Bike meets ski country

navrig2
navrig2 Posts: 1,851
I just got this as a reminder on FB. Taken in 2013 on the Petit St Bernard above Bourg St Maurice. There was so much snow the road wasn't opened on the scheduled date. We had to clamber of several meters of snow to get to tarmac on the other side to cycle into Italy.


Comments

  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,851
    It wasn't too bad. Standing around was chilly but the water on the road was flowing so not freezing. It was hot when climbing and the gilet was needed on the downhills. The temperature improved dramatically as you got lower.

    It was a fabulous holiday but, for me, brutal climbs.
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,124
    This year the snow melted early and they only had to plough the very top of the col. Even the Iseran is open now.
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  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,851
    The next day we cycled passed Val d'Isere as far as Le Fornet but beyond there it looked like the arctic. It was very cold up there so we just turned and headed downhill - my fastest every speed downhill.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,312
    That is one of the highest roads in Europe. 50km to Iseran summit from Bourg. I remember thinking 2 hours to get there, 30 mins to get back.