 Poster: A snowHead
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Have changed the title of this thread.......
I drove out on Sunday 15th to my brothers in the Chartreuse, then took my daughter up to Tignes on Monday, where whilst she was moving in I took the opportunity of some acclimatisation and cycled down to Bourg and then back up to Tignes, there were many cyclists on the road up when we drove but my mid afternoon I was about the only one.
Seem to recall a very good dinner party on Monday night which that along with the weather the next day ruled out any cycling.
I decided to drive to Serre cross country rather than the usual auto routes as being summer all the Cols are open, so it was up from Val over the Col de l'Iseran (third highest road in Europe), where the road crosses the glacier and the car park was full of team vans with people skiing on the glacier up there.
The weather was grim, with temps at the top in the low single figures, and really felt for the cyclists who were making their way up there, the same people who I saw cycling up the day before obviously on an organised trip, but it was the descent where they really suffered with the conditions.
It was a long descent all the way down to Bonneval sur Arc where the road plateaus for a few km before dropping down to the station of Val Cenis, here I headed for Col Mont Cenis and Italia, once over the Col weather was awful with viz at around 10m, so really slow descent missing all the scenery and did not even see the Lac du Mont Cenis - and it rained all the way down to Susa in Italy and then all the way up over Col Montgenevre and on to Serre where it continued to rain for the next 36 hours 
Thursday weather cleared, and forecast was for possible storms in the afternoon, so was out on the bike and cycled up Nevache and over the Col de l'Echelle and then dropping down into Italy via Baradonechia and on to Oulx before climbing back up Col du Montgenevre and then dropping back down to Briancon and Serre, and sure enough circa 13:30 ominous clouds were every where but it stayed dry till 18:00.
Then today, big ride, down to Briancon, turned around and all the way up to Col de Lautaret and then up to Col du Galibier and then dropping down the other side towards Valloire, though not that far, stopping at a nice cage at Plan Lachat, so just over 2,000m vertical.
Seems to be far more motorbikes on the road than in previous years and some of them come far too close when you're cycling, as they try and gun it around the bends, and then at the Col amusing site of fat Germans on Honda Gold Wings taking pictures of their fine achievement ?????
In fact some relais motor bikers at my mates bar tonight were saying that they thought there was a lot more motor cycles this year compared to previous years and they were complaining too 
So a few pics from today
View up to the Col from Valloire side
And France stuffing Switzerland as I type this.........
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 26-06-14 15:19; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Weathercam, Have you seen this ?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I rode up Galibier from both sides last year (drove from Oz to the top of the Lauteret, then cycled to Saint Michelle du Maurienne and back). There were lots of motorbikes at the top on the way back to the van, although I don't really remember any passing me, so most of them must have made it as a detour off the Lauteret.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nice quiet day yesterday cycling up "our" local Col, the Col de Granon which has been described as the toughest Col in France - read more about why here.
Great thing is that it is a dead end so no hordes of motor bikes and either it's the reputation for being tough, or people are just unaware of it as there was only a dozen or so cyclists going up and down.
View from the Col looking over to the pistes of Serre and the Dome du Monetier glacier.
Weather was glorious last couple of days though looks like we're back to afternoon thunderstorms and mitigé for all next week, so out early on the bike.
There is the Luc Alphand Sportive events next weekend here in Serre, though luckily I have a good excuse in that I can't leave the dogs for more than five hours or so that rules out doing the really big 207km on the Saturday.
Resort is slowly opening up, Club Med is open now and kayaks, rafts and other ways of getting down the river are prevalent now. Great to see so many people out just enjoying the outdoor life.
This is the new outdoor swimming area, and a family day ticket is some crazy amount, our place is to the right of the big tree in the foreground in the building just below the trees and terraces on the South facing slope.
Here's a few photos taken on either side of the Galibier, can't make my mind up which one to have, though do have more than a few similar ones, but do allow myself one a year!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Weathercam, I was told adult entry to the new swimming lake was around 3€ and 2€ for children, is that not correct?
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Hells Bells, I heard crazy figures like €30 plus for a family day ticket, which would seem crazy, and probably why more yesterday were around the old lake and not by the new pool - I'll walk pass and get an exact figure for you etc
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Weathercam, it is 30€ for a 10 entry ticket. There is a reasonably valid reason for the Speedo rule. You could be wandering around town in your bermudas getting them all dirty and dusty, and then just jump in the pool with them on, you wouldn't (hopefully) do that in a pair of Speedos.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Been well over a week since the last update, in fact on the Sunday a week ago (29th) it was the big cycling event of the year here in Serre Chevalier, La Serre Che Luc Alphand Sportive http://www.cyclo-lucalphand.com/ and conditions were grim.
