In 2017 the marmotte was moved to take place on the sunday rather than the traditional saturday. I drove to the col du lauteret the obvious starting point with a high snow line with the pic blanc du galibier in mind. It is named after the large ground squirrel that is known to inhabit the slopes of the final climb to the finish in alpe dhuez. Again take it easy and enjoy the descent down to the lautaret. There are three important things to know about this descent. Even on the warmest days the chill at the top of the galibier, and following descent, have. The idea with this weekly series is to discover the road and its place in the world, whether its part in cyclings folklore or to explore what it is like on a normal day. Bourg doisans turn right at the round about to go up alpe dhuez. The 4th highest paved pass in france at 2,642m, the galibier is the alpine pass most often used by the tour and certainly one of the most feared by cyclists. The route goes over 2,000m twice, the first time at the summit of the first climb peaking at 2,067m and then again on the mighty galibier at a full 2,645m. We went from bright sun, to pitch black i had polarized sunnies on and it was chaos. Nov 15, 2016 right up there with the tourmalet and mont ventoux, the col du galibier has a welldeserved reputation.
The descent is one of the best in the world and takes you almost all the way to the base of the final climb, alpe dhuez. A 40km descent may sound great, but when that 40km descent has some rolling roads and a few smaller climbs, it becomes a bit harder than you set yourself up for, as i found out on tuesday. Im not the most easily impressed person, but the first time i rode down the galibier descent was one of the few times ive had a genuine ripple of emotion flow through me at the sheer wonderous beauty of the scenery presented to you. The brokenchord accompaniment imitates the organ grinder as he sings while the marmot performs tricks for the.
Cycling lalpe dhuez, col du galibier the marmotte and etape du tour july 2006. Marmotte mountain eco lodge is the latest addition to our luxury ski chalet portfolio. We offer the best service and that comes at a price. In 2015 due to the closure of the tunnel du chambon in between the foot of the col du lautaret and the start of the ascent to alpe dhuez in bourg doisans, the route of the 2015 marmotte was changed to miss the galibier and lautaret. The short descent from the telegraph takes you down into valloire which in turn, after a brutal little kick, brings you to the galibier. Marmotte granfondo 2019 descent from col du galibier to col du lautaret.
This video also includes descent back down to the starting point. Cycle up col du glandon, col du galibier, col du lautaret and the alpe dhuez. Climb the galibier a personal favourite of ours, the galibier offers stunning valley views via a winding ascent. When you book you will get guaranteed entry with choice of start pen, top staff. Dont forget to eat and drink, because you are about to face the biggest climb of the day, one of the. The terrace is facing south which guarantees a pleasant sunshine. About marmotte mountain adventure chamonix staff team. Fintan and dave explained they were going to split up and park the cars in strategic spots on the race course. The descent, practically to the base of alpe dhuez is just as stunning. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or. For all but the elite riders this is usually a major struggle as the sun will be baking in the early afternoon the 20 marmotte saw riders. Jun 29, 2012 the punishing marmotte sportive event in france is for amateurs but it gives all cyclists including our exhausted writer a taste of riding like a pro.
After crossing the summit, you will descend only 5km before reaching the foot of the next climb, to the col du galibier. Dec 29, 2012 as the first part of a series to explore the famous roads of cycling, here is the alpe dhuez in france. During your stay you will have the opportunity to ride some of the best cycling routes in the world. Based in chamonix fulltime, jon is an avid skier and snowboarder with more than 15 years spent in the chamonix montblanc region. Sunday 2021 marmotte gran fondo day descent to bourg doisans.
It was the same for the whole group but i think i was relying too heavily on that stop. As a momento of your day out on the marmotte it may not be cheap but it will remind you forever of the pain of climbing the glandon, galibier. Never in my life have i taken a more scenic break than on the side of the col du glandon whilst being watched by several hundred passing cyclists. The marmotte route bourg doisans cycling information. Col du galibier descent to col du lautaret marmotte 2019. Being part of it was an incredible thrill and i want to experience that thrill again. You ascend past the snow line on this epic trek, probably the most strenuous section of the marmotte cyclosportive event. The galibier summits at a whopping 2,645m and from here the only way is down. Youll be glad of some in reserve for the galibier long and steep. The apartment comes with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a flatscreen tv, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchenette, and a balcony with city views. Some this great cols are bourg doisans, col du glandon, col du galibier, col.
There is then a short 5km descent to the village of valloire which marks the foot of the col du galibier. Are the roads from the top of the col du lauteret which is also the bottom of the galibier descent back to bourg doisans closed to the public. Then the telegraph and galibier for the next 20 miles, the worst thing. Well start by going up and over the galibier at 2,645m, before making our way south to the equally barbarous col d. Another friend tells the story of having watched a rider accelerate past him on a descent in a previous years marmotte only to be unable to slow down at the hairpin. Touted as the hardest one day road sportive in europe, the alpes marmotte certainly has a fearsome reputation among the amateur cycling fraternity. First conceived in 1982 and despite having almost 7000 places available, entries sell out incredibly quickly every year. Best time for col du galibier in france 2020 best season.
At the bottom of the technical section i was greeted by josie from alpcycles see. Dave going to be right near the top of the glandon and fintan, after dropping us off near the. A personal favourite of ours, the galibier offers stunning valley views via a winding ascent. The first third of the ride, up and over the glandon, pass in a whirl of excitement and adrenaline. The worst part of the day for me was definitely the 45 kilometre descent to bourg doisans. I managed to get on and off the bike without any cramp which was a.
I started the galibier as planned with a nice piss by the side of the road. I would increase the amount of miles you ride every week until you are comfortable with 140 miles easily. However, what happens in the hours before can make or break your ride. The alpes marmotte europes toughest one day sportive. The route is down the d902 to the col du lauteret turn, where you head right on the d1091.
Jan 28, 2017 last september i had my first introduction with cycling in the french alps. Marmotte is known to be one of the toughest races in europe. Theres a long tunnel where light is absolute minimum. The property is 21 miles from morzine and free private parking is offered. It is not unusual to be very hot and chilly on this ride, an extra layer for the descent off the galibier is highly recommended. It may only average just under 7% but that takes into account that the first few miles average closer to 5%. This is where you should always read the race book properly before hand. Jul 15, 2017 the marmotte though, this was to be a new experience, this was european and exotic and even though it wasnt a race, 174. Several times i recited the litany against fear from the book dune out loud. The look marmotte granfondo alps is one of europes largest and longest running gran fondo s. Based in the heart of the relentlessly picturesque rhone alps area of france. Jul 09, 20 this feature is not available right now. You will be located 100m before the roundabout at the bottom of the alpe dhuez descent.
Going for the best time i could riding the grandfondo for the first time i was trying to keep high. The route starts on the briancon side of the col du lautaret and takes a. I strongly encourage you to eat a heaping bowl of spaghetti for breakfast which will go a long way into the ride then fuel atop the galibier before the hour long fast descent to the foot of dhuez. After descending galibier via col du lautaret, you may be exhausted, but you will find yourself at the bottom of alpe dhuez and its 21 famous. The north side of the galibier is 17km long and the last. Sunday 5 july, 2020 marmotte day descent to bourg d. The northern approach from valloire is the climb most people have in mind when talking about col du galibier. Which is why im going to have another shot at it next year. Jon has great passion and enthusiasm for the mountains as well as an excellent knowledge of the chamonix ski terrain and of the local attractions on offer. With over 5,000m of climbing, the marmotte is a monster. Our first drive up the bends of alpe dhuez really brought home just how hard it was going to be. A simple folkstyle song that works wonderfully for strings and depicts a traveling troubadour and his trained pet entertaining for their food.
On the marmotte, you write it off, and dont give it the caution it deserves. Not great with a huge descent into the valley and bourg then back up the 21 hairpins on the alpe. In the 2011 etape, there were serious accidents on the galibier descent as people were unprepared for a long tunnel mid descent. The route covers 174km of alpine cycling featuring the epic col du glandon and col du galibier. The punishing marmotte sportive event in france is for amateurs but. True, there is a 5km descent between the col du telegraphe and valloire, but as anyone who has ridden the marmotte will tell you. Paul oneill on the descent from col du galibier during marmotte 20. The descent off the top of the galibier is steep with some tight bends. Col du galibier the col du galibier,the cathedral of the alps, is simply brutal. Sportives are timed cycling events for amateurs, with feed stations, marshals and medals. Each day as been designed to be challenging, rewarding and most importantly fun.
Jul 21, 2017 although i had sworn that, whatever happened, i would make it up the alpe, i knew by the state of my legs on the few uphill parts of the long descent from the galibier, that it would take me many hours even to walk up the hill, so i baled and took the bus. Over the galibier, base of descent turn right to bourg doisans. Training for the marmotte is a huge commitment, someting you only do once in a lifetime. The water from the water fountains is drinkable unless there is a sign saying it isnt non portable. The descent from galibier back to bourg doisans is about 48km and you lose 1895 vertical metres during the descent. Part of the marmotte grand tour most famous cyclosportive. One of the classic alpine road biking cols in the summer, the col du galibier makes for wonderful ski touring in good spring conditions when approached from the south. This is one of the classic tours from the lauteret, often used by mountain guides running training courses or ski instructor exams. Saturday july 2 possibly the most stressed i have been in my life. Get some water, then descent to valloire and start the galibier climb. Marmotte mountain is owned and operated by jonathan law.
Id eaten everything by then and already had the knock as i crested galibier. Having said that, i did all of the mountains alphe dhuez, galibier, telegraphe, glandon seperately but with much less miles on my record. Browse, borrow, and enjoy titles from the marmot library network digital collection. Designed in a style that is both traditional and adapted to our time. The marmotte is cruel, exhausting, agonising, wonderful, lifeenhancing and unforgettable. I parked just beyond the col at the refuge des sestrieres layby, and put my skins on. The week with alpcycles passed in a lungbursting, earpopping, heartthumping blur of climbing and descending. True, there is a 5km descent between the col du telegraphe and valloire, but as anyone who has ridden the marmotte will tell you, this is over so. On the two days before the marmotte there were lots of road signs up warning that the road would be closed up until 6pm. There then follows a rapid 47km descent to bourg doisans and the start of a final ascent of the 21 hairpin bends of alpe dhuez. In the morning it can be chilly on the way down to the start.
779 415 1306 54 33 339 1691 1012 587 93 165 1378 39 513 373 413 967 693 478 1442 1657 1123 1241 957 1267 1167 377 664 618 1317 1224 1168 1060 687 462