Alps trip. Bourg D'oisans

graememacdonald1 · May 2022

We're planning a road trip to the Alps in september to do a few days road riding. We want to do Alp D'Huez, the Gallibier and a few others to be decided. Looking at the maps, Bourg D'Oisans looks like a decent base to in between the climbs. Does anyone have experience of decent accomodation around the town? Ideally it would be a hotel that caters for cyclists and one within walking distance of any restaurants in the town.
I tried a search on the subject but all the posts that came up were quite old.
Thanks in advance

pblakeney · May 2022

When I was in Bourg...

Scratch that. Wrong Bourg.

singleton · May 2022

A group of us stayed there in 2016 and we booked a house that was 5 minute walk from the town centre. From memory I think we went to the bakery for croissants for breakfast and ate out the rest of the time - but it needn't be expensive.

DeVlaeminck · May 2022

Yes we booked a nice house but they might want a week - otherwise the camp sites/chalets are fine

Dorset_Boy · May 2022

How late in September? If there's early snow, the Galibier could well be closed by late September, and the north side is by far the better side to climb btw.
I stayed in Oz en Oisians with dutch chalet company Chalet Beyond a couple of years ago.
Because there's only one road up the valley, you do get a fair bit of traffic heading towards Briancon, and there are a couple of tunnels between Les Deux Alps turn and Bourg.
Le Berade is a nice ride, and the Croix de Fer / Glandon climb is good too. The balcony road from turn 16 on the Alp is another good route.
The weather will start to change in September, and being September, it's in between season for the French.

tourdriving · May 2022

I has stayed here many times, old but food very good, and bike friendly, also place for you bike se link https://hoteloberland.com/

graememacdonald1 · May 2022

Thanks for the replies all. We are planning on the second week in September so hopefully everything we want to do will be open. Hotel Oberland looks ideal for us. There seems to be plenty of bike hire places round the area but if there's any to recommend (or avoid) please let me know

molteni_man · May 2022

It’s a fab area. Absolutely love it. We always stay in Vaujanay which is lovely. The only downside is the climb up to it after a day out riding- it’s a climb in itself and can be v hot mid afternoon! However, it’s very easy to leave a car at the bottom on longer days. Bourg would be a good base. Just prefer the tranquility of Vaujanay and some great walking/ access to ski lifts on non bike days.. if you want those of course : - )
This is a great guide to rides in the area

https://www.bike-oisans.com/velo-de-route/itineraires-cyclo-en-oisans/

It’s written in 3 languages including English. The routes on it will offer a great introduction if you are new to the area. There’s an mtb version too.

It will get you looking forward to the trip big time!
Enjoy!

graememacdonald1 · May 2022

Thanks! Will have a look at the link and hopefully get something booked soon

davidof · May 2022

Dorset_Boy said:
How late in September? If there's early snow, the Galibier could well be closed by late September, and the north side is by far the better side to climb btw.

It is very, very unlikely to be closed in September, other than maybe overnight while they fire up the snowploughs.

The weather is normally pleasant in September, much more so than the sweltering summer heat, and less deranged motorbikers riding dangerously (most of the idiots have perished over the spring and summer).

There is a good hotel in allemont run by dutchies called la Douce Montagne. From here you can cycle to the le Glandon even looping to la Croix de Fer and also l'Alpe d'Huez via the back route and the Col du Sabot. Bourg d'Oisans is 5km down a new cycle path.

Opposite you have the le Col d'Ornon and le Col du Solude, the dead end up to Oulles is also a nice little training ride. Also of interest is the balcony road from la Garde to Auris then le Freney to loop around via the backroad to les Deux Alpes (Bons) to the Col de la Sarenne.

As for the Galibier from the South, pleasant enough ride up to the Col du Lauteret and I personally don't like the north side with it's boring schlepp from Valloire to Plan Lachat.

crescent · May 2022

I stayed in Bourg d'Oisans back in 2013 and it was great. Four nights at Le Petit Catelan B&B a few miles outside the town.

https://www.lepetitcatelan.fr/

Very comfortable and amazing home made food, wine and liquers provided by the couple who own it. I was on my own but the evening meal is a social occasion around a big communal table. If I'd known this was the arrangement before, I would have said that's not for me, but it was actually one of the highlights of the trip and I met some great people.
Loads of routes as well as the obvious Alpe d'Huez - Col d'Ornon (there is a nice circuitous route that includes Ornon and Col de La Morte), Col du Glandon, Croix de Fer (my personal favourite), Lauteret, Deux Alpes. Also worth including a few of the balcony roads around the valley, they are stunning. I remember the local tourist office had a free book with some of the best routes in it, that was really handy.
It is a beautiful part of the world.

mrb123 · May 2022

https://uk.bike-oisans.com/guides-and-brochures/

You can download this brochure which is worth getting. Probably the one that Crescent is referring to.

That Ornon/Morte loop is a nice one if you fancy some quiet roads away from the biggest hills.

crescent · May 2022

mrb123 said:
https://uk.bike-oisans.com/guides-and-brochures/

Probably the one that Crescent is referring to.

