Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Horquette d’Ancizan (1564m) and Col d’Aspin (1489m) Loop From Arreau

So, this was probably our most ambitious ride of the year so far. Usually we tend to go up and down a climb, trying not to overdo it so that we can ride pretty much every day (weather permitting). This time, however, we decided to go for a two col loop. Here’s how we got on.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Col du Peyresourde from Bagneres du Luchon (1569m)

We’ve tackled the western approach of the Peyresourde from the direction of Arreau a couple of times before, including just a few weeks ago, but on paper this eastern approach was a little bit harder. At 13.7 km with an average gradient of 6.9%, the road rise 944 metres from 630 metres up to the col at 1569 metres. Again, Esther tackled this one by herself while I followed up on the motorhome.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Col du Portillon from Bagneres du Luchon (1295m)

We cycled from Bagneres du Luchon up to the French-Spanish border at the Col du Portillon together way back in 2014. This time, however, Esther tackled the climb by herself while I went for a run. Compared to the Port de Bales, Peyresourde and Superbagneres, this is probably the easier of the four climbs directly accessible from Bagneres du Luchon, but only because it is quite a bit shorter.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Superbagneres (1780m)

The interesting named ski resort of Superbagneres is just about visible from Bagneres du Luchon 1170 metres below, with a grey hotel just peeking out above the trees at the top of the long ski lift out of town. In fact, it really doesn’t seem that high when you look up. This is a climb I remember hearing the name of when I used to be interested in the Tour de France during the Armstrong era, so I was quite keen to have a go, even though I couldn’t work out exactly where the road went. The densely tree-lined slope surrounding the ski lift didn’t seem to reveal any of the usual tell-tale signs of switchbacks.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Port de Bales from Bagneres du Luchon (1755m)

It’s been almost 3 and a half years since we last cycled up to the Port de Bales from the other side (starting at Mauleon-Barrouse) and could recall it as being a long and strenuous climb. So, how did this side from Bagneres du Luchon compare?

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Col Louron Azet Loop from Arreau (1569m)

Retracing our pedal strokes from Arreau, along the D25 towards Genos, so soon after cycing the exact same route on our way to the Col de Peyresourde yesterday might sound tedious. After all, 10 km of uphill drag isn’t usually the most exciting thing in the world…unless of course you’re riding in the Pyrenees beneath a baking sun. As we pootled along we couldn’t help but remark to each other every few kilometres, “I don’t think I could ever get bored of this”. It’s so beautiful, riding towards the snowy giants at the end of the valley with a green field on one side and tree-lined slope on the other.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Col de Peyresourde from Arreau (1569m)

The first, and only other time, we cycled up the Col de Peyresourde was in the autumn of 2014, and for some reason I remembered it as being hard but a little scenically bland. In hindsight, after revisiting the climb today, I’ve no idea why I would think that? It’s beautiful.

Spring Cycling In The Pyrenees - Col d’Aspin from Arreau (1489m)

We’ve cycled up the Col d’Aspin (1489m) a couple of times before. Once in October 2014 and again in July 2018, but on neither occasion has the weather been quite so pristine as it was this morning. Crossing the border into the French Pyrenees yesterday evening had already felt like a homecoming, snaking down the snow-flanked switchbacks and waving at the mountains as though saying hello to old friends. Yet it was today, on the bike, that we really felt like we’d returned.

Cycling the Col de la Colombière from Le Grand Bornand (1613m)

The Col de la Colombiere was the very first climb we cycled up upon arriving in the Alps this autumn and now, two months later, we also knew it would be our last. The weather had been growing increasingly cold of late and with several days of heavy rain (and therefore snow on the higher cols) forecast we knew it was time to head out of the mountains. Not that we could complain, hanging on until early November had been far more than we expected when we arrived. So, how did this final climb compare with our first?

Cycling the Col des Aravis from Flumet (1487m)

Back in early September we cycled up the Col des Aravis and the Col de Saisies on the same day and in that order from the north. This time around, coming from the south, it was only Esther decided to try them both on the same day. I, on the other hand, decided that I'd already had enough for one day on the Col de Saisies earlier in the day, so was happy to drive up this particular 11.5km, 5% climb from Flumet behind her.

Cycling the Col de Saisies from the D925 (1657m)

Back in early September, when we first rode up the Col de Saisies from the north at Flumet, it was our second climb of the day and made all the much harder for it. This time around, however, we were feeling well rested and fresh to tackle this 15.2km, 6.3% average ascent from the D925, just down the road from Villard-sur-Doron. With the sun shining, the air much warmer than in recent days and surprisingly good views of the Mont Blanc Massif on the way up, it turned out to be one of the most fun rides I'd had in a while.

Cycling the Cormet de Roselend from Bourg Saint Maurice (1964m – Southern Approach)

Riding up the northern approach to the Cormet de Roselend from Beaufort in early September had been a hard climb, with an opening 12 km of relentless climbing that hard worn us right out. Now that we were back on the other side of the Roselend, the question was, would it be a hard? The answer, it turned out, was no.

