Adventurous road in France
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Adventurous road in France
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?
Amazing road in Vercors. Looks like fun.
http://www.dronestagr.am/la-chapelle-en-vercors-grands-goulets-vercors-drome-france/
Anybody ridden it?
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Re: Adventurous road in France
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.
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.
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- Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm
Re: Adventurous road in France
andrew_s wrote: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.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Re: Adventurous road in France
Well blocked to naughty persons.
https://goo.gl/maps/PjavYaDXkJYe9wUs9
https://goo.gl/maps/zqdoo4Bva9CdVH88A
https://goo.gl/maps/PjavYaDXkJYe9wUs9
https://goo.gl/maps/zqdoo4Bva9CdVH88A
Re: Adventurous road in France
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.
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Re: Adventurous road in France
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
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
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Re: Adventurous road in France
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.
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.
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Re: Adventurous road in France
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
https://www.bretonbikes.com/homepage/cy ... ure-day-10
38 years of cycletouring, 33 years of running cycling holidays, 8 years of running a campsite for cyclists - there's a pattern here...
Re: Adventurous road in France
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)
(a bonus is that the climb upto the Soulor from there is rather tame)
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Re: Adventurous road in France
mattheus wrote: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;-)
38 years of cycletouring, 33 years of running cycling holidays, 8 years of running a campsite for cyclists - there's a pattern here...
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Re: Adventurous road in France
Hours of plotting fantasy tour routes:
https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/f ... rance.html
Alas, back to reality:
https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/f ... rance.html
Alas, back to reality: