Last year Le Cycle magazine called Mont du Chat possibly the toughest climb in France …. for me it’s far too short for that honour, but it’s hard work.
PS – cyclists should check before every ride that their tires are in good condition.
Browsing: Juras
The sign at the top said Combe Blanche. My book says Col de Puthod and Michelin maps says Col de la Vattay.
Regardless it’s a fantsatic, steep, deserted climb in the Jura mountains.
Mont Tendre is the highest point in the Swiss Jura mountains at 1,679 metres.
It’s another of those great, steep, deserted Jura roads climbing through the woods – with Alps views at the top.
One of the great rides from Geneva – 127 kms and about 1700 metres (5600 feet) of climb.
Given that I am now a member of Team Poseur, I was of course more worried about eating than riding. So we stopped for lunch at the Chateau de Clermont for a three course feast – very civilized.
Col de la Biche and Col du Grand Colombier are two of the hardest unknown climbs in France. In the Jura mountains, they are both “roads to nowhere” meaning virtually no traffic (I saw 5 cars in over 3 hours on the climbs).
Eric and I took mountain bikes and decided to get muddy and search for the secret road over the Jura mountains and the savage Col du Sac down to the tiny Menthières ski station on the other side.
At the turn, I told Eric it would be impossible to reach and totally covered in snow.
He gave me a half-smile. I knew we were going up.
There is a Grande Randonnée (GR) hiking route along the top of La Vuache and someone had recently asked me if it was do-able by bike.
Today – with Eric and Jason – the idea was to find out.
Col de la Faucille is one of the best know climbs in the Jura Mountains.
Riding through Hotonnes we noticed a great old “penny-farthing” bike on display.