place over in Les Contamines... As I mentioned before, I have been off the bike due to injury for a while so my legs, as far as long rides are concerned, prob will not be there, so was planning to drive closer, do the climb and poss a small route and then drive back...

Not sure I'd have it in me to ride all the way up to Les Contamines afterwards.. :shock: :shock:

My suggestion would be for you to drive from Contamines down to the big Intermarche near Domancy, leave the car in the car park there and ride to Cluses along the old road that goes along the river and past the lakes on the other side of the A40 from Sallanches. You rejoin the main road just before Magland and from there it's about 10km to Cluses. At the top of Colombiere you could either come back the way you came or if you're still feeling fresh, carry on down to Grand Bornand then over the Aravis via La Clusaz. On the other side of the Aravis, drop down to Flumet then it's basically flat to Megeve and then downhill back to Passy. That loop is about 100km altogether.

alpineaddict

cc78 wrote:

alpineaddict wrote:

cc78 wrote:

Where are you staying? That would probably sway my decision ...

I have a place over in Les Contamines... As I mentioned before, I have been off the bike due to injury for a while so my legs, as far as long rides are concerned, prob will not be there, so was planning to drive closer, do the climb and poss a small route and then drive back...

Not sure I'd have it in me to ride all the way up to Les Contamines afterwards.. :shock: :shock:

My suggestion would be for you to drive from Contamines down to the big Intermarche near Domancy, leave the car in the car park there and ride to Cluses along the old road that goes along the river and past the lakes on the other side of the A40 from Sallanches. You rejoin the main road just before Magland and from there it's about 10km to Cluses. At the top of Colombiere you could either come back the way you came or if you're still feeling fresh, carry on down to Grand Bornand then over the Aravis via La Clusaz. On the other side of the Aravis, drop down to Flumet then it's basically flat to Megeve and then downhill back to Passy. That loop is about 100km altogether.

Hey buddy...

That does sound like a top route, however, I fear that in my stage of 'getting fitter', it might be a few too many miles for me... I reckon by the time I get to the Alps at the end of August, I will be back to around 40 miles... (I'm not finding too much opportunity to get out on the road here at home other than weekends)... And that would be without taking in the Colombiere and Aravis :shock: :shock: :shock:

maybe next summer, or indeed when I head back out in October Thx again for this...

PS. How is La Giettaz in summer... Going to do a fair bit of exploring when out in LC this summer...

cc78

alpineaddict wrote:

Hey buddy...

That does sound like a top route, however, I fear that in my stage of 'getting fitter', it might be a few too many miles for me... I reckon by the time I get to the Alps at the end of August, I will be back to around 40 miles... (I'm not finding too much opportunity to get out on the road here at home other than weekends)... And that would be without taking in the Colombiere and Aravis :shock: :shock: :shock:

maybe next summer, or indeed when I head back out in October Thx again for this...

PS. How is La Giettaz in summer... Going to do a fair bit of exploring when out in LC this summer...

No worries, always happy to help out with local advice.

All good here thanks, the sunshine has returned after a fairly grim spell of wet weather last week. In fact, I may even tackle the above loop tomorrow morning.

The Col des Saisies might be a good climb for you to try next time you are here. Starting at Flumet, it is almost the same distance as the Colombiere from Cluses, but much more gentle. You could do a nice out and back trip up there from Contamines that wouldn't be too dramatic on the legs.

alpineaddict

Hey buddy... That sounds like a decent ride to see how I go, before tackling the Colombiere... Just had a look on Google maps... Is there a specific route as it seems that when you leave Flumet, there is a junction where you can either go via Crest Voland or turn left and go via the D218B... I assume that when you get to Les Saisies, the route to the Col is signposted???

Around 50 miles return... :-)

Thx buddy

cc78

The D218B is the main road from Flumet to Saisies, so you just follow it to the left as you pass through Notre-Dame de Bellecombe. The road is signposted that way for Saisies and you will see the km markers counting you down as you go up the climb.

It's quite easy to follow when you are there - at that junction that you are looking at on google maps, you would actually have to turn off to the right to go on the road to Crest-Voland. It is possible to get to Saisies that way as well but the classic climb (as used in the Dauphine this year) is the D218B.

Enjoy!

alpineaddict

Cheers pal... Thx for this... :-) Lets just hope the weather is good whilst out there :-)

cc78

I took a ride up the Colombiere today from the Grand Bornand side... beautiful day for it

this view is looking back towards Chinaillon/Grand Bo from the bend just below the summit

thegreatdivide

Must....go....back...