Trip to Ventoux/Alp D`Heuz

LCD

Has anyone any experience for doing both of these climbs in a weekend/long weekend?

If so would be grateful if you had any information about the logistics. Where best to fly in to, accommodation, car/bike rental, etc

Thanks

lissard

The two climbs are at least 3 hours apart by car - if it were me I'd just pick one and stay there on the bike. From Bourg d'Oisans you can climb Alpe d'Heuz, Col de Sarenne, Glandon, Galibier, if you ovenight in Briancon you can do the Izoard. Go north and you have the Maurienne valley you can do the Col de Madelene.

I did a tour there last year with Cycling Safaris and it was fantastic. We flew to Lyon, bus transfer to Grenoble then bike all the way for 4 days.

I'm sure there's just as much stuff around the Ventoux - just maybe not as many HC climbs.

setanta159

for Mont Ventoux fly into Marseille and hire a car. It's 90 minutes by car north to Bedoin which has lots of accommodation options and bike shops with top end bikes for rent by the half-day, day, week etc. Bedoin also has quite a few restaurant and bars, beautiful scenery and really. Shops http://www.bedoin-location.fr/ , https://www.larouteduventoux.com/fr
I love the area and regularly base my holidays in the area. Despite the hype surrounding Ventoux there are lots of fabulous, scenic and quiet routes in the area.

Effects

I've done Ventoux from Malucene a couple of times, and it was a nice town.
Sault is nice as well, and the town is elevated with nice views. It's supposed to be the easiest route to cycle as well.
I've only descended into Bedoin.
I like the Malucene way the best, and I found it the nicest road to descend.

I stay about 90 mins away, so always drove there and didn't hang around after.
I prefer being further out of Provence, as it's quieter and less tourists around.

andy69

I did something like that back I think in 2011 or so. I wanted to cram in Huez, Galibier both ways, and Ventoux. Was on my own, had never been to the area before and just wanted to ride up those particular giants.
Did it all in a weekend but to be honest the amount of driving was horrible, and I had rented a Peugeot 5008 which was a horrible beast to drive, especially on the mountain roads there. Felt like I spent the whole time driving to and from the campsite to the spin start points.

I got a chalet thing in a campsite in Gap - thinking was that I was sort of mid-point (ish) between Ventoux and Huez/Galibier

In hindsight I would maybe have stayed near Bedoin for the Ventoux spin, and then shifted to Bourg to do the other two.

Was absolutely amazing and to this day I recall nearly every pedal stroke of them, as it was my first time ever to see/do the Alps.

Flew to Geneva, got robbed in some scam boarder tax thing leaving the city where you pay like 50-eur for some stupid sticker....not idea WTF it was about! I'd use Lyon instead if I was doing it again, but it is a LOT of driving to get Ventoux and Bourg region in one long weekend I thought. Having said that....I'd probably do it all again! ha!

MojoMaker

If you have to choose - Bourg d'Oisans all day long and use it as your base for hitting several of the Alpine behemoths. Do Ventoux another day/trip.

Exiled1

LCD wrote: »

Has anyone any experience for doing both of these climbs in a weekend/long weekend?

If so would be grateful if you had any information about the logistics. Where best to fly in to, accommodation, car/bike rental, etc

Thanks

I reckon you will waste a great day by trying to do both. Very tough logistics. Don't waste a day in car and come back to do Ventoux another time if you wish.
If you stayed in Bourg d'Oisans area, you could do Glandon, Telegraph, Galibier, Alpe d'Huez, Sarenne, Izoard, Lauteret, Les Deus Alpes, Croix de Fer, Madeline and host of wonderful climbs that the Tour never can reach. Les Balcones, Col d'Ornon, La Brerade are all totally wonderful and as challenging and beautiful as you would ever wish for.
Check out bike-oisans.com for some great ideas, though it doesn't include Briancon area.

nilhg

Never been to Ventoux, so no advice for OP except to say there's a wealth if info at the cycle challenge site for anyone heading to the Alps

https://www.cycling-challenge.com/

07Lapierre

Some good Sportives too!

The Marmotte and the Ventoux Sportive are well worth doing..

http://cyclingclassics.fr/

fat bloke

Definitely do one or the other. We spent 5 weeks in St Jeans de Maurienne and did all the climbs lots of times - tremendous, tremendous holiday.

But just as a counterpoint to that, we became friendly with a local man (savage cyclist) who took us on loads of spins but where's his favourite place to go on holidays for cycling??

-Bedoin!

So is must be pretty awesome, considering this lad lives in the foothills of the best climbing the Alps (and arguably anywhere) has to offer.

Effects

I'm hoping to ascend via Bedoin later on in the summer, so I'll have come up from all three sides.
Taking a mate over in May as well, if I can get him training on his hills before then.

2 Wheels Good

I stayed in Faucon at a cycling b&b in 09, they're still there, Velo Ventoux
About 12km from Malaucene, lovely location. Had only a few days so did Ventoux from Bedoin first and Malaucene the 2nd day. They had loads of routes but I was there for the big one, some lovely roads to wander around though so it could be nice as a base.
I've stayed in Villar-d'Arêne for the Etape, about 30km from Bourg-d'Oisans and on the northern slopes of the Galibier so within reach of a good few tour classics.
It'd be tough to do both in a weekend, like other posters I'd base myself at either location and enjoy the area properly. But ~3 hours between both so it's doable. You could rent a bike in both locations, Should be no issue renting in Bourg-d'Oisans or the Alpe and from what I remember Malaucene had a few shops so one saturday and one sunday would work.

Wishbone Ash

fat bloke wrote: »

.... We spent 5 weeks in St Jeans de Maurienne.....

5 weeks!! I think I'd be tired of climbing after a week.

Incidently, according to Strava, I must have spent a night there last September but I have no recollection of the village itself.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2694099908