Today I cycled up the Col du Glandon and the Col de la Croix de Fer (23 km climb and about 5,000 feet vertical) to watch the second huge Alps stage in the Tour de France.

This was the 2006 Tour de France stage when Landis hit a wall - the day before his “miraculous” comeback.

High above the village of Samoen is the Plateau des Saix and the Samoen "1600" ski station.
The route is in the opposite direction but starts at the same spot as the more famous Joux Plane (in this year’s tour de france).  I parked a few kms away in Morillon so I would have a […]

Despite having climbed many of the hardest and biggest routes in France, there is a climb that starts from my backyard that I have been scared to attempt.
Our new house is at the foot of a little mountain - Le Salève - that overlooks Geneva and blocks our view of Mont Blanc.  It stands alone […]

It’s been cold and threatening for several days.  So if I wanted to ride I was going to have to brave it. 
The Col de Solaison is only 35 kms from home - near the more famous Col de la Colombiere.  My French Cycling Climbs book says:

"…. Col de la Colombiere links Cluses and Clusaz […]

My first time cycling in the Chartreuse region of the Alps (surrounding Grenoble).
Grenoble may be at the bottom of more major climbs than any other city.  Today’s route passed 4 mountain cols and THEN the hard part started. 
The first 10 Kilometres were pretty hard along beautiful quiet roads.  I passed 4 riders at the […]

Col de la Ramaz last featured in the 2003 Tour de France.  French hero Richard Virenque won the stage and you can still see his name faintly written along the road.
This steady climb really becomes steep and alpine after about 8 kilometres with a narrow stretch along the edge of a cliff that — without […]