Your bike in front of a col sign

[briantrumpet]

Sorry it's got me in too, but I only just realised the unusualness of this: a continental col sign with the altitude in ft! It's the one up from Martigny in Switzerland, BTW, not near Annecy.

Forclaz

• briantrumpet
• 16 Jul 2017

 

[Vertego]

 

[Vertego]

 

[Vertego]

I actually enjoyed the ride up here, and back down again, despite the cattle in the road, and the sheep sh!t

 

[Vertego]

Followed by a puncture on the descent. Scary!

 

[Aravis]

I thought I'd find these if I looked hard enough. The date is July 7th 1986, so something of a lament for lost youth. I crossed Saisies and Aravis later that day, and regrettably haven't been back since

A teensy bit of exaggeration on the part of whoever put up the sign, I think. The Tumble sign further up the thread shows the same tendency - 480 metres would be nearer the mark according to Ordnance Survey.

 

[Vertego]

I thought I'd find these if I looked hard enough. The date is July 7th 1986, so something of a lament for lost youth. I crossed Saisies and Aravis later that day, and regrettably haven't been back since

View attachment 363549
View attachment 363550

A teensy bit of exaggeration on the part of whoever put up the sign, I think. The Tumble sign further up the thread shows the same tendency - 480 metres would be nearer the mark according to Ordnance Survey.

We wanted to do la Madeleine too, but just ran out of time (and legs)

 

[Cronorider]

Wish I could find the photo but it was a long time ago. I was bike touring through Europe and my uncle told me I should go to the Col de La Bonette, being the highest paved road in Europe. (There is a higher road in Europe but it is not a through road apparently) So of course, I had to go there! Technically, the Col itself goes up to 2,715 meters, but there is an additional loop that takes you up to 2,802 meters. From there I went to Isola 2000 and crossed over into Italy.

 

[briantrumpet]

Wish I could find the photo but it was a long time ago. I was bike touring through Europe and my uncle told me I should go to the Col de La Bonette, being the highest paved road in Europe. (There is a higher road in Europe but it is not a through road apparently) So of course, I had to go there! Technically, the Col itself goes up to 2,715 meters, but there is an additional loop that takes you up to 2,802 meters. From there I went to Isola 2000 and crossed over into Italy.

It's certainly a spectacular spot! I was there last year... https://unanglaisendiois.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/col-de-la-bonette/

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Col and Puerto is the same?

 

[briantrumpet]

First col of the summer... I'm actually sitting here now:

 

[Cronorider]

First col of the summer... I'm actually sitting here now:

Wow - looks like a nice low traffic road as well

 

[briantrumpet]

Wow - looks like a nice low traffic road as well

It's a cracker for a back-road col, though no fast descents... too sketchy, and plenty to look at. If anyone does it, the better ascent is from Recoubeau, and the better descent via Aucelon.

https://unanglaisendiois.wordpress.com/2014/08/03/col-de-pennes-1040m-route-1/

 

[briantrumpet]

First col of the day (COTD), atypically grey:

 

[briantrumpet]

2nd COTD, and the sun's out