Author: Will

A route planning tip: Sometimes I just look for a bunch of hairpins on a map: My plan was to ride up to Col de la Madeleine via an unpaved hairpin-filled forest road north of La Chambre. This would lead to the high ridge above the standard Madeleine road – only joining the paved road at its last hairpin. In the image below, my route is red (there is also a detailed map at the bottom of this post). The blue route shows the two paved ways up this south side of Col de la Madeleine. The paved option on…

Here’s another excellent paved cycling climb with an extension that requires a mountain bike. The route includes four cols: (a little known Col de la Forclaz, Col de la Colombière, La Clef des Annes, and Col des Annes). I started by climbing the paved classic north side of Col de la Colombière from Scionzier. See here for the much steeper alternate way up the north side via Col de Romme. Note, when you look at the map, you’ll see that after ten kilometres, I made a brief detour. I basically followed a steep but good quality hiking trail for a…

“Just for Fun” Communication towers are often at the top of great cycling climbs. It makes sense, as it’s helpful for them to be high and have clear views in many directions. And they need a road up, so they can be maintained. Perfect. My criteria for the best communication tower climbs: Big and challenging. Dominating views, hopefully 360 degrees. Visible from afar/below. This list is not even remotely complete. Feel free to add your favourite in the comments. Here are my favourites #1 Puy-de-Dôme The legendary dormant volcano Puy-de-Dôme is the most famous cycling climb in the Massif Central.…

This route includes 5 Cols: Marais, Esserieux, Arpettaz, Aravis, and Croix Fry. But the highlight is Col de l’Arpettaz + La Route de la Soif. La Route de la Soif begins after climbing the 42 (yes, 42) paved hairpins to the summit of Arpettaz! It is a 17 kilometre high-gravel “road” that links with another summit: Col des Aravis. Amazing! Road bikers: This entire route is paved except for the 17 kms of La Route de la Soif. Here’s a road bike route including the amazing Arpettaz – or use the search box for other paved Arpettaz rides. I started…

Plateau de Retord is in the French Juras, in the same massif as Grand Colombier. It’s one of my favourite places for cross-country skiing in winter with more than 100 kilometres of trails at all levels. Today, I explored on a mountain bike. But for road bikers, please see the nice two-col loop detailed below. On the map, the red route is today’s mountain bike loop that I will explain below. The blue loop is a 53 kilometre road bike ride from 2019 that includes Col de Cuvery and Col de Richemond. See here for details. Plateau de Retord by…

In addition to the paved Col des Glières (1440m), this ride visits two gravel cols: Passage de la Gloire (1350m) and Col de l’Ovine (1786m). This was my first adventure not starting from home in quite some time. It felt great. I have written many times about Plateau des Glières. See this link that explains five more rides (the two paved sides plus three superb unpaved rides). In that 2017 article I admonish Prudhomme for never including Glières in the Tour de France. Now, three years later and assuming the 2020 Tour is takes place, Plateau des Glières will make…

For various reasons, good and bad, I have only been cycling from home recently. But, Tim (a very good friend of mine) recently had a fun adventure that I thought was worth sharing. Tim is my partner for great middle-of-the-night rides to see the sunrise from famous summits. See Grand Colombier and Cime de la Bonette posts. Here’s Tim talking: As soon as the lockdown restrictions started to be relaxed here in France, I drove around to join Will and other Steel Wheeler cycling club members residing in France, for our first ride up Mont Salève in 10 weeks. “Around”…

I hope you and your families are well. All is well here. But I must admit that two months without cycling has not been fun. My enthusiasm for the home trainer has failed to grow. 🙂 In France, as of May 11, we will be permitted to travel within a 100km radius. Here’s my circle. A recent tweet: 🙂 While obviously not remotely important:It is slightly "amusing" that Monday, the first day after the strict lockdown here in France, the local forecast is for more rain than the entire past 2 months combined. 🙂 #cycling— cyclingchallenge (@cyclingalps) May 7, 2020…

I know there are far important things happening in the world than home-trainer cycling. I hope everyone is well and I wish you good health. This post is just a type of distraction for me in these troubling times. Be well, stay fit. I hate the home trainer. 🙂 But my final bike ride was almost two weeks ago and ended a few minutes after the official beginning of the lockdown here in France. This post will detail a few ways I have tried to make my home trainer rides more enjoyable. Here’s my top tip: If you are fortunate…

For obvious reasons, I haven’t been straying far from home recently. But I’ve still been cycling. So a few photos. Be well. With friends Marie-Jo and Tim looking at Orion’s Belt from atop Mont Salève: Steel Wheelers Wednesday Night Salève: Various Mont Salève photos: A few favourite hairpins: Doreen: Moo: Chemin de St. Jacques: Jumping for Joy: Best wishes to you and your families. EDIT: To clear my head, I made a quick dash to “Sunset Lookout” up above home. Four photos as the sky changed. #1 Before the sunset: #2 After the sunset: #3 Getting dark, but before the…