That Ornon/Morte loop is a nice one if you fancy some quiet roads away from the biggest hills.

Yep, that's the one. Looks like it has had a bit of a makeover but essentially the same format.
Ornon and La Morte is a beautiful route and relatively gentle compared to some of the bigger climbs.

amrushton · June 2022

everyone wants to go but I found when I stayed in St. Foix on the Iseran Rd that the sheer amount of climbing to/from the chalet was wearing. Bear that in mind esp if you have had a hard day or two and staying somewhere off the valley floor. I had a great time btw but after a few hours out those last few km @ 8% everyday were grating.

rc856 · June 2022

We stayed in Allemont in a Gites de France. Lovely wee place and as already mentioned, a great base

crescent · June 2022

If you watched the Dauphine today (Saturday 11th June) then it skirted past Allermont on the way to the final climb in Vaujany. That descent of the Croix de Fer took me right back - just stunning.

Dorset_Boy · June 2022

crescent said:
If you watched the Dauphine today (Saturday 11th June) then it skirted past Allermont on the way to the final climb in Vaujany. That descent of the Croix de Fer took me right back - just stunning.

It's a stunning climb, but if you don't realise there's a descent mid-way it's disconcerting. I recorded my highest ever speed on a bike coming down there (460 kmh according to Strava!!!!! GPS lost a satellite !!!!).

pblakeney · June 2022

Dorset_Boy said:

crescent said:
If you watched the Dauphine today (Saturday 11th June) then it skirted past Allermont on the way to the final climb in Vaujany. That descent of the Croix de Fer took me right back - just stunning.
It's a stunning climb, but if you don't realise there's a descent mid-way it's disconcerting. I recorded my highest ever speed on a bike coming down there (460 kmh according to Strava!!!!! GPS lost a satellite !!!!).

It's just as disconcerting going the other direction. 😉

Dorset_Boy · June 2022

pblakeney said:

Dorset_Boy said:

crescent said:
If you watched the Dauphine today (Saturday 11th June) then it skirted past Allermont on the way to the final climb in Vaujany. That descent of the Croix de Fer took me right back - just stunning.
It's a stunning climb, but if you don't realise there's a descent mid-way it's disconcerting. I recorded my highest ever speed on a bike coming down there (460 kmh according to Strava!!!!! GPS lost a satellite !!!!).
It's just as disconcerting going the other direction. 😉

I rode up from Alemont and saw this road down towards my right and thought, I'm sure there isn't another road up here, and then realised that we would descend. I was therefore prepared for the way back down from the top!

crescent · June 2022

I remember slogging up from Allermont to Le Rivier - an absolute leg breaker - only to descend to the valley floor again. The actual main climb to the top after that was OK. The whole way back down, though, all I could think about was having to climb back up to Le Rivier again, the little kicker as Carlton Kirby calls it. All worth it though. Watching it today makes me want to go back.

pblakeney · June 2022

Dorset_Boy said:

pblakeney said:

Dorset_Boy said:

crescent said:
If you watched the Dauphine today (Saturday 11th June) then it skirted past Allermont on the way to the final climb in Vaujany. That descent of the Croix de Fer took me right back - just stunning.
It's a stunning climb, but if you don't realise there's a descent mid-way it's disconcerting. I recorded my highest ever speed on a bike coming down there (460 kmh according to Strava!!!!! GPS lost a satellite !!!!).
It's just as disconcerting going the other direction. 😉
I rode up from Alemont and saw this road down towards my right and thought, I'm sure there isn't another road up here, and then realised that we would descend. I was therefore prepared for the way back down from the top!

That's what broke me. Not the climbing itself, just the thought that every metre down was going to have to be climbed again.

It was pretty though. 😉
Edit - This is around Sardonne heading north. So remote that my phone didn't register a location. Not long after a cafe stop FWIR.

Dorset_Boy · June 2022

Watching the highlights on the climb from the north. We descended that in 2015 and scary how narrow the road is. I remeber the top few kms being quite worrying above the ski village, espcially as it was my first experience of a proper alpine day in the saddle!!! I was pretty emotional at the summmit having come up the Glandon and on to the Croix de Fer as I realised I would finish.

crescent · June 2022

Dorset_Boy said:
Watching the highlights on the climb from the north. We descended that in 2015 and scary how narrow the road is. I remeber the top few kms being quite worrying above the ski village, espcially as it was my first experience of a proper alpine day in the saddle!!! I was pretty emotional at the summmit having come up the Glandon and on to the Croix de Fer as I realised I would finish.

I totally get the emotional thing. I stopped at Le Rivier for a bite to eat on the way down CdF. It was the last day of my trip and I sat there thawing out my fingers, totally elated but shattered after doing several major climbs in a few days. I phoned my wife and got all choked up. The trip was proper bucket list stuff and meant a great deal to me. I was promptly told to "get over yourself, ya big girl's blouse". Back down to earth in more ways than one.

Alps trip. Bourg D'oisans

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