Heads up for major road closeures in the French Alps
gavinbay
Posts: 144
I know that this has been posted in the Marmotte thread, but for those maybe coming out to cycle earlier in the season and just maybe coming out to do the Etape and do more cycling in the area.
Since mid April the main road from Grenoble to Briancon has been shut just past the dam at the Deux Alpes turn - thus cutting off La Grave and the route up to the Col du Lautaret.
At the moment this is exasperated by the fact that the Col du Galibier is still closed though they hope to open it maybe this weekend.
Once the Col is open then that is better than the diversion via Gap or having to pay an arm and a leg to go through the Frejus tunnel.
The big worry is that of the Marmotte route as the planned date for the tunnel to reopen now is July 10th however should that be delayed then the big concern is the 20th tour stage July 25th to ADH.
So will certainly be interesting to see what happens in time for the Tour Stage - I wonder if they will "bodge" it for that, and then return to more main stream works in the inter season?
This just in from Robin who owns the Hotel Edelweiss in La Grave where they have over the years built up their cycling clientele and groups replacing the randoneurs (walkers) and with Marlon being Dutch (his Mrs) they have lots of Dutch groups over for the crazy ADH Dutch week and then many of the big American cycling tour groups (Trek) especially for the TDF.
At the moment to bypass the Tunnel they have a small ferry operating on the lake for pedestrians and bikes.
Hi Gavin
Tunnel will be closed until (at least) July 10th. We have checked out the free ferry across the lake, 15-20 minutes and it runs non-stop between 7am and 7pm. We have even managed to get them to run it for our Alpe d'Huzez and Marmotte clients in the dark (if they are still going to come). Marmotte is a big problem, they will probably have to change the route.....
See you when you come out? Galibier is likely to open a bit earlier than scheduled, I have heard the early part of the week of 18th, we'll see. If it wasn't yet another public holiday (today) it could have been open tomorrow I expect...
cheers
Robin
This is a link to the detailed structural / geological report and possible solutions to the Chambon tunnel
http://freneydoisans.com/freneytique/wp ... i_2015.pdf
I aim to be back out in Serre around June13th so will post updates as and when I hear them.
This also looks like it's going to affect the Cols Reserve, that's when then shut a different Col every day and only open to them to cyclists from 09:00 to Noon - however I doubt that they will be able to do the Galibier as would not go down to well closing that if the other route is closed.
Though there is still Izoard, Agnell, Echelles and Granon to do !
Since mid April the main road from Grenoble to Briancon has been shut just past the dam at the Deux Alpes turn - thus cutting off La Grave and the route up to the Col du Lautaret.
At the moment this is exasperated by the fact that the Col du Galibier is still closed though they hope to open it maybe this weekend.
Once the Col is open then that is better than the diversion via Gap or having to pay an arm and a leg to go through the Frejus tunnel.
The big worry is that of the Marmotte route as the planned date for the tunnel to reopen now is July 10th however should that be delayed then the big concern is the 20th tour stage July 25th to ADH.
So will certainly be interesting to see what happens in time for the Tour Stage - I wonder if they will "bodge" it for that, and then return to more main stream works in the inter season?
This just in from Robin who owns the Hotel Edelweiss in La Grave where they have over the years built up their cycling clientele and groups replacing the randoneurs (walkers) and with Marlon being Dutch (his Mrs) they have lots of Dutch groups over for the crazy ADH Dutch week and then many of the big American cycling tour groups (Trek) especially for the TDF.
At the moment to bypass the Tunnel they have a small ferry operating on the lake for pedestrians and bikes.
Hi Gavin
Tunnel will be closed until (at least) July 10th. We have checked out the free ferry across the lake, 15-20 minutes and it runs non-stop between 7am and 7pm. We have even managed to get them to run it for our Alpe d'Huzez and Marmotte clients in the dark (if they are still going to come). Marmotte is a big problem, they will probably have to change the route.....
See you when you come out? Galibier is likely to open a bit earlier than scheduled, I have heard the early part of the week of 18th, we'll see. If it wasn't yet another public holiday (today) it could have been open tomorrow I expect...
cheers
Robin
This is a link to the detailed structural / geological report and possible solutions to the Chambon tunnel
http://freneydoisans.com/freneytique/wp ... i_2015.pdf
I aim to be back out in Serre around June13th so will post updates as and when I hear them.
This also looks like it's going to affect the Cols Reserve, that's when then shut a different Col every day and only open to them to cyclists from 09:00 to Noon - however I doubt that they will be able to do the Galibier as would not go down to well closing that if the other route is closed.
Though there is still Izoard, Agnell, Echelles and Granon to do !
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