Alpe d'Huez ride options

Tim McNamara

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> writes:

> I'll be in France for the TDF next week, and have been
> looking over some of the riding options near Alpe
> d'Huez. Specifically, I'd *really* like to get up there
> on some of those cliff-hanging roads that you can see
> from the valley.

Ooh boy oh boy oh boy! This is some of the finest bike
riding in the world!

> Is anyone familiar with the area? The roads in question
> are D211a and D220. It appears you can make a nice loop
> out of D211A out of Bourg D'Oisons, head up to the lake
> at N91, then take D213 over to D220 and down the lower
> part of N91.

The D211a is a spectacular road. From Boug-d'Oisans, the
simplest way to get there is ride partway up Alpe-d'Huez and
turn onto it at la Garde.

> Does this loop make sense? Is this the best
> direction for it?

I rode up Alpe-d'Huez, through the town and over to the Col
de la Sarenne via the D25; then down to Mizoen and the N91.
Turn right and cross the dam, which brings you to the foot
of les Deux Alpes. The next right turn, IIRC, is in le
Freney d'Oisans and is where you pick up the D211a. That's
actually a stiffish climb of about 10 km, comparable to Alpe-
d'Huez for difficulty and not initially very scenic being
in the woods. There are several intersctions, just keep to
the left twoards the Romanche valley. But at the top, you
ride along the D211a about 1,000 feet above the valley
floor and it is truly spectacular- well worth the climb!
It's about 25 km from le Freney back to la Garde and the
road up Alpe-d'Huez.

Riding up from Bourg-d'Oisans along the N91 would be fine,
although there are two tunnels which were under
construction in 2002 and a little scary with traffic. An
option recommended by the owner of the chambre-d'hote we
stayed at in Vert was to take the N91 towards Col de
Lauteret and then turn off on the D220 to les Trevers,
which is a climb, and this will bring you out partway up
the D213 (les Deux Alpes). From there you can descend to
the dam, turn left on the N 91, and descend a few km to le
Freney d'Oisans. This is basically your loop in reverse,
now that I think about it.

See my report at:

http://www2.bitstream.net/~timmcn/alps2002-2.html

for the details of this loop and some photos.