French Alps, early September

sheffsimon

What's it like temperature and rain-wise? Anybody with first hand knowledge?

I normally go in late June, and the weather has always been great, by which I mean, dry and warm

Thanks all.

fenix

You can google these things. Depends where you are going. And there's gonna be a difference between the bottom of the climbs and the top.

cgfw201

We went end of August last year. Short sleeves all day. 25 degrees on climbs, hit 40 degrees in the valley. No need for arm warmers on descents or anything like that.

Can probably be a bit chillier, but you'll probably have a similar experience to us.

rick_chasey

Quite a bit wetter, but it's the mountains, so it's altogether less predictable.

craigus89

Presumably depends which part too. If you're further south then maybe a bit more likely to be warmer and less wet. We're going to Annecy in September for a week hoping to do some riding and I'm assuming 15-20 with chance of showers.

imafatman

Never cycled there but spent a lot of time in the alps in the late summer months and it's generally very good but depending how late into september it can get very changeable.

The big mountains tend to contain the weather systems so one side can be blue sky 25c and you go over the top and it's suddenly low cloud and pissing with rain.

kingstongraham

Went a few years ago in early September and it was amazing. Perfect weather. Had to wear sleeves descending off Col de Bonnette but that's about it.

davidof

September through to the mid part of October are generally the best months for riding in the Alps. If it doesn't rain or snow. The roads are quiet, the weather is not too hot.
From mid October the high cols will start to close. From mid November even some of the lower cols, like le Chat near Chambery, will close.

This is in the second half of September

https://youtu.be/hEjVMl02OHo

the Madeleine in October, chilly on the way down

https://youtu.be/hj-V0biMwbI

and a year earlier on the Roselund, in snow

https://youtu.be/vl1z8189ULg

The col had been closed for a few days before.

sheffsimon

Fenix wrote:

You can google these things. Depends where you are going. And there's gonna be a difference between the bottom of the climbs and the top.

Google it you say... whats that then?

Thanks all, looks likely to be Maurienne valley, around 2nd weekend in September.

bobbydazzla

I went to Bourg D'Oisans in mid Sept 2015. Had a mix of weather, got caught in a big thunderstorm on way up Alpe D'Huez and had to get a minibus down as the road was like a river and it was really, really cold. Then a couple of nice days, warm in valleys but needed winter kit at top of the Cols and we were huddling round radiators in cafes to stay warm.

DeVlaeminck

Went to Bourg d'Oisans last week in August and it was still hot so I imagine early Sept could be similar - don't think I'd risk going later but I do like hot weather for cycling. Last week in August was also pretty quiet - campsite was running on a skeleton staff.

cougie

Anything is possible. I was there one July and the snow made the tour change their route to avoid taking riders over the galibier. Pack foul weather gear and keep your options open.