Alps touring advice

"Lee Coomber" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm heading to the French Alps for a ski trip and decided to take an
extra week off work and cycle part of the way there. I've split the
journey into 2 legs, one from Paris to Lyon and the other from Lyon to
Lanslevillard (in Val Cenis, Savoie).

I'm happy with first part having ridden a similar route before. I think
the second part will be fine too as I've travelled almost all it by bus
several times at this time of year and the roads are always totally
clear of snow though there is still the odd patch of ice. There is
generally little snow left anyway at 1400m which is the elevation of my
destination village.

Main roads will be fine, so you'll be able to get there. But any nice
interesting mountain roads will probably be out.

I was there a few weeks ago - they filled the high street with snow for a
dog race!

cheers,
clive

"Lee Coomber" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm heading to the French Alps for a ski trip and decided to take an
extra week off work and cycle part of the way there. I've split the
journey into 2 legs, one from Paris to Lyon and the other from Lyon to
Lanslevillard (in Val Cenis, Savoie).

I'm happy with first part having ridden a similar route before. I think
the second part will be fine too as I've travelled almost all it by bus
several times at this time of year and the roads are always totally
clear of snow though there is still the odd patch of ice. There is
generally little snow left anyway at 1400m which is the elevation of my
destination village.

However, I've just come across this in my Cycling France book:-

"The Alps, Pyrenees, and other mountainous areas are out of the question
for cycle touring during winter."

I will be in the area mid-next week which is hardly the depths of winter
but it got me thinking that what is out of the question in January might
still be unadvisable in mid-March, especially as I have no experience of
biking in the mountains.

Do any URC'ers have experience or advice they can pass on?

I think TBH it's impossible to say whether conditions will be suitable for
cycling in the Alps near your destination or not. Even in a week's time
it's possible that it could snow below the altitude of your destination
village, and even if the main roads are cleared - at some point during the
day or night - whether or not conditions are cyclable could depend on how
recently the snow fell, how much of it fell, and the temperature - the roads
could be icy, snow chain conditions, or they could be completely fine, and
whatever it's generally been like in the past there's no guarantee it will
be like that in the week you arrive. You won't know until you do it!

Rich

Clive George said:

Main roads will be fine, so you'll be able to get there. But any nice
interesting mountain roads will probably be out.

I was there a few weeks ago - they filled the high street with snow for
a dog race!

thanks Clive, I wonder if it's possible to rent the dogs :-)

Richard Goodman said:

I think TBH it's impossible to say whether conditions will be suitable for
cycling in the Alps near your destination or not. Even in a week's time
it's possible that it could snow below the altitude of your destination
village, and even if the main roads are cleared - at some point during the
day or night - whether or not conditions are cyclable could depend on how
recently the snow fell, how much of it fell, and the temperature - the roads
could be icy, snow chain conditions, or they could be completely fine, and
whatever it's generally been like in the past there's no guarantee it will
be like that in the week you arrive. You won't know until you do it!

thanks for the response Rich

Lee