Col de la Faucille
By Will • Mar 2nd, 2008 • Category: Climbs, Cycling, Juras
Col de la Faucille is one of the best know climbs in the Jura Mountains.
It has appeared 10 times in the Tour de France since 1951. Last appearing in Stage 18 in 2004, I watched this stage live.
This was the day Armstrong - despite already clinching the Tour - chased down an escape as it contained Filippo Simeoni. Simeoni had testified in a doping probe and tried to implicate Armstrong. Armstrong had called him a compulsive liar.
So - although Simeoni was no threat to the general classification - Armstrong decided to chase him down. As the peleton passed us, we were shocked to see the yellow jersey leading a stretched pack of riders as they approached Faucille. Simeoni’s break-away of course came to nothing.
It’s not the hardest climb, but leads to views of the Alps and Lake Geneva below. Martin and I started in downtown Geneva (in total 63 kms, just under 1000 metres vertical). But the climb really starts in Gex.
It’s a popular route for cyclists and we saw several, but the route has a fair amount of traffic. A Sunday in March is probably as quiet as it gets - avoid on weekdays as Trucks use this route as a short-cut to Dijon.
In the summer there are many better ways to climb this area of the Juras. Nearby are superb, deserted forest roads up to La Baudichonne, La Vattay and La Barillette. But they are not cleared in winter.
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Will is Happiest while cycling uphill. More enthusiastic than talented, his 2008 Challenge is to (again) cycle 160,000 metres of vertical ascent.
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Hello,
I agree with you, this road is very busy. But the other side from St Claude it’s a very nice climb, quieter. If you climb on this side, Col de la Faucille is an interesting climb.
And from the Col de la Faucille, you should try the Col de Crozet with your mountain bike.
Salut Bast
Where exactly is this? Col de Crozet
Do you start in Crozet, or on the other side?
merci bien
Honestly, I don’t know.
The Col de Crozet is a mountain pass between Crozet and Lélex (1429m). You have to use your mountain bike. I think the way from La Faucille to the Col de Crozet via “la Marechaude” is easily passable.
From Crozet, maybe it’s also possible.
Will,
I see two bikes there in the pictures. How many do you have?
Hi Ron,
I did the ride with a friend and just grabbed his bike for the photo (but I have a LOT of bikes)