Doing up my laces!

Top of the Lacets de Montvernier

Interesting day. Started off amazing with the Lacets de Montvernier, then was OK over the Chaussy and up the Madeleine, then finished off amazing with one of the most fun descents so far. I saw lots of bikes used as decorations, a VW Combi gathering, and saw lots of roads carