April 2000 Diary
April 9th - Col du Romeyere and Gorges de la Bourne
I was up at 7:30 and out the house at eight. I joined the bike path next to the Isere and I passed a group of 10 cyclists, then another group and then another group. For 25km I kept passing groups of cyclists. I'd never seen so many people on bike without anything being organised. The average age looked about 50 and they all looked to be having fun. I just kept watching my heart and keeping my riding at around 160bpm, which meant my speed was a little faster than the groups I was passing. I soon became aware that I had a little line of cyclists behind me and when I swung off left after the bike track finished, I saw 10-15 guys had been happy to sit behind me and shelter from the headwind.
It was then another six miles on flat roads along the bottom of the Vercors till my climb started. I'd checked in the Atlas des Cols and the Col de Romeyere was a 900 metre vertical climb and 13km in length, flattening off for the last few kilometres. It was a tiny road, a few hairpins and cycling under cliffs and through woods. It's a steady gradient for most of the climb and I thought I'd get a crick in my neck after craning my neck to look at the impressive cliffs above me. I passed a big waterfall cascading between two cliffs about five kilometres from the top and the road took me close enough to get wet from the spray.
The road then left the cliffs and twisted and turned through woods before a hairpin then took me back in the direction of the cliffs and I was faced with a dilemma. There was a choice to take the main road through a tunnel or to take a closed section on a steep road cut into the rock face. I tried the tunnel option because I was worried about punctures from winter debris off the overhanging rock but after 10 metres I couldn't see a thing, with no light at the end of the tunnel. So I took the more spectacular route with the stomach-churning drop off to the left without any problems. Fantastic views west down to the plain. I didn't see any cars for the last eight kilometres and enjoyed an easier run to the Col afterwards. The road wasn't as steep and the sun was out, lighting up the green hillsides and snowy mountain tops and a much needed new Col sign.
;) |
| The
overhanging cliffs while cycling through the Gorge de la Bourne towards
Villard de Lans. |
A short descent to the Balme de Rencurel then a left turn to join the Gorge de la Bourne. 12km and 300m climb into a headwind to Villard de Lans and then a flat run along the Vercors plateau before the 11 kilometre descent to Grenoble. Just over 100km and 1300m climb.
April 29th - Mont St Martin, a mini Alpe d'Huez
I followed the cycle path for eight kilometres till the barrage across the Isere at St Egreve. There is a kilometre of cycling with the traffic and then another kilometre on cycle path before you can leave the main road at Fontanil.
The climb to Mont St Martin is not long at five kilometres but steep in places. With around 17 hairpins on the ascent and five hundred metres of climb, it's a perfect place to prepare for its big brother of Alpe d'Huez. I felt relatively well at the bottom but the climb is steep and felt as if I was grovelling by the top. It's a fun and spectaular climb and a technical descent afterwards.
April 30th - The Balcon de Belledonne
The skies were cloudless as I followed the cycle path out of Grenoble towards Chambery. For 30km, I was on the flat roads with the imposing cliffs of the Chartreuse on my left and the snow capped peaks of the Belledonne on my right. We're coming up to the beginning of May and the snow is disappearing fast but the western side of the Col du Coq is still closed from the snow. The route plan was along to the pretty spa town of Allevard and to then turn back along the Balcon de Belledonne, the road that runs underneath the peaks of the Belledonne to Uriage les Bains, just over 60km later. One of the most famous routes in the area and nice quiet roads.
The climb to the Col du Barrioz is never too steep but it drags on for approximately 15km from 200 to 1060 metres. The views along the Belledonne range are fantastic as they tower to nearly 3000 metres above you. From the top of the Col is was a six kilometre descent through fertile green farmland to the village of Theys (630m). It was the perfect opportunity to stock up on some Pain au Chocolate before the four kilometre climb to the Col des Ayes (944m). I found this tough and switched down to the 39-23 as the legs were a little tired. I checked in the evening and the gradient was around nine percent for much of this section. There is a route option from the top of the second col to climb to the ski resort of Prapotel another six kilometres and to 1300m in altitude.
;) |
| The
view of the Gresivaudan valley in the direction of Chambery, with
the Dent de Crolles on the left. On this ride, I cycled down the valley
and then returned through the mountains on the right. |
I instead descended back down to the valley and followed the main road towards Grenoble for five miles. A right hand turn off the main road and I joined a smaller road so that I could take the cycle path again. I was feeling relatively energetic and I turned off before the apartment to attempt the climb to the Bastille. Two kilometres and horribly steep but I only made it as far as the first hairpin before the legs said no.
