l'Ardechoise 3 day tour

nicklong

Hi all,

Has anyone done the 3 day Ardechoise tour? How did you find it - the organisation, accomodation, parcours etc?

I think I'm going to sign up to the Gorges - Montagne Ardechoise route, 602kms and 10000m of climbing over 3 days. I figure it is like 3 Marmottes but without l'Alpe to do each day. I'm also looking forward to the thrill of riding, exploring and finishing rather than focusing on achieving a set time.

If anyone else is interested in the route, keep an eye out for the lonely Britannique cursing to himself...

JoostG

Your post made me curious. Upcoming year I've Bordeaux-Paris as my goal, but this one will be high my list for 2017. What did you choose for a 3 day ride instead of 4 days?

nicklong

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19744703#p19744703]JoostG[/url] wrote:

Your post made me curious. Upcoming year I've Bordeaux-Paris as my goal, but this one will be high my list for 2017. What did you choose for a 3 day ride instead of 4 days?

Basically the investment in time - 4 days would mean heading down on the Tuesday, which means I might as well take the Monday off too and then it is a whole different holiday request...

But likewise, I think doing the route in 3 days is doable - 200 kms + 3300m a day, I think I can mentally force myself to carry on over 3 days but not so sure over 4 .

knedlicky

I’ve done the Ardechoise the last two years. In 2014 I did one of the main event routes on the Saturday (Volcanique, 176 km/3210 m), as well as in the two days beforehand, about 150 km/1800 m of the Gorges route in the reverse direction.
Then in 2015 I did a 4-day option (Ardeche Verte-Cance plus Chataigne Loire, total 502 km/9457m).

Considering the number of participants (last year about 7000+ did just the Saturday and a further 8000+ the Saturday plus 1, 2 or 3 other days), the organisation is excellent.
The accommodation varied between what resembled a youth hostel to a 4* hotel, but all were fine. As were the (substantial) meals at all the accommodations.
The routes were well marked, nicely varying, fairly hilly (most 5-10%, only once really steep – 18% - but that very short), most climbs 3-12 km in length (longest 20 km), and mostly very quiet. In fact the only real time there was any noticeable traffic was when we had to go 20 km off the basic route and along a busy trunk road to reach our accommodation (accommodation not always being exactly on the routes).

One enjoyable thing is the camaraderie – over several days, one often meets the same riders on the road or at the accommodation, while on the Saturday, when all riders converge on the finish, one has a great feeling of belonging.

Most enjoyable of all is perhaps the atmosphere in the villages through which one rides, and at the water/feeding stations. The villages are all decorated for the event, the people at the feeding stations all merry and dressed in themed costumes, and there is lots to eat (sometimes local delicacies) and occasionally live bands/musicians.
The water/feeding stations are numerous too, I think the closest we encountered were only 5 km apart, the farthest only 20-25 km apart. Most are worth briefly stopping at to savour their different atmospheres, and to forget any idea of trying to cover the distance in the shortest time possible.

Although, as one might expect for southern France in June, during the day it was usually in the mid/upper 20s deg C, the weather wasn’t always warm. On our first morning it was only about 8 deg C at St. Felicien and the morning following our last accommodation (at about 1200 m elevation), it was initially only about 4 deg C.
On the other hand, your preferred route would take you down to around Vallon Pont d’Arc, a more arid drier landscape, and there it apparently was markedly warmer - mid/upper-30s deg C by day.

colinsmith123

What I can't seem to find on their website is the date?

JoostG

Last weekend I took some time to read about this event, and I'm definitely going to participate in 2017: 4 days and approx 600km.

knedlicky

colinsmith123 wrote:

What I can't seem to find on their website is the date?

In 2016, the dates are Wed 15 June to Sat 18 June.

nicklong

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19748892#p19748892]knedlicky[/url] wrote:

colinsmith123 wrote:

What I can't seem to find on their website is the date?

In 2016, the dates are Wed 15 June to Sat 18 June.

It is from the 15th to the 18th June - zith the Ardechoise Verte on the 15th, then the big tours starting after that - everyone finishing up on the 18th in St Felicien.

Can't wait, although not sure how to train for the event. I very much doubt my race fitness (60-75km races once a week) is going to get me through it as easily as it would as over a single day in the mountains.

pbraun

I am planning to do the Montagne Ardechoise ride in 2016 with a few friends. How do the accommodation packages work? I'd like to avoid hostel-like accommodations, if possible.