Semnoz

forehead

Hi All,

Noob here, apologies if this is in the wrong place.

Anyone with experience of the Col du Semnoz by Annecy? I'll be there next week and there appear to be a number of (all tidy looking) ascents to the Col. Whilst the western route was used in Le Tour, the route from the north and east look fun too.

Anyone with first hand experience that might like to offer some advice/tips? I'll be there a week, but also want to do the Forclaz and one other (tips?), whilst all at the same time as stopping my girlfriend biting my ears off or spending all week riding...

Cheer then,
Andy

navrig2

We did the western route on the same day that Team Sky did a recce ride about 3 weeks before the 2013 tour. We met them on the top and got a couple of photos of Froome, Porte etc.

Good climb with nice scenery until half way up when the tree cover takes over. Quite a steady grade with occasional steeper bits. The western side had been resurfaced for the Tour but the easter descent was a bit ropey as the Tour didn't go near it.

This was our ride:

https://www.strava.com/activities/60046418

I'd happily do more around that area and I reckon either side would be a good ride.

forehead

Hi Navrig,

Thanks for that. Strava link not working (could be hitting the wall), i'll have a look tonight. We are staying in Doussard at the bottom of the lake, I'm thinking I'll do that western side but not sure if I should ride up to Annecy and come down to the climb or skirt round the south side of the hill. Latter would be some good miles.

navrig2

I always take the view that reversing a route makes it a new route.

mercia_man

I climbed it while I was staying at Doussard. My route was up the D10B from Villard to the Col de Leschaux, crossing straight over the D912 to ascend from the south east along the D110, descending by the D41 into Annecy and then return by the lakeside cycle path. A great ride, lovely views from the top, challenging in places but not too long. You get loads of cyclists climbing the Semnoz along the D41 from Annecy at weekends so take care when descending that section.

navrig2

Activity is shared so should be visible

forehead

Guys, thanks very much. My girlfriend has lots of good books, so I'll try to get a few routes in Would really like to get the Forclaz under my belt too, looks like a good ride and can tick off a lap of the lake in the process.

davidof

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19651161#p19651161]Forehead[/url] wrote:

Hi All,

Noob here, apologies if this is in the wrong place.

Anyone with experience of the Col du Semnoz by Annecy? I'll be there next week and there appear to be a number of (all tidy looking) ascents to the Col. Whilst the western route was used in Le Tour, the route from the north and east look fun too.

The route via lechaux and the D110 is arguable the nicests but the road surface is not as good. Follow the lake to St Jorioz, D10B, la Chappelle St Maurice then the summit. It will see the sun quite early this time of year and the east facing sections will be hot from quite early on (it was 35C today in the area). It is generally known as the Cret de Chatillon.

forehead

Reckons I might do that route then. Do you think it'd be good to go down into Annecy, then come back up via Quintal, then down to Sevrier and back along the lake. There is a pool at the end of it and a cold beer!

alpineaddict

Forehead, I am heading out in late August and planning to do some riding around Annecy... Being new to Alpine climbing, Semnoz was going to be my first decent climb... This page, on a great site, will happy help out and the route mentioned by davidof is labelled as a 'good introduction climb' so might well be the best route up to begin with... ???? Not sure about the downward stretch, but all very clearly labelled on this page...

http://www.cycling-challenge.com/le-semnoz-annecys-biggest-climb/#prettyPhoto

Enjoy buddy and please do follow up with how you got on... I'd be really interested to find out...

alpineaddict

Forehead, just bumping this thread as keen to find out how you got on, if you're indeed back...??? Did you manage the routes up Semnoz? Any info from your riding around Annecy would be great. Thx

PS. Did you hire a bike out there?

forehead

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19651738#p19651738]davidof[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19651161#p19651161]Forehead[/url] wrote:

Hi All,

Noob here, apologies if this is in the wrong place.

Anyone with experience of the Col du Semnoz by Annecy? I'll be there next week and there appear to be a number of (all tidy looking) ascents to the Col. Whilst the western route was used in Le Tour, the route from the north and east look fun too.

The route via lechaux and the D110 is arguable the nicests but the road surface is not as good. Follow the lake to St Jorioz, D10B, la Chappelle St Maurice then the summit. It will see the sun quite early this time of year and the east facing sections will be hot from quite early on (it was 35C today in the area). It is generally known as the Cret de Chatillon.

I did this route, and it was excellent, a really good ride. Thanks all for the tips.

Forclaz from the north a couple of days later was a real prick, mainly because it was 38 degrees but its a brilliant climb.

The loop of Cols du Esserieux, Marais and L'epine was a nice way to round the week off, very quiet roads.

The Annecy cycle path is a brilliant thing!

I took my own bike, so cant comment on bike hire I'm afraid. Incidentally, I took my spanking new CAAD10 and it was bloody brilliant, my new best friend

alpineaddict

Hi mate...

Greta stuff... I must admit to looking forward to getting out there... Will def do Semnoz and was toying with Forclaz, but was thinking about the Southern way up... Where did you start for the Northern route buddy?