Cycling the Col du Petit St Bernard from Bourg St Maurice (2188m)

Until a couple of cyclists we met suggested this as an "easier but pretty col to cycle to", I admit I'd never heard of the Col du Petit St Bernard. Having spent our autumn charging up various more well known cols I was even a little dismissive about trying it at first. However, now that we have done the ride I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it to anyone, for various reasons and not only as this was our fifth French-Italy border visit on our bikes this year.

Cycling the Col de l'Iseran from Bonneval sur Arc - Southern side (2764m)

If it weren't for the extra, man-made lump that has been built to raise the Cime de la Bonette up to 2802 metres, then the 2764 metre high Col de l'Iseran would be the highest pass in the French Alps (at least as far as I know). It is possible to start this climb from much, much further away and indeed that is what Esther did because she started at Termignon some 39km from the top! From here the climbing is done in fits and starts, with a few kilometres of climbing here and there separated by longish flatter sections. However, the real guts of the continuous climbing gets going 13.4km from the top in the village of Bonneval sur Arc. From here it is a 977 metre ascent at 7.3% average gradient to reach this high altitude, chilly col in the high mountains.

Cycling the Col du Mont Cenis from Lanslebourg (2081m - French side)

After the Col d'Agnel, Col Montgenevre and the Col de la Lombarde, this climb to the Col du Mont Cenis was our fourth visit to the French-Italian border this year. The road itself, from Lanslebourg, is a bit of an offshoot from the long, southern approach to the Col de l'Iseran but one that is well worth trying. With a 6.9% average over 9.8km (a climb of 682 metres), this is not one of the hardest climbs we've done, but with a few sections at over 11% it is still a very good workout and it's nice to be able to get up and down again in under an hour or so. Apparently this road was first built in 1800 under Emperor Napoloean I, a fact commemorated with some fun monuments at the top.

Cycling the Col de la Croix du Fer (2067m) & Col du Glandon (1924m) from Barrage du Verney (south side)

Counting the days backwards, it was hard to believe it had already been 7 weeks since we had cycled up to the Col du Glandon/Col de la Croix du Fer from the north starting at La Chambre. It felt like it had been just yesterday that we were grinding up those final 10-11-10% kilometres. Now that we were approaching the same col(s) from the south we were excited to see what the other side was like in comparison. On paper it least it looked like a very different and in fact far easier climb. In hindsight it was just another reminder of how foolish it is to pay attention to average gradients.

Cycling Alpe d'Huez (1860 metres)

Being one of the most iconic climbs of the Tour de France, I've wanted to cycle up Alpe d'Huez ever since we set off in 2014 but somehow our route never went that way before. And now it has. Given that there are probably more blog posts about this climb than any other in the Alps I see little point in waxing lyrical about the climb itself, it's many hairpin switchbacks, so will instead just share a few personal thoughts.

Cycling Col d'Ornon from La Paute (north side) - 1373 metres

In preparation for our Alpe d'Huez ride, Esther headed out of Bourg d'Oisans to try this other nearby climb, the Col d'Ornon. Starting just a few of kilometres away from it's much more famous neighbour the ascent is 11.1 km long with an average gradient of 5.8%, which sounds easy but as usual is made up of various steep bits and easy bits. As you can see from the pictures below it is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area as the climb is very pretty in its own right, so any comparison to Alpe d'Huez would be unfair. Also, if you felt so inclined, it would be possible to put together a pretty large and taxing loop by taking in the Col d'Ornon.

Cycling Mont Ventoux Via All 3 Routes (Sault, Bedoin & Malaucene)

Almost 3 years ago to the day since we first cycled to the top of Mont Ventoux and we found ourselves back at the foot of the 'Giant of Provence'. After the spectacle of the Gorges du Verdon in all it's lush, autumnal colours, the summit of Ventoux was a stark contrast....grey and cloudy. Not that the rolling fields of Provence were anything other than vibrant and alive with the scent of lavender, but this only served to emphasise the baldness of the summit even more. When we first passed through this area in 2014 we didn't actually know that there were three different roads leading towards the top of Mont Ventoux. We just parked nearby and cycled up one them, which just so happened to be the route from Malaucene, and then we headed off to the Pyrenees. This time, however, we decided to try them all and see how they compared.

Cycling the Misty Col de la Lombarde from Isola (2350m)

Another day, another cycle, another national border in the mountains. Following our trip to the Col de Montgenevre and the Col d'Agnel, this was our third cycle to the fringe of Italy in around a fortnight, just enough time for another brief glance and a hasty retreat downhill back into France. At 6.9% average gradient over 20.5km, the Col de la Lombarde was never going to be an easy climb but, in hindsight, we were surprised at just how hard it felt on the day.