As unlikely as it seems at this point that I will cycle any of them, I have made a short list of climbs I would like to cycle during my upcoming Tour de France.
Some are leftovers from extensive research for my previous Tours in the area, ‘extensive’ meaning listing all the climbs I could find with no plan as to how and when to cycle them.
However, I was genuinely surprised to see that I actually managed to get most climbs from the recons on my ‘Been There, Done That‘ list in 2021 and 2022.
I also mentioned some ‘route forestière’ climbs in the posts on that, but as most are like the one I did tackle, Frumezan, and they have no particularly interesting reason to cycle them, like jaw-dropping views, I think I’ll forget about them.
Here’s what’s left from the recon that is on the list, complemented with a few new ideas.
Defenitely
From Beaufort, Cormet d’Arêches is 19 kms long, at an average of 7.1% and from Aime, Plan Pichu is 17.9 kilometers at 7.3%.
There’s a ~5 kilometer stretch in the route that is rough gravel and rocky, between Saint-Guérin Lake and Plan Pichu .
While it is possible to cycle from Beaufort to Aime or vice versa, I’m not sure that Paula is allowed to follow me in the car, as the stretch between Plan Pichu and Cormet d’Arêches seems to be restricted / forbidden.
Meaning I may have to split this into two parts as the alternative is doing it alone while Paula takes the Cormet de Roselend. I’m probably okay with that, but I don’t think she will be…
Rated as the toughest climb in France, the Tougnète is 3/4 of the climb to Val Thorens, which I did in 2012. However, the kicker is in the newly created ‘piste cyclable’ over ski slopes: from Les Menuires that is 7 kilometers at 8.2% but with 20% stretches, similar to the Col de la Loze.
If that doesn’t break me – but it will – I can also cycle the other ‘piste cyclable’ from Les Menuires that is now an alternative for the final stretch to Val Thorens.
Col de la Loze (Courchevel)
Speaking of the Col de La Loze – I will cycle that ‘piste cyclable’ from the other end, via Courchevel.
Now (or never)
Other than the few leftovers, I have one ‘bucket list’ climb I’ve considered before and that I intend to cycle this Tour.
It’s a 2.5 to 3-hour drive to get to either end and another 2.5 to 3-hour drive to get back, but unless I decide to spend my next Giro d’Italia in the Aosta Valley, I will never get any closer to it.
I will have Paula drop me off near Aosta and climb the Porossan – Roisan alternative, as that is quieter than the standard ascent. Then descend the other end to where the tunnel begins, return back up that part and descend back to Aosta.
Probably
More leftovers.
This one is starting at Aussois, off the “Route Panoramique” to the Iseran. From there it’s “only” 7 kms, but at an average of 9.3% the first 5 of those, it’s definitely challenging.
This climb also starts off the main route up the Iseran, near les Glières (Braman). It’s almost 11 kms long, with a 4 km flat(-ish) section, the other 7 kms averaging just over 9% too.
Maybe
The first three are actually more suitable for my Prologue.
This one is actually so far out of the way, that it is really only an option for my Prologue, although I went out of my way for the Col du Sabot in 2022 too. It’s a whopping 27 kms long, but the hard part is in the middle and I don’t think it’s anywhere near the Sabot in terms of beauty.
Not any less out of the way than La Bérarde, but the Sarenne is easier to combine with something else in another stage. I’ve already done Les Deux Alpes, but I could continue to and descend Alpe d’Huez, and then circle back over the balcony road.
This awe-inspiring 7.6-km stretch, known as the Route de la Roche, is carved straight into the mountainside high above the Romanche valley. It is an extremely narrow, cliff-hugging road with sheer (up to 700-meter) drops, unlit one-vehicle tunnels, and overhangs.
As it is strongly advised to avoid travelling it by car AND I have severe vertigo, I think I’ll opt for the ‘safe’ end from Le Freney-d’Oisans, if I want to get Auris on my list 😎
This is a new idea, that comes from creating the page on the Col du Mont Cenis, when I discovered I cycled the Susa end via the most direct, but least attractive route. If I do cycle Moncenisio again, I’ll take the SP210 alternative via Novalesa.
As there’s also a ‘bonus’ Col du Petit Mont Cenis to be had, I will then cycle that too. But I might end up ‘just’ doing the French end up to the Petit, as that can be combined with Barrage de Plan d’Amont and/or Le Planay.
Others
Under the best of circumstances, this short list would fill less than a week worth of stages, but I’m not betting on that. While I do not – yet – intend to take any rest days, I should probably plan easier stages in between those involving (a combination of) the ones described above.
Even if I disregard the climbs in the Savoie listed on ClimbFinder that are not realistically cyclable, like the Col de la Platta, the degraded ‘routes forestière’ or similar goat paths, there are plenty left to fill my days with.
We’ll see…