Marmotte 2015
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DeVlaeminck wrote:Has anyone got any experience of this boat that is meant to provide cyclist and pedestrian access via the lake ? It'd be really useful for our group if that is the case as most of them haven't been out there before and want to do the Galibier.
You'll need to check you can use the boats. I was told that they were only for residents but I've not looked into it further.
As for the tunnel, there is talk now of whether the road can be reopened before the winter ski season. If you look further down the valley at Séchilienne the mountain has been moving for 20 or so years and it is only now that a new road is being finalized on the left bank of the Romanche valley after two temporary solutions. So these things can take time.
As for other roads in the area. The Col de la Morte is worth doing as is the Noyer, well especially the Noyer, further south towards Gap. I would also consider the séchilienne -> Chamrousse climb via the Col du Luitel, it is one of the hardest climbs in the area with half a km at 14%. For fun you can do the following loop: 6 cols ( Noyer , Oris , Holme , Parquetout , La Morte et Luitel ) 147 kms et 3050m of climbing. The Luitel road was used in the 1956 Tour de France, stage one by Charly Gaul.
http://la-legende-du-tour.francetvsport ... annee/1956
I would also look at riding the Col du Sabot and the Col de la Sarenne. The big advantage with the main road closed it should be much quieter to ride in the area this summer.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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Thanks for that will try and get some of those in, done the Sarenne before but not the rest. I was browsing the internet the other day and discovered there is a back road up to 2Alpes - well I say road it looked pretty narrow - worth a ride up or not, I'm familiar with the usual clmb up there ?[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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DeVlaeminck wrote:Thanks for that will try and get some of those in, done the Sarenne before but not the rest. I was browsing the internet the other day and discovered there is a back road up to 2Alpes - well I say road it looked pretty narrow - worth a ride up or not, I'm familiar with the usual clmb up there ?
the back road up les 2 Alpes is fantastic, esp. in the autumn when the forest is golden brown. It only goes as far as Mont de Lans then you are on the main road but the final is along a balcony road overhanging cliffs. From memory there is a tunnel so think about taking a small USB front lamp. Also from Bourg you can climb towards the Col d'Ornon and quickly take a right to Les Oulles on a very provencal looking climb. It is a dead end on a road bike but on an MTB you can descend by the Malaine trail to the N - switchback heaven and le Puy des Oulles to the south. Both steep. On the same climb you can cycle to the village of les Oulles and beyond. On the left of the same road you can climb to Villard Raymond either by the old or new road. The old road is surfaced but in a poor state in some places. From Villard Raymond the balcony trail to Villard Notre Dame is ok even on a road bike. The descent to Bourg d'Oisans from Villard Raymond goes through a series of long tunnels which were unlit last time I took it.
From Vaujany there is a little climb up to le Collet where there is a reservoir. There is also the ride up to la Berarde, I think it is blocked after St Christophe at the moment due to road works.
Coming back to the boats, if you just pitch up they would probably take you anyway.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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Just plotted that 6 cols route davidof mentioned - well without the Luitel so 5 cols and a loop to Bourg D'Oisans. 120 miles and over 19000 feet of climbing...ouch ![Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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chaffordred wrote:
Sadly my French isn't that good to fully understand the article. Is it good news for Marmotte?0 -
pechacheli wrote:chaffordred wrote:
Sadly my French isn't that good to fully understand the article. Is it good news for Marmotte?
More work needs doing than they at first thought and there is a chance that the Tour stage from Modane to Alpe d'huez might be affected.0 -
thanks... i wonder if this will now allow the organizers to finalize a route then?0
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Looks like the framework is in place and already assembled. Surely now just a case of shoving it in and whacking a bit of pollyfilla in the crack
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DeVlaeminck wrote:Just plotted that 6 cols route davidof mentioned - well without the Luitel so 5 cols and a loop to Bourg D'Oisans. 120 miles and over 19000 feet of climbing...ouch !
Have you a link to the plot? You should send it to the Marmotte organizers.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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chaffordred wrote:Looks like the framework is in place and already assembled. Surely now just a case of shoving it in and whacking a bit of pollyfilla in the crack
That, I think, is a cage to protect the workforce. But there does appear to be some activity on site, see video at the bottom of this page: http://www.dici.fr/actu/2015/06/02/caricaturetunnel-du-chambon-joel-giraud-et-marie-noelle-battistel-surfent-sur-le-chambon-602596 . Presumably those rebar hoops will end up inside the tunnel embedded in concrete and they appear to be working on a support structure for the steelwork and shuttering. Of course, they still have to demolish part of the tunnel and cart the rubble away...
