France episode #4 - Cycling The Vercors (The French Prealps)

Here's a new episode from an area in Southern France I didn't know much
about until this past summer:
http://www.steephill.tv/2006/vercors/

enjoy,
Steve
www.steephill.tv bike travelogue

Those excellent photos well conveyed the dramatic cliffs and corniche roads
of the Vercors.

btw - You don't have to do giant climbs in order to enjoy the Vercors. It's
primarily a plateau, so if you just stay up on top, you can enjoy some
merely-moderately-hilly road riding among fields and villages -- or mountain
biking on the extensive off-road network (rentals available).

Ken

P.S. I've not before heard the "Prealps" described as a "range" of
mountains. Rather as the Wikipedia article says, the Prealps are a
collection of ranges, and the Vercors plateau is one member of that
collection. Actually lots of French websites (e.g. www.meteofrance.com) and
books (e.g. most backcountry skiing guidebooks) which I've seen just assume
that the Vercors are part of the Alpes du Nord, and don't make any big
distinction between Alps and Prealps.

Ken,

btw - You don't have to do giant climbs in order to enjoy the Vercors. It's
primarily a plateau, so if you just stay up on top, you can enjoy some
merely-moderately-hilly road riding among fields and villages -- or mountain
biking on the extensive off-road network (rentals available).

Yes, I did mention at the end of my report that there are many flat
roads through the valleys.

P.S. I've not before heard the "Prealps" described as a "range" of
mountains. Rather as the Wikipedia article says, the Prealps are a
collection of ranges, and the Vercors plateau is one member of that
collection.

Thanks for the clarification. I've updated my report.

cheers,
Steve
www.steephill.tv bike travelogue

Steve wrote
Yes, I did mention at the end of my report that there are many flat
roads through the valleys.

If I were there alone, I'd probably want to try your route -- especially
after seeing the photos. With Sharon, I'd want to do something mellower up
on the plateau -- or more likely in the rolling farmland of the Rhone valley
west of the Vercors. (The Lonely Planet guidebook, "Cycling France" includes
a multi-day tour in the Vercors.)

I'm thinking there are multiple stages in the degradation of macho riders in
France. You start with the Alps, then lower yourself to the Prealps, finally
down to discover the joys of just getting lost on single-lane paved roads
thru the farms and vineyards. (though actually some of the climbs in the
"lesser" mountains are tougher than the well-graded roads over the high
passes.)

Ken

Ken,

I'm thinking there are multiple stages in the degradation of macho riders in
France. You start with the Alps, then lower yourself to the Prealps, finally
down to discover the joys of just getting lost on single-lane paved roads
thru the farms and vineyards. (though actually some of the climbs in the
"lesser" mountains are tougher than the well-graded roads over the high
passes.)

Categorizing riders into sterotypes is an unfortunate aspect of our
sport. Many new cyclists do attempt big climbs as a badge of honor, but
we are long past that stage. We do it for the physical challenge, the
dramatic scenery in solitude and the anticipation of coasting down a
long scenic descent. Hopefully, our reports convey our affection for
mountain scenery more than anything else, but we enjoy a variety of
rides including single-lane, country backroads in Southern France and
elsewhere. I've started documenting our mountain rides first because
that's what we enjoy the most.

I like the way Julie Andrews sang it in The Sound of Music:
Climb every mountain, ford every stream
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream.

Just like many other cyclists, a lot of my dreams have come true on a
bike, but everyone have their own reasons.

cheers,
Steve
www.steephill.tv bike travelogue

Ken Roberts wrote:
Steve wrote
Yes, I did mention at the end of my report that there are many flat
roads through the valleys.

If I were there alone, I'd probably want to try your route -- especially
after seeing the photos. With Sharon, I'd want to do something mellower up
on the plateau -- or more likely in the rolling farmland of the Rhone valley
west of the Vercors. (The Lonely Planet guidebook, "Cycling France" includes
a multi-day tour in the Vercors.)

In addition to the Vercors plateau, the routes along the Gorges de la
Bourne and the Petit and Grand Goulets are mostly pretty gradual (3-4%)
with short pitches of 7-9%. For a challenge, from the Gorges de la
Bourne route one can turn off at the Choranche Grotto, the dead-end
road starts at 15% for the first km or so before easing off to the
parking lot.

plugI do fully-supported tours in the Royans-Vercors, based in
Pont-en-Royans and reaching into the Drome Provencal and the Rhone
valley, as well as Alpe d'Huez/Col du Glandon/Croix de Fer, etc., for
those so inclined. Agile Compass cycling tours,
www.agile-compass.com/plug

The Lonely Planet "Cycling France" is good, but only skims the surface.
BTW, I hear it's going out of print, as is the whole "Cycliing ..."
series.

Michael Khaw

In addition to the Vercors plateau, the routes along the Gorges de la
Bourne and the Petit and Grand Goulets are mostly pretty gradual (3-4%)
with short pitches of 7-9%. For a challenge, from the Gorges de la
Bourne route one can turn off at the Choranche Grotto, the dead-end
road starts at 15% for the first km or so before easing off to the
parking lot.

The local Michelin map shows a paved road off D292 that leads to
Choranche, but, I didn't see it when I was descending from Route de
Presles (D292). So speaking of Choranche and being a Vercors expert, is
the Michelin map wrong or did I miss my turn?

plugI do fully-supported tours in the Royans-Vercors, based in
Pont-en-Royans and reaching into the Drome Provencal and the Rhone
valley, as well as Alpe d'Huez/Col du Glandon/Croix de Fer, etc., for
those so inclined. Agile Compass cycling tours,www.agile-compass.com/plug

I guess Google Groups only understands the "slameless-plug" html tag.


The Lonely Planet "Cycling France" is good, but only skims the surface.
BTW, I hear it's going out of print, as is the whole "Cycliing ..."
series.

One book cannot possibly cover "Cycling France"; a 10 volume set might
do the topic justice.
I wonder why the whole "Cycling..." series is being dropped? As of
six-months ago they were still looking for writers. Cycle touring is
growing and their books seemed to be selling well in the genre... but I
guess not well enough.

Steve
www.steephill.tv bike travelogue

Michael Khaw wrote
Agile Compass cycling tours, www.agile-compass.com

Looks like you've worked out a nice range of varying difficulty for touring
in France around the Rhone valley on the west side of the Vercors. On our
flight from Marseille to Paris, Sharon let me have a window seat, and I was
matching the scenery below to my Michelin maps, and noticed some interesting
rolling terrain between Montelimar and Lyon, and I was thinking I'd want to
explore it -- now it seems it's around where you've got those tours.
Here's another idea in that area for an interesting and flat half-day on a
weekend morning:
http://roberts-1.com/t/s06/fr/s/f

In Italy, I've never been to the Cuneo province, but your page makes it
sound inviting. I notice that Lonely Planet's Cycling Italy guidebook
devotes plenty of attention to routes around your Italian base. Looks like
you've got the rolling wine country on one side and the alpine passes on the
other. On the two France-Italy border passes I've done in that area, I
noticed that the Italian side was more spectacular and interesting. But more
interesting to me looks like a loop with like Buscan and over Colle di
Sempeyre. Though you don't mention it, looks like your base is in driving
range of the spectacular seaside corniche roads above Nice (Nizza?) --
though it might be interesting to look for some mountain - and - seaside
combination loops around Savona, which looks like an easier drive. (I love
riding near and above the sea).

Ken

P.S. If you also like touring on snow, and you're around sometimes in
Feb-March-April, I like to visit for ski de fond and randonnee in range of
your French base.

steephill wrote:

The local Michelin map shows a paved road off D292 that leads to
Choranche, but, I didn't see it when I was descending from Route de
Presles (D292). So speaking of Choranche and being a Vercors expert, is
the Michelin map wrong or did I miss my turn?

I've only taken the D292 by car from its junction with the D531 near
Choranche-les-Bains. Couldn't tell you whether the Michelin map (#332
LOCAL) is right or wrong (though I can tell you it misses some nice
car-free roads in the Drome-des-Collines).

Michael Khaw

Ken Roberts wrote:

Here's another idea in that area for an interesting and flat half-day on a
weekend morning:
http://roberts-1.com/t/s06/fr/s/f

Oh yeah, I enjoyed tooling around Lyon. I went on foot after finding an
apparently non-metered parking space on Blvd. de la Croix-Rousse.

In Italy, I've never been to the Cuneo province, but your page makes it
sound inviting. I notice that Lonely Planet's Cycling Italy guidebook
devotes plenty of attention to routes around your Italian base. Looks like
you've got the rolling wine country on one side and the alpine passes on the
other.

It's a pretty good location for access to a variety of terrain, as you
note. There are also some flat rides in the Po river basin to the north
of Chusa di Pesio.

On the two France-Italy border passes I've done in that area, I
noticed that the Italian side was more spectacular and interesting. But more
interesting to me looks like a loop with like Buscan and over Colle di
Sempeyre.

I'm planning to do Busca to Colle d'Agnello on stage 12 of the 2007
Giro d'Italia! I've done the loop from Busca over Colle di Sampeyre,
clockwise. Nice scenery, challenging climb. One thing I noticed is
between about 1000 and 1800 m in the Maritime Alps the flies are thick
and inescapable unless there's a steady wind. Really gives you an
incentive to keep moving!

Though you don't mention it, looks like your base is in driving
range of the spectacular seaside corniche roads above Nice (Nizza?) --
though it might be interesting to look for some mountain - and - seaside
combination loops around Savona, which looks like an easier drive. (I love
riding near and above the sea).

I've only driven from Nice to Colle di Tenda on my way into Cuneo
province, both from Menton and from Ventimiglia. I think Jobst Brandt's
travelogs of his rides in the Alps include some of the roads between
Col de Tende and Nice.

There are some good cycling routes in the inland hills of Liguria. The
coast has some ridable sections and some busy-traffic sections.

Ken

P.S. If you also like touring on snow, and you're around sometimes in
Feb-March-April, I like to visit for ski de fond and randonnee in range of
your French base.

Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. Haven't been over to the Alps during ski
season so far.

Michael Khaw