A hill climbing thread

[Shut Up Legs]

Some of you may know just how much I love hill-climbing on road (or sometimes even touring) bikes, so much so that recently travelled over 17,000km just to do 600km of French mountains. Ah, the memories...

Anyway, I was recently browsing Google Maps and Streetview, checking out likely future climbs, because I already want to return to the French mountains, in fact I wish I could have stayed there indefinitely.

One idea I had was to book an assisted cycle tour, but one where I set the itinerary. My plan is to spend several days based in one of the French Alps towns, and then do various mountain climbs from that town, before moving on to another. How many towns I spend time in does of course depend on the total tour length.
I do of course realise that such a tour would most likely cost more than a group tour, unless I somehow managed to get together a group of like-minded lunatics, but at least I can dream about it...

Likely prospects for such a plan include:

• Le Bourg d'Oisans - climbs nearby include: Alpe d'Huez, Col du Glandon de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraph and Col du Galibier, plus several lesser known (but apparently very enjoyable) ones.
• La Chambre - climbs nearby include: Col de la Madeleine, Col du Glandon de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraph and Col du Galibier, and again various lesser known ones.
• Saint-Michel de Maurienne - climbs nearby include: Col du Glandon de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraph and Col du Galibier, Col de l'Iseran, and again various lesser known ones.

I know there are many other parts of the French Alps, this is just the region I'm a bit more familar with, having visited it last month.

Feel free to comment on the above, or just talk about your own plans for mountain-climbing, because I'd really love to read about it!

Regards,

--- Victor.

 

[Starchivore]

I've done most of those climbs too and they are wonderful. My dad and I went several years in a row when I was younger, and then again last year for the first time in about 5 years, since I'd gone to university. So they are very special to me.

I think my favourite is Telegraph-Galibier. I love going up through the trees on the Telegraph, and then descending before the landscape opens up for the climb of the Galibier. The scenery up there is fantastic, it feels so exposed and lofty.

I did Alpe d'Huez last year and it was good but I definitely prefer the Galibier by a long long way. To me that is the greatest tour climb, not Alpe d'Huez.

I think, for me, it's a combination of the scenery, the generally-perfect weather (I've experienced notable exceptions to that...), the sense of cycling history, and the sheer personal test of it. The test is probably the key bit, it's a great (and painful) feeling of self-examination and the glow of reward lasts for ages.

I don't know when I'll next get the chance but hopefully in not too long.

I would bet that you could sort all that yourself instead of having to pay for an assisted tour though? With a bit of forward planning.

 

[T4tomo]

Have you read The Breakaway - cycling the mountains of the tour, By Rolf Rae Hansen. That should give you some tips on what and what not to do. It's quite an entertaining read and I'm sure it's pretty cheap as an Ebook.

Cartainly something to be said by having transport between towns etc so you aren't having to lug your gear up and down every mountain, whether that's full on assist or self drive depends on budget I guess.

 

[PK99]

Some of you may know just how much I love hill-climbing on road (or sometimes even touring) bikes, so much so that recently travelled over 17,000km just to do 600km of French mountains. Ah, the memories...

Feel free to comment on the above, or just talk about your own plans for mountain-climbing, because I'd really love to read about it!

Regards,

--- Victor.

Not what you are asking for directly, but have you thought of Skedaddle or one of the other specialist tour companies.

Eg https://www.skedaddle.co.uk/classicroad

Our Ventoux holiday with the Ventoux day being by no means the toughest day climbing, was level 3,. Their Raid Alpine is level 5 with tdf style challenges every day. A manic hill climbing friend has done a good number of Raids and raves about the timed challenge.

Ive done a couple of Skedaddle holidays and rate them very highly.

 

[Spinney]

to the lot of you. Getting up Llanberis Pass is about my current limit!
Chapeau!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Thanks for the replies, all. Driving isn't an option for me, so I'd just have to find a way to do it either with a supported group (and ensure I'm fit enough to keep up with any of them), or pay big money to do it myself with support.