I chose to have a day off the bike as Monday was the start of the Cols Reserves, a different col each day closed to traffic, and Monday was the big one, Col Agnel.
So it was up very early to walk the dogs, then leave here at 07:00 to drive into the Queyras, I parked up at Ville Vieille (1,400m) to cycle up to where they had the Col closed at just past Fontgillarde at 2,050 then it was the ride up to Agnel which is the sixth highest road in Europe at 2,744m and at the top even though it was sunny it was so cold!
And you can see how wrapped up the volunteers were at the top
I decided to ride down the other side into Italy and as no cars or even cyclists had been up all morning the local Marmot community were having a great time playing on the side of the road, running across etc I've never seen so many.
Once back up at the top again more cyclists were appearing and suffering from the chill and this is a another way of layering up, using cling film 
Tuesday, it was the turn of the Izoard, and I cycled from home, and conditions were good.
Next day weather was dank, so I drove round to Nevache and then got the bike out to cycle the 3km up to Col Echelle to get my brevet stamped.
The logic being that if you cycle all the Cols at the end of the week you are given a rather nice souvenir cycling jersey.
Wednesday evening had the eight mates arriving for the Tour de StagParty and I'd arranged to meet them at the Plein Sud Hotel in Chantermerle at 07:45 to then cycle up to the Lautaret and then on up the Galibier which was closed and then on down the Valloire side to Plan Lachat and then back up Galibier and then all the way back down to Mojos in Villeneuve for a late lunch!
And glad to report all went according to plan, though some of the guys naturally were really feeling the altitude, and very wobbly at the top, with one guy almost hallucinating!
Friday was the last day of the Cols Reserve week, and it was the tough one, The Granon and especially with the weather which was very grim, with it being very cold (again) and hail. I'd chosen to cycle with the slowest dude to drag him up and in the end that was good strategy as it meant that it was not me hanging around at the top waiting which the others had to do, and luckily there were blankets to be had for them!
And the good news was that they presented me with my jersey
It was a tough wet dangerous descent down and by the time we all arrived back at the hotel we all showered to get warm. I'd booked lunch for them all in the Refuge Laval (see post above) and the plan was for them all to cycle up there, with two guys having passed on the tough Granon and opting to cycle straight there. I also suspected a few might be too tired to go all the way, or cycle back even though it was more or less down hill all the way, so I became the support team and drove my van round which was a good shout as I ended up taking a few back with me.
In the evening I'd arranged dinner and watching the football at the Frog, though shame about the result
Saturday was the big ride, the Boucle D'Izoard - riding quiet roads down to Guillestre and then on into the Queyras going up through the Casse Desert and over Izoard. Was a big day for some and all made it bar one, who we had to leave in Brunnisard and one other who chose not to ride anyway that day, and just as well as he went and collected the guy from Brunnisard which was an adventure in itself for him as he'd never driven on mountain roads!
The evening was very messy as you'd expect for a stag do. I'd booked the Cavaillou in Le Bez and we stopped off for beers in the Coccoon and Eric was very generous with the Genepi. Then after dinner it was more drinks in the 1420 before going on to the Club
I staggered back at around 03:00 to the hotel (as I was not staying at home) and it was so dark with all the street lights turned off, and the stars were amazing - turned out they do it on purpose (turn the lights off) so you can see the stars !!
The "groom" made it back at 05:30 and they were all leaving at 07:00 
It was a great few days and for quite a few they had never been to the mountains and were blown away by everything.
Weather could have been better, but really it was only the Friday that was grim, with Thursday wall to wall hot sunshine.
Since the weekend the weather has been bad.
Yesterday we went to the lift office to get our summer passes, and then took the dogs up in the gondola from Chantermerle and then on into the cable car up to Col de Serre Chevalier where we then spent nigh on a couple of hours walking all the way back down checking out potential off piste.
Today Wednesday we hiked with the dogs to the Gardiole 2753m which is along from the Col de Granon 2404m and we were in light snow for 20 mins, and it was so cold at times, much colder than the spring when we ski tour 
You can just about see the snow falling against my trousers and dogs deciding they like Soreen malt loaf
And we're climbing well prepared for the worse the weather can throw at us (almost)!
Conditions look even worse up the valley with Monetier / Le Casset almost in their own cloud weather system, and it's been like that for three days now. Hopefully by the end of the week weather will change for the better, but this week I was planning to have some time off the bike anyway, but this weather can not be good for the tourist trade.
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Been a couple of weeks since my last post above and been doing a fair amount of stuff and weather has not been a lot better, think we've only had two days of almost unbroken sunshine, but we've been able to choose what to day on the basis of how the day looks vs forecast and have stayed dry.
After the above hike, the next day we drove to Nevache and hiked up a ski tour route to the Lac Noir Colette du Vallon, which has a good looking descent back down from the Col du Vallon over the Col de la Colette (2597m) on another face arriving a couple of km from where we started above the Chalets de Biaune, as you would not really want to ski back down the Vallon as a fair bit is rather flat being a plateau and then it's extremely steep and gnarly back to the road, so not a lot of good skiing to be had for the walk up!
The next day I did a very long ride, 148km & 3,700m from here in Serre over Lautaret down to the damn below Deux Alpes, then up towards LDA but then taking a right after Mont de Lans via a smaller road running high up above the main road below, that then descends joining the main N91 then left and go back to Le Freney and then climbing up towards the ski station of Auris en Oisans, however you can then again cycle above the long main straight the runs into Bourg and that then links up with the main Alpe D'Huez ascent.
From ADH then pass the Altiport to the Col de Sarenne and then the descent (really gnarly road) back to the Chambon damn, after stopping off for some sustenance in a lovely auberge I know in Clavans (first came across it in the winter many years ago after going off the back of ADH) From there it's back up to Lautaret through La Grave etc.
By LG my legs were cramping and another pit stop then around 3km below Lautaret serious cramps had me off the bike in a bit of a state. Trouble was with all the recent weather I had opted for warmer clothing and I probably over heated wearing my jacket for too long a periods, and wearing a black base layer as well. By the time I got back to Serre been out for nigh on ten hours with 8hrs 40m of riding time.
Needless to say next day was a rest day (probably enforced by the weather).
Following week was more of the same, some interesting hikes exploring ski tour routes in Nevache (drove round to Nevache early in the AM left van and cycled back then hiked over from here in Serre) and then some more routes below Col de La Trancoulette (near Les Combes) and then off piste routes off the Tete du Grand Pre after hiking up Cucumelle, where one of our dogs went missing for nigh on half an hour, not a good feeling!
Did one ride on the road bike (though should have been on an MTB) that took me off the Izoard road just past the decheterie and circa 5km below Cervieres, this road is the old military road that went to some of the forts and then carried on all the way to the forts atop of Montgenevre, superb route. The road was paved all the way until you got to the top of Montegnevre and closed to traffic, mainly because there are no safety barriers.
In the winter the area is interdit due to military exercises, which might explain why if driving to Montgenevre in the winter you often see military trucks parked up just as you enter Montgenevre.
Other areas we've been to are Lac de L'Orceyrette above Les Ayes and up from Cervieres, where you get to if you ski off the back of Montgenevre, or ski tour up (lots of potential).
Then last Saturday we had the Tour de France come through.
Earlier in the morning I cycled up the Col D'Izoard and then back down past home and on up to the Col du Lautaret, and the descent was superb as the road by then was closed, so no traffic coming up or down. Though eventually the Gendarmes stopped me with 5km to go at Monetier and I had to take a cross country route home. Transpired all the security was for the French Prime Minister who was joining the Tour as Guest of Honour in Monetier.
We then watched the tour go pass from the bottom of the road here and it was actually a better vantage point than I initially thought.
And we were caught by the heli
Here are some other images
Tete Grand Pre
Military Road
Top of Montegenvere - route down to La Vachette off piste bash did a few years back
Lac de Cristol
Looking across Nevache valley to the Col de la Colette
So today cycled down to Briancon, then up to Lautaret and then Galibier and glad I went out when I did as it's been raining very heavy for the past hour as I type this.
I'm going back next week* after I've done some more climbing as there's a silly cycling challenge to cycle the height of Everest in nine days to also tie in with the tour and I'm sort of well placed here to get the vertical in 
*Roads now getting a lot busier all over the place, and damn motor homes are prevalent, not want you want to get behind on the descent having spent a couple of hours cycling up!!!
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