Video: Col des Rochilles via Col du Télégraphe.
By Will • Oct 6th, 2010 • Category: Climbs, Cycling, Videos
I have climbed the classic north side of Col du Galibier 6 or 7 times. Every time at Plan Lachat (26 kms up; about 1960 metres), I have eyed an old, gravel military road full of hairpins that climbs up into another valley to the left. I always promise myself to cycle it one day.
Well I finally kept my promise. Enjoying perfect weather, after a couple of hours climbing, I turned off onto this bumpy, gravelly, difficult but not crazy steep road. Amazing. At the top is an old French military barracks, and higher a few little glacier lakes …. all surrounded by high mountains. Highly recommended – but bring a VTT (MtB).
Galibier Hairpins in the distance:
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Will is Happiest while cycling uphill. More enthusiastic than talented, his 2013 Challenge is to cycle a 150 Cols (mountain passes), slowly -- and to just enjoy.
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Looks like a cracking ride.
a cracking ride, indeed !
je suis allé là uniquement à pied, et je rêve d’y retourner à VTT, en ajoutant le tour du Col des Cerces et le lac du même nom, avec les superbes vues sur le Grand Galibier
bravo
Superbe Will ! Paysages et temps parfaits ! Finalement tu n’as pas testé le col d’Albanne ?
Oui, vous avez raison, tous les deux. il y a d’autres cols là aussi. Mais, avec Telegraphe, j’étais fatigué
.
Nous devrions y retourner en 2011.
Good that I know you better than that, else I would think you are bored with Galibier. Most cyclists would ask:”How can you not do Galibier when you are at Plan Lachat?”
Thanks for sharing all of the spectacular scenery with us flat landers in the USA. The 2008 Tour d’Enfer Lost Boys crew (Larry, Michelle, Arthur, Tim and myself) were discussing your videos on a ride the other week & how much we enjoy them!
Hi Ralph,
Great to hear from you.
Trust me, in this region, it’s still hard to top the day you and I watched the TdF at the top of Galibier.
All the best,
[...] Col du Galibier was first made crossable for military purposes in 1879 with the sexy name: “Routes des Grands Communication #14.” To simplify the crossing, a tunnel was finished in 1891, roughly 90 metres below the summit. Many high Italian and French alps roads have military origins. Even today, if you take the little gravel road south through the sheep herds at Plan Lachat – several kms below the summit – there is an active high altitude French military barracks at Col des Rochilles (mountain biking heaven). [...]