…please.

I’ve made a list of cols in Italy/France/Austria/Switzerland and my plan is to load up the car with camping/cycling/mountaineering kit and drive south through the night to Dover for a cheap ferry to France or Belgium (probably the latter since it’ll be quicker to get to the Sud Tirol).

Any suggestions for routes and valley bases to link up any of the following cols. Ideally circular routes, but out-and-back will be fine too.

France:

Col du Galibier
Col du Glandon/Croix de Fer
Col de la Madelaine
Alpe d’ Huez

Italy:

Passo dello Stelvio
Passo de Gavia
Colle dell’Agnelo
Tre Cime de Lavaredo
Passo Pordoi
Passo Guia
Gran Sasso d’Italia
Passo Fedia
Passo del Mortirola
Monte Grappa
Monte Zoncolan (!)
Col du Grand St Bernard

Austria:

Grossglockner
Kitzbuheler Horn

I know it’s an arbitrary selection (from a coffee-table tome) and any suggestions to expand it are most welcome too.

Thank you,
SC

How about you don’t post about your ridiculous holiday on here.
*mutters jealous expletives under breath*

I know, I know…

So little time.

7 weeks in purgatory? (also jealous)

Col de Bonnette

Cul de Salope

Op,

Your list of 7 weeks holiday destinations looks rather stressful … 😆

Been over the Bonnette before as part of the Raid Alpine. VERY long descent!

Bloody teachers….. 😀

Well, your France cols option pretty much covers the Marmotte route…

Isoard.

Chamonix.

Expect to find your car broken into and empty, unless you are careful in France and sitting in it waving a pair of Bombers around in Italy. Stay in B&B in Italy rather than on campsites.

Three different ascent routes of vetoux in 24 hrs

Club des Cinglés du Mont-Ventoux

Never (yet) had a problem camping in either Italy or France – tempting fate?

Marmotte route looks like a cracker – big day though!

Izoard and Ventoux I have ridden before (though no reason not to do either again, even if the Mont is a bit isolated).

Nobeerinthefridge – Member
Bloody teachers…..

I know… I even hate myself for it ;o)

Linking the French ones looks straightforward and the Austrian ones are two different day rides, I think.

Any suggestions for the Italian ones? I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the Dolomites/Sud Tirol but never with a view to road cycling so my geography of the area is a bit sketchy.

I appreciate you’re asking for Italy/France/Austria, but have you considered Pyrenees and adding Spain to the mix? (Sticking up for my adopted home country 🙂 )

Is a possibility, mogrim; however it’s just a bit too far away to combine both. I was in the French Pyrenees last summer and it rained. A lot. It rained so much that Lourdes was closed… Biblical shit right there!

Applauds Moses and is jealous of fine hol plans

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nbGthv-dJp4&feature=kp[/video]

I’m only jealous. Have fun. 🙂

Cheers for replies.

Any thoughts on Italy?

Add Switzerland in to the mix – amazing scenery but expensive so shop at Lidl and sleep in the van/car.

Aosta Valley is beautiful. not sure about road riding routes. Up the Valsavarenche Valley to Pont would be a great up and back route. You could then drive back up to Pont and walk up to the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II, stay there a night or 2, climb Gran Paradiso, boulder, walk about a bit.

While you’re near Col de Galibier, the Vallée de la Clarée is very pretty. Not a lot of climbing from Briancon to the top of the valley, but there’s a few nice huts up there you can link up walking.

Just found this: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/AOSTA-04-Valsavarenche-Cogne

And head to Peimonte / The Langhe – it’s a corner of Italy I’d never given any thought to before a couple of friends moved there.

Very pretty indeed. Hilly too. Great food and wine.

For more Italian ideas, you could check out the pics and the profile for the northern/alps stages of the Giro?

Do you only get 7 weeks, my wife gets 8 and a half, starting Friday lunch time.

Seven weeks off and you’re wasting all of it in Europe… 💡

seven weeks and no mountain biking 😯

Seven weeks off and you’re wasting all of it in Europe…

No. Wasting it in the Western Isles and maybe Ireland too. 😀

Mountain biking – I’ll get some done in Scotland but if I’m being honest, I prefer the road bike nowadays. And hill running. Heretic that I am…

Thanks for new suggestions – all good!

Obama says no!

*scratches head*

climbing and surfing in the Western Isles, I hope?

Not that hard trying to fill seven weeks, more of a problem when you have to make plans for fifty two

Only ones I try to avoid are the thirteen that are plagued with teachers

After scouring around and reading a LOT of small print we found an insurance policy which would cover our bikes. Most of them will not cover bikes left in a vehicle over night. I think it was ProtectYourBubble.. it covered them as long as they were locked with a gold standard lock to a fixture in the car.

admin plz ban