Cycling in the French Alps is an experience not to be missed!
On a ride from the King of the Mountains chalet Tour de France history is
never far beneath your wheels; the names of many renowned cyclists remain on
the tarmac from Tours past. You can expect some breathtaking scenery along
the way; snow-capped mountain panoramas, lush valley pastures, pristine lakes,
rivers and waterfalls. Whether you're passing through beautiful Alpine villages
or breaking up your ride on a sunny restaurant terrace or two, there is always a warm welcome
awaiting cyclists. Further Info
- Ride famous climbs and cols of the Tour de France such as the 21 hairpins
of Alpe d'Huez, all accessible from the King of the Mountains chalet. Further Info
- Experience the excitement of a mass-participation ride in the French countryside. Further Info
RIDING
There is something for everyone depending on what you want from your days'
cycling; undulating rides in the foothills, circular or out-and-back rides
and some challenging climbs.
- King of the Mountains are always happy to recommend routes and itineraries. We provide riders with detailed maps and route cards, or, if you prefer to plan your
own itinerary, you will find maps and guidebooks in the chalet to assist
you.Maps
- Our supported rides usually cover longer and more challenging routes and often include several Tour de France cols or climbs.
The following support vehicle is kitted out with spares, tools, water and most importantly a cool box full of food! Some of out most popular routes include the circuit of the 'Marmotte' cyclosportive and the 2006 Etape du Tour route, from Gap to Alpe d'Huez.
COLS AND CLIMBS ACCESSIBLE FROM THE CHALET
Since 1952, the climb of l’Alpe d’Huez has been a finish for
23 of the alpine stages of The Tour de France. Recent Tour history saw it as
the finish for Stage 15 during the 2006 Tour and it will soon be re-visited on 23rd July 2008.
- The King of the Mountains chalet is only 10km from the foot of
Alpe d'Huez.
- Ride the famous 21 hairpins that zig-zag for 15km up
the mountain. From the valley floor at 719m you will rise to an impressive
1850m (that's almost the equivalent to riding up Ben Nevis!).
- Have your moment of Alpe d'Huez fame - as you near the final hairpin (during
summer months) there is often a photographer waiting to take your souvenir
snapshot, or maybe take home a souvenir diploma issued
by the Tourist Office to those who have completed the legendary climb!
- King of the Mountains have electronic timing chips that sit in your jersey pocket
and are then detected by transponders along the roue giving you an accurate time of ascent.
- Every Monday evening in July and August, the Bourg d'Oisans Tourist Office arrange a time trial up the Alpe.
The first Alpine climb introduced to The Tour de France in
1911 by Tour founder Henri Desgranges. One kilometre before the summit is a
marble monument commemorating his work.
This climb is often used in The Tour de France before Alpe d'Huez. There
are stunning views from the summit towards the peaks of the
Aiguilles des Arves and there is also a welcoming bar at the summit with a
sunny terrace.
A beautiful route passing many rural villages, pastures
and the blue lake of the Barrage de Grande Maison. There are far-reaching views to Mont
Blanc from the summit.
A lovely wooded climb giving way to far-reaching views of
the Maurienne Valley.
An open ride taking
you through the town of La Grave and on to the summit where the road to the Galibier can be seen snaking above you.
Has been used many times in the Tour de France. Deux Alpes itself is a large
and lively ski resort with many shops, bars, cafés and restaurants.
After climbing Alpe d'Huez it is possible to continue on some 8/10km to the
Col de Sarenne. From here the descent takes you via the pretty village of
Clavens en-Haut-Oisans making a circular route back to the foot of Alpe d'Huez.
The Col de Sarenne can also be approached from the Barrage du Chambon, close
to the foot of the Deux Alpes climb.
Your local col! It was first used in the Tour de France
in 1966 and most recently in 2002 when it was climbed from the South during
stage 15 (Vaison-le-Romaine to Les Deux Alpes). A beautiful climb that follows
the stunning Liganarre valley. Laurent Jalabert famously left the road early
in his career, while riding for Toshiba during the Tour de France, on a bend
just below our village, so take care!
CYCLOSPORTIVES
A Cyclosportive is a mass participation, non-competitive cycle ride attracting
hundreds, sometimes thousands, of entrants. It is up to you to choose your
pace; whether you tuck into a bunch or take a leisurely spin, you will find
there's always a great atmosphere amongst the riders.
- Each cyclosportive usually offers a choice of 2 or 3 circuits,
each varying in distance and difficulty.
- All routes are extremely well marshalled and the first
few kilometres invariably take place on closed roads.
- There are regular feed and drink stations en-route, and when you finish
an inclusive buffet lunch is provided.
- At larger cyclosportives you may be given a timing chip so
that you receive an accurate time and placing, and on some occasions the
organisers give a gift to each rider as a memento of their day.
- As well as cyclosportives, there are many 'Cyclo Randonnees'
held in the local area. These are very similar to cyclosportives; less high
profile, but equally as well organised, they differ in that there are no
mass starts and that the events are not timed.
If you would like to take part in a cyclosportive during your stay with King of the Mountains, then we will be supporting riders at the following select events - we may even join you in the ride too! Please let us know at the time of booking if you wish to participate in one of these cyclosportives;
- La Scott 1000 Bosses, Sunday 27th April 2008. A choice of 2 circuits: 139km, 2,700m climbing or 85km, 1,700m climbing. A well established event now in its 21st year. Each circuit undulates through some stunning countryside and over some great cols but never rising above 900m. www.scott1000bosses.com
- Le Challenge Dauphine, Saturday 31st May 2008. 66km 1,110m climbing, 123km 2,100m climbing or 173km 3,200m climbing.Takes place in the week before the professional Dauphine Libere stage race. A very well organised and supported event due to its heavy sponsorship. http://challenge.ledauphine.com/
- La Metropole Sud-Isere, Saturday 21st June 2008. 75km or 141km. One of our local events taking you through some great riding territory. The many undulations of the 'Masters' course (141km) makes this a challenging day out. www.gmc38.fr.st
- Prix des Grandes Rousses, Wednesday 1st July 2008. 40km 1,600m climbing. A relatively short course but involving alot of climbing - most of the way up Alpe d'Huez and finishing in the ski resort of Vaujany. www.sportcommunication.com
- La Marmotte, Saturday 5th July 2008. See below.
- L'Arvan Villards, Monday 14th July 2008. 85km 2,000m climbing or 120km 3,600m climbing. A professionally organised event over a beautiful route, both routes taking in the legendary Col de la Croix de Fer near the end. www.les-sybelles.com/cyclo
- La Vercors-Drome, Saturday 30th August 2008. 92km 1,512m climbing, 145km 2,455m climbing or 167km 3,232m climbing. This cyclosportive covers some stunning countryside and also offers a good range of distances to choose from. www.vercorsdrome.com
Please note that it is a condition of entry at all cyclosportives
that you are able to produce a medical certificate from your doctor stating
that you have been declared fit to participate in cycling events. Without
such a document you will not be permitted to ride.
Your cyclosportive entry fee is not included in the price of your
holiday.
THE MARMOTTE 2008
This will take place on Saturday 5th July 2008. Attracting around 5,000
riders, The Marmotte is probably one of the best know and most challenging of all cyclosportives.
- Departing from Bourg d'Oisans (just 10km from the King of the Mountains chalet), its
route takes in the Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier
and Col du Lauteret, finishing with the climb up Alpe d'Huez. In total a circuit
of 174km and 5,000m of climbing!
- Our proximity to the start and finish lines of The Marmotte and the cols that make up the route
mean that we are an ideally situated base, whether training and acclimatising before the event,
participating or spectating.
- During the Marmotte week (29th June to 6th July), King of the Mountins offer transport to and from the registration centre on the day before the event, we
also take riders to the start (although this is an easy, 15-20min spin by
bike) and we collect riders from the finish and shuttle them back to the
chalet. During the race itself we usually place ourselves on the
Galibier to hand out food, energy drinks, fresh clothes and plenty of moral
support!
- If you are preparing for the Marmotte and want to take advantage of supported route reconnaissance and training rides over the route, please contact us.
- For more information and entry details visit; www.sportcommunication.com.
YOUR BICYCLE AND KIT
- Gearing is personal choice; a 39/25 combination is manageable,
but 39/27 or even a compact chainset/ triple may make life easier on some climbs.
Should you wish to change your gearing during your holiday, individual Shimano or
Campagnolo sprockets can be bought in the cycle shops in nearby Bourg
d'Oisans.
- It may be a good idea to service your bike before you
travel, paying particular attention to brake and tyre condition and chain
wear.
- We highly recommend bringing spare tubes, puncture repair kits,
hand pumps and other tools and spares with you (although we do
have a track pump in the workshop and hold a small stock of some of the
more straightforward items).
- Lights are not essential as you shouldn't be riding in the dark, though
a rear light for tunnels is useful.
- Whilst it is not a legal requirement to wear cycle helmets in
France, we strongly recommend that you do so at all times, particularly on
descents. The attitude of most Continental road users to cyclists is very
good, but there is always someone in a hurry to get somewhere!
- There are two cycle shops in nearby Bourg d'Oisans who hire road bikes. Please let us know at the time of
booking if you wish to hire a bike, the duration of hire
required and your frame size. The cost of cycle hire (between 20 and 30 Euros per day) is not included in the
price of your holiday.
TRANSPORTING YOUR BIKE 
- If travelling by air, it is worth checking individual airline
policies on the transportation of bicycles and other sporting
equipment. Often they will charge a minimal amount for handling such baggage.
For example, Easyjet charge £15.00 or €22.00 per bicycle.
- Always allow extra time to check-in when travelling with
a bike.
- The London, Paris, Brussels and Lille Eurostar service
will accept bicycles if the 'registered baggage' service is used, items are
guaranteed to be ready for collection within 24 hours after registration.
This service costs £20.00.
- The French railway (SNCF), allow bicycles on most trains.
TGV trains only accept bicycles that are packed in a bike bag. Alternatively,
bikes can be transported in luggage carriages ‘fourgon’, but these
are not always available.
EATING AND DRINKING ON RIDES
- Energy drinks, bars, gels and supplements are available
from sports shops, chemists, cycle shops and some larger supermarkets in
France, however, the majority of these shops will shut between 1200 - 1430
for lunch.
- There are many restaurants, cafés and
snack bars in the villages, towns and often at the summits of
some climbs. Cyclists are always welcomed.
- For a small charge we will prepare you a well balanced, high energy,
packed lunch.
- You will find that you tend to drink more than usual on a ride in the
Alps. This is due to a combination of altitude and heat. In most villages
and towns you will find ‘bassins’ - troughs/fountains with taps
of free-flowing
fresh water. These are ideal for topping up drinks bottles unless
marked ‘eau non potable’ (not drinkable).
MOUNTAIN BIKING
The Oisans area has plenty to offer mountain bikers; a good mix of cross
country, freeride and downhill for all levels. 
- As well as trails that can be accessed from the King of the Mountains
chalet, the Alpe d'Huez area has over 200km of marked mountain bike
tracks.
- The Megavalanche downhill course in in nearby Alpe d'Huez is one
of the largest in the world. It descends for 30km/2,800m from
the Alpe d'Huez glacier to the valley.
- Mountain bikes can be hired from many locations nearby.
- During the summer months there are several mountain bike Randonnees held
in the area.
- From April to August 2008 there are several mountain bike events held in the local area for both downhill and cross country disciplines; more information
TRIATHLON
As well as plenty of superb cycling, the area around the King of the Mountains
chalet boasts some great on and off-road running. In nearby
Bourg d'Oisans there is also running track. Within 20 minutes of the chalet
there are several indoor and outdoor 25m pools as well as open
water swimming in the lake at Valbonnais.
The 2008 Alpe d'Huez Triathlon
- Sprint, Sunday 27th July 2008: Swim 500m (open water), Bike 15km (including Vaujany resort climb), Run 4km (around the Vaujany ski resort).
- Long Course, Wednesday 30th July 2008: Swim 2,200m (open water), Bike 115km (mountain course including Alpe d'Huez), Run 22km (at altitude of 1,850m-2,000m).
- Short Course, Thursday 31st July 2008: Swim 1,200m (open water), Bike 30km (including Alpe d'Huez), Run 7km (at altitude of 1,850m-2,000m).
We will provide Triathletes with guided reconnaissance of some parts of the route prior to the event, transport to registration before each event, transport to race transitions, transport to and from the event start/finish.
For further details of the courses and on-line entry forms for the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon visit www.alpetriathlon.com
Please note that it is a condition of entry that you are able to produce a medical certificate from your doctor stating that you have been declared fit to participate in such races.
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