Careful if thinking of descending Col de Sarenne from ADH

gavinbay
gavinbay Posts: 144
edited July 2014 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Yesterday (as forecast looked better than of late) did a ride that took in the descent down the Col de Sarenne after climbing Alpe D'huez (via Le Freney) (147km & 3600m) from home here in Serre Chevalier.

Three years ago I first did Sarenne and whilst road was pretty rough you could see the potholes and rocks and drainage revetments, then last year with the tour going down they repaired the road from the top down to Haut Clavans, and I rode it the day after the tour stage and very nice it was too.

Yesterday was totally different, in the year since the tour went down, the repairs have just broken up and the road is just wide swathes of gravel 10-15mm thick not at all pleasant.

Guy I know who runs the Auberge in Clavans agreed saying how bad it was, now would seem the only way to ride Sarenne is to climb it, which is not a major issue, but I know many people want to climb the iconic ADH and then go over from there.

Yesterday's route was well away from the tourists and was far more spectacular, though was riding with a backpack as weather is so up and down at the moment :cry:
http://www.strava.com/activities/164556680
Cycling Routes in the Hautes Alpes Serre Chevalier Briancon

Comments

  • ronnierocket
    ronnierocket Posts: 172
    I agree it's not great. I did it as part of the Vaujany sportive and unfortunately my brake pads were worn so was taking it pretty gingerly. If you are just touring then taking it easy would be ok. I didn't think it was that bad that I would think about not doing it.
  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    I did the Sarenne on the Vaujany route two weeks ago too. I thought it was OK and didn't hear anyone else complain about it. In fact it's a great improvement on how it used to be a couple of years ago. I wouldn't discourage anyone from riding it.
  • gavinbay
    gavinbay Posts: 144
    Maybe they cleared it in advance of your event?

    Like I said I did it three years ago and whilst rough not nearly as much gravel.

    For sure it's ok going down, but many people having climbed do like to let the bike go on the descent at speed.
    Cycling Routes in the Hautes Alpes Serre Chevalier Briancon
  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    GavinBay wrote:
    Maybe they cleared it in advance of your event?
    It didn't look like a recently swept road to me, the large swathe of mud and gravel on the ascent, just before turning onto the final ramp being a particular give-away.
    I would say the Sarenne is no more to be avoided than the similar roads to Auris or Villard Notre-Dame. And anyone who can get up a hill like that can probably come down too.
  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    I rode down there about three weeks back, I have a GoPro video of the descent I still need to edit. It was rough, but not as bad as I'd been led to believe. There was some gravel in places, especially at one point near the top where the gravel was the only think holding the pot holes together. If you can take your eyes off the pot holes there are amazing views. I took it relatively easy, unlike some of the guys in our group, but I always say its the getting up thats more important than the going down. I'll wait for them at the top, if they wait for me at the bottom.
    The Master
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  • stash36
    stash36 Posts: 31
    Agree with OP, we descended Sarenne last Sunday and it was awful. Gravel everywhere, just felt very very unsafe and tiring on the hands as you have to be so strong on the back brake. Once over the gravel section its nice and the return to Bourg through the tunnels was a real treat, the reverse of stage 14 for the tour on Sat. WIsh I'd read this before we went out.

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