Adventurous road in France

[Mike Sales]

Now on Abandoned Engineering on Yesterday Channel.

Amazing road in Vercors. Looks like fun.

http://www.dronestagr.am/la-chapelle-en-vercors-grands-goulets-vercors-drome-france/

Anybody ridden it?

[andrew_s]

Yes, in 1998, but it's not accessible any more.

I did try again just after it was closed in 2005, ignoring the "road closed" sign at the bottom, and found the closure just after it became a balcony road, with a fence extending up to the overhang, and about a metre out over the drop. We went back down to the bottom, and up the Combe Laval/Col de la Machine instead.

There's a tunnel instead now, that cuts out all of the interesting section.

[Mike Sales]

Yes, in 1998, but it's not accessible any more.

I did try again just after it was closed in 2005, ignoring the "road closed" sign at the bottom, and found the closure just after it became a balcony road, with a fence extending up to the overhang, and about a metre out over the drop. We went back down to the bottom, and up the Combe Laval/Col de la Machine instead.

There's a tunnel instead now, that cuts out all of the interesting section.

That's a pity. I saw that it was closed, but from experience I have learned that bikes can often get past road closures.

[Graham]

Well blocked to naughty persons.

https://goo.gl/maps/PjavYaDXkJYe9wUs9

https://goo.gl/maps/zqdoo4Bva9CdVH88A

[pwa]

But there are lots of similar bits of road in the lumpy bits of southern France. The extreme overhang is a bit unusual there, but the narrow road at the bottom of a gorge, twisting in and out of short tunnels is a common phenomenon and something to seek out.

[Mike Sales]

The same programme also showed the Strada delle 52 Gallerie.

This was built in the fighting against Austria in WWI. It is spectacular and exposed. It can be walked but "mountain biking is banned". Maybe a road bike would be allowed!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strada_delle_52_Gallerie

[andrew_s]

Another nearby road I did at much the same time as the Grands Goulets is the route des Ecouges, which gave the impression that you could hold a rock out at arms length, let go, and it wouldn't touch for 250 m.
At the time, it was (iirc) one way uphill for cars via the tunnel, and one way downhill for cars round the balcony, and two way on the balcony for bikes. The balcony is now closed, with a couple of passing places added to the (unlit) tunnel, but the closure doesn't look as definitive on streetview.

Another one I've done that is now closed to bikes is the Cares Gorge in the Picos de Europa. The closure in this case is a "don't do it" notice - I believe it went in after a mountain biker went off the edge after meeting someone going the other way on a blind bend.

[bretonbikes]

My favourite road is a bit more prosaic - the saddle between the Aubisque and Soulor - magical especially as you can see most of it cut into the rock face all the time you are riding. I've done it a couple of times when it was 'closed' with boulders and chunks of ice which is even more exciting;-)

https://www.bretonbikes.com/homepage/cy ... ure-day-10

[mattheus]

I think that bit is called Cirque du Litor. It is pretty special!

(a bonus is that the climb upto the Soulor from there is rather tame)

[bretonbikes]

I think that bit is called Cirque du Litor. It is pretty special!

(a bonus is that the climb up to the Soulor from there is rather tame)

We did the Soulor first which is a good move - great snack/restaurant at the top of the Aubisque;-)

[Sid Aluminium]

Hours of plotting fantasy tour routes:

https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/f ... rance.html

Alas, back to reality: