French Alps - where's a good place to stay with the family?
- Thread starter red eye
- Start date
We've just booked with Polka Dot Cycling Holidays to go to Lake Annecy. They've just started doing trips with family in mind. They are organising the cycling in the morning (1-2 climbs) and then the families can do what they want in the afternoon. Quite a neat idea really and a friend recommended us. They went on one of their other trips. Their at www.polkadotcycling.com
Hope you get something sorted either way.
Hope you get something sorted either way.
Don't know if you're still looking...
Briancon.
It' at the foot of the Col Laureret (to the west) and the Col d'Izoard (south east). The Col du Grannon, via Saint-Chaffery, is very close by and was the last climb that Bernard Hinault wore the yellow jersey - it's an absolute brute of a climb - probably the hardest climb the Tour's been up. It makes Alpe d'Huez seem fairly easy. Sestriere is up the road to the north east....
... and the mighty Col du Galibier is about 10km north from the top of the Lauteret. Descend to St Michel du Maurienne at your peril - it's a long, long way back up but that side of the Galibier will take your soul and repay you with barren views that you'll never forget.
If you venture over the top of the Lauterat and down to Le Bourg d'Osains you have the legendary Alpe d'Huez and it's "sister climb" the lovely Col de Sarenne that offers similar stunning valley scenery to the Alpe but without the traffic. Before you reach Le Bourg d'Osains you have the climb to Les Deux Alpes to the south just after the lake. Watch out for the tunnels on the descent of the west side of the Lauterat. From what I understand the road surface is still less that great and the lighting is still dim.
Le Bourg d'Osains is a great town that offers almost as much as Briancon and is at the foot of the Alpe. Either town is great but why worry about which is best - spend a bit of time in both.
As with most places in France, the locals will be much friendlier if you have a good go at learning French. Savor the local countryside and the slower pace - a bit of cheese and wine before heading off up the road...
Briancon.
It' at the foot of the Col Laureret (to the west) and the Col d'Izoard (south east). The Col du Grannon, via Saint-Chaffery, is very close by and was the last climb that Bernard Hinault wore the yellow jersey - it's an absolute brute of a climb - probably the hardest climb the Tour's been up. It makes Alpe d'Huez seem fairly easy. Sestriere is up the road to the north east....
... and the mighty Col du Galibier is about 10km north from the top of the Lauteret. Descend to St Michel du Maurienne at your peril - it's a long, long way back up but that side of the Galibier will take your soul and repay you with barren views that you'll never forget.
If you venture over the top of the Lauterat and down to Le Bourg d'Osains you have the legendary Alpe d'Huez and it's "sister climb" the lovely Col de Sarenne that offers similar stunning valley scenery to the Alpe but without the traffic. Before you reach Le Bourg d'Osains you have the climb to Les Deux Alpes to the south just after the lake. Watch out for the tunnels on the descent of the west side of the Lauterat. From what I understand the road surface is still less that great and the lighting is still dim.
Le Bourg d'Osains is a great town that offers almost as much as Briancon and is at the foot of the Alpe. Either town is great but why worry about which is best - spend a bit of time in both.
As with most places in France, the locals will be much friendlier if you have a good go at learning French. Savor the local countryside and the slower pace - a bit of cheese and wine before heading off up the road...
