This summer, on my way back from Corsica, I decided to have a change from the usual routes and crossed a few bits of the Alps on gravel.
I had a few pointers from friends in the area, but due to time constraints (had to meet another traveling friend in Susa at the end of the day) and my inability to gauge how long it takes me to travel off the road (I'm generally pretty accurate with travel schedules on asphalt) had to stuck to the main "classic" bits.
One of which is the Col du Parpaillon that you can access (travel direction: north) from Lausiers near Barcelonnette:
I'm pretty crap offroad, having little/near zero experience, as you can see in the video
but the road is pretty manageable.
Full gpx track can be found here. Includes riding up the Bonnette, Parpaillon, and a very small section of the final part of the Assietta that was in the plan for the same day, but was closed for most of its lenght due to some work. If I remember correctly the sign it will be closed even next spring till June.
This is the southern entrance for the Assietta:
I met a guy (local) on top of the Parpaillon and we did most of the rest of the route together: beware there are a couple of stops for petrol and/or coffee in the track.
Pretty boring video of Parpaillon up&down (some bits, not the entire thing!) and some sheep at the tunnell entrance.
Some breathtaking views. And the lower speed helps to take them in
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I had a few pointers from friends in the area, but due to time constraints (had to meet another traveling friend in Susa at the end of the day) and my inability to gauge how long it takes me to travel off the road (I'm generally pretty accurate with travel schedules on asphalt) had to stuck to the main "classic" bits.
One of which is the Col du Parpaillon that you can access (travel direction: north) from Lausiers near Barcelonnette:
I'm pretty crap offroad, having little/near zero experience, as you can see in the video
but the road is pretty manageable.Full gpx track can be found here. Includes riding up the Bonnette, Parpaillon, and a very small section of the final part of the Assietta that was in the plan for the same day, but was closed for most of its lenght due to some work. If I remember correctly the sign it will be closed even next spring till June.
This is the southern entrance for the Assietta:
I met a guy (local) on top of the Parpaillon and we did most of the rest of the route together: beware there are a couple of stops for petrol and/or coffee in the track.
Pretty boring video of Parpaillon up&down (some bits, not the entire thing!) and some sheep at the tunnell entrance.
Some breathtaking views. And the lower speed helps to take them in
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oVry5ZfjGc0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
