Recommend me some passes in the French Alps

geordielad

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Hi.

Spending 10 days in the Alps this June, travelling down through France and staying around the following places:
Annecy. Briancon and also at Col de turini. 06440 L'ESCARENE.

Routes down aren't a problem although suggestions are always gratefull based upon experience, but what I'd like to know is, are there any of the passes that we really shouldn't miss out on whilst we are there, and are there any we should avoid at all costs?

All should be within a days riding of said places please unless we decide to catch more out of the way ones on our way back up.

Many thanks in advance.
 
Thanks Arsey - I know that I can Google them, but I was hoping for some personal recommendations from people that have been there.
Motorcycle Diaries have loads in all the areas that we are going to, but I thought that members here may have been some insight into which are recommended and why.
 
Cormet de Roseland is a favourite - runs from Beaufort to Bourg St Maurice

From Briancon you can go south over Izoard & Vars or North over Galibier and return via Croix de la Fer

These are all iconic passes and can get busy but the views are stunning.
 
There aren’t any bad ones.
As Wessie said above,Cormet de Roseland is a good one. There’s a great cafe for lunch overlooking the lake.

I also love Col D’Izoard. It’s like a race track heading up to the summit from the north.

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The views up and down over Col du Galibier are also stunning.

And if you go up and over Col de La Bonnette, make sure you stop of lunch at little cafe on right side a few mikes before summit


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Most of Route Des Grand Alpes is awesome, IMO opinion the middle bit is best, from the South it gets really good from Turini all the way until over Cormet de Roseland - do not miss any of those passes if you can help it.

Towards the south if you stay @ Barcelonnette you can ride a load more, for starters the classic route took Col de la Cayolle, and if you take Bonnette you miss it, with an extra day to go for a looping ride you can get that in, plus some of these beauties - Allos, Gorge du Dulais, Col de Valberg, Col de Larche, Col di Sampeyre, Col de Lombard, need 2 extra dasy to do the lot, but you get the idea.

Further up (Bourg St Maurice) an extra day would allow you to loop around Mont Blanc over 7 passes, about as good as a days riding gets anywhere in the Alps.

You could also do / see a lot on the way down and back with a 10 day trip, I would:

Ride down through Morvan National Park, whizz through Vallon Pont d' Arc, ride around Gorge du Verdon.

On the way back I would cruise up through the Doubs, cut up through the Vosges, then into Luxembourg and then work back towards Calais (making an assumption here) via the Ardennes.

That would also leave you enough time to spend two nights at Barcelonnette and Borg S-M to ride the other loops I mentioned.
 
St Bernard Passes
Col de mont Cenis (from Susa, spelling/name different coming from Italy on signs!...) then Val d'Isere
Col de Allos
Col de la Bonnette
Col de la Madeleine
 
Treat yourself to a copy of:

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It’ll answer every question about the Alps that you’ll ever ask and those that you won’t, too.

Take yourself to RiDE magazine’s website and have a look at what they suggest.
 
Look at alpineroads.com. Loads of info and reports on just about every pass in the Alps.

EDIT: Just looked and the site isn't active any more. Says it will be coming back in one form or another shortly.
 


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