The locals are still angling for a pontoon bridge around the side but I don't think they're getting anywhere.0 -
davidof wrote:DeVlaeminck wrote:Just plotted that 6 cols route davidof mentioned - well without the Luitel so 5 cols and a loop to Bourg D'Oisans. 120 miles and over 19000 feet of climbing...ouch !
Have you a link to the plot? You should send it to the Marmotte organizers.
Unfortunately did it on BikeHike which doesn't save but it on a map it looks like quite a logical anticlockwise loop ! I could suggest it with their usual Alpe D'Huez finish tagged on.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
This is all getting quite irritating; they were supposed to make an announcement weeks ago and still no news..!?
I’m in my last month of my training and have spent a considerable amount of money on the event itself + transportation and accommodation and I still have no idea what I’m actually training for (or even if the event is still on, don’t underestimate the chaos of French bureaucracy). It’s all just a bit rubbish!0 -
What richymp said!!0
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I've already accepted whatever route we ride this year, and I do not believe the event will be cancelled, i'll be back doing the Galibier inclusive route in 2016 so I can properly tick Marmotte off the bucket list0
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I emailed them yesterday asking for an update and got a generic reply which is basically an English translation of the message on the website.
While I agree it probably wont be cancelled it is getting close to the date and the silence is bound to make people wonder if they are having problems agreeing a route at all that would be acceptable to the participants.
Anyone with decent French can phone them up?[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
OK, I phoned them just now, they were actually very helpful.
They are waiting for authorisation from one final departmental (ie regional) authority for the new route.
There is a meeting scheduled for early next week to this effect and they hope that they will be able to make an announcement by next Wednesday. There is no danger of complete cancellation.
The start and finish will remain the same, Galibier is definitely out, and the route will "probably" feature the Croix de Fer and the Lacets de Montvernier "or something like that" instead. The total distance and elevation will be roughly the same as the original route.
Wait and see...0 -
Sounds good if that's the case, thanks.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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richymcp wrote:This is all getting quite irritating; they were supposed to make an announcement weeks ago and still no news..!?
I’m in my last month of my training and have spent a considerable amount of money on the event itself + transportation and accommodation and I still have no idea what I’m actually training for (or even if the event is still on, don’t underestimate the chaos of French bureaucracy). It’s all just a bit rubbish!
At a guess it will be hours of riding up and down mountains (big ones) :shock:0 -
Had confirmation today that the boat is now only for people living in the area and won't take anyone else. Heading over a week on Thursday so won't now be able to do the Marmotte route as planned. Will have to see what the new route is like and consider following that, or just do some of the many other routes in the area.0
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shmooster wrote:Had confirmation today that the boat is now only for people living in the area and won't take anyone else. Heading over a week on Thursday so won't now be able to do the Marmotte route as planned. Will have to see what the new route is like and consider following that, or just do some of the many other routes in the area.
Ok thanks for the update. You can ride via the village of le Cuculet, it is the old road in fact. The whole of the track is unsurfaced with the first bit a steep path.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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davidof wrote:Ok thanks for the update. You can ride via the village of le Cuculet, it is the old road in fact. The whole of the track is unsurfaced with the first bit a steep path.
Could you or anybody comment on the current state of this old road from Cuculet. Would it be passible via road bike? it feels like it is not otherwise it may have been considered more seriously as a viable alternative for the local council to put a temporary surface on it and allow locals to move through the region.
I've long given up hope of the Marmotte not changing but I'd still love to climb Galibier during the short time that I will spend in the area!0 -
Guys good friends run a hotel in La Grave and I recently did an update for them and there was no mention of the boat only being for residents etc - it is in their interest to know these things !!!!!!
If you travel on foot or by bike, at the artifical lake, just below the closed tunnel, there are boat transfers which take you (and your bike!) in less than 20 minutes from the La Grave side of the lake to the Bourg d'Oisans side of the lake and vise versa.
Please see http://www.hotel-edelweiss.com/access-to-la-grave.html
Robin and Marlon who run the Edelweiss, he's a Scot and Marlon Dutch and they would know exactly who can use the boat as they have many cycling clients staying there - so they would not mind if you contact them to be 100% sure.
In fact I'll mention this thread to them as the last thing they need at the moment is wrong info being spouted forth on the internet!0 -
OK as I suspected little bit of regional politics going on - and I can't "re-print" the first email I received from them
This email came in a few minutes later...............
Yes, further to robin's email, it is sort of a political war, as the tunnel is in Isere and La Grave is in...hautes alpes ;-(.
With a few other hotels we are in daily contact with the mayors of La Grave and Villar d'arene as well as the conseil départemental of Hautes Alpes regarding the lake, especially regarding the Marmotte, to get permission to cross the lake at 5 allowing the participants to cross to be at the start of the race before 7 am.
For the latter we are still in contact and finetune. For the occasionnal cyclist it is no problem to cross as long as he or she doesn't take the boat at the same time as the workers and school kids, as they have priority. So the answer is, yes, it is 100 % tolerated to cross the lake with a bike.
Like I said feel free to get in touch with Robin or Marlon - It's is very cycling friendly with workshop etc, an interesting international clientele and great ambiance nestling below La Meije in one of the most stunning locations in the Alps.
This is a blog I did of my week out there three or four years ago http://www.anotherharddayattheoffice.co.uk/lagravecycling.html0 -
Guys good friends run a hotel in La Grave and I recently did an update for them and there was no mention of the boat only being for residents etc - it is in their interest to know these things !!!!!!
If you travel on foot or by bike, at the artifical lake, just below the closed tunnel, there are boat transfers which take you (and your bike!) in less than 20 minutes from the La Grave side of the lake to the Bourg d'Oisans side of the lake and vise versa.
Please see http://www.hotel-edelweiss.com/access-to-la-grave.html
Robin and Marlon who run the Edelweiss, he's a Scot and Marlon Dutch and they would know exactly who can use the boat as they have many cycling clients staying there - so they would not mind if you contact them to be 100% sure.
In fact I'll mention this thread to them as the last thing they need at the moment is wrong info being spouted forth on the internet!
Curiouser and curiouser, the info I posted was from the place we are staying in (King of the Mountains) not far from Bourg. If it's wrong then apologies for confusing everyone. I've pasted the content of the mail below, the implication being that the rules have changed. If anyone can confirm we can use the boat that would be great, I really want to ride the Galibier.The boat service is now only for local residents of that particular 'commune'/parish and therefore not available to visiting cyclists or us. A real shame for anyone wanting to get 'easily' to the Galibier from the Romanche valley.
EDIT: Just saw Gavins email...0 -
I have looked at some of the local commune pages and although the first boat service was for residents only (run by the local pompiers using a very small boat) more recently 3 larger boats have been put into service and these can be used by anyone, although local residents and workers are given priority - which is fair enough. Unless things have changed recently these boats run from 7 am to 7 pm, with 1 boat running between 9 am and 5 pm.
Beyond this issue, it is clear that the land slippage that has caused the tunnel to be closed in a potentially massive problem. Once a mountain has started to move then there is no stopping it and in other areas, such as the Vercors, whole roads have had to be permanently closed. Then there is the possible risk of a huge landslip into the lake creating a tsunami that would wipe out half of the valley below the dam, although at the moment the water levels are, thankfully, relatively low.
Here is a map of the embarkation points for the shuttle boat.
http://www.mairiedemontdelansles2alpes.fr/index5.php?anchorf=edito"an original thinker… the intellectual heir of Galileo and Einstein… suspicious of orthodoxy - any orthodoxy… He relishes all forms of ontological argument": jane90.0 -
It's reported that the mountain is moving at up to 20mm per day. And, as you say, when a mountain decides to move no amount of concrete and steel is going to stop it. They seem to be pressing ahead with lining the tunnel but I do wonder how long it can last. There's a proposal to run the road along the other side of the lake but that's a major undertaking.BenderRodriguez wrote:Beyond this issue, it is clear that the land slippage that has caused the tunnel to be closed in a potentially massive problem...0 -
There's a proposal to run the road along the other side of the lake but that's a major undertaking.
90% of the road is there and needs surfacing and widening, you can drive it with a car if you want. There is then a headland they want to go round which looks like shale rock, I would suggest a zig zag up to the Cuculet village would be a fairly quick solution. The "old" road arrives 100 meters below le Cuculet. Ok le Cuculet is not perfect and the road could never be used by HGVs but would be a solution for local traffic. It is not ideal as is north facing and would be more avalanche prone than the current south facing road.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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Ahhh. I know the one you mean, the turn off from the road up to les Deux Alpe. I'll throw some gravel tyres in my bag and take a look.davidof wrote:The "old" road arrives 100 meters below le Cuculet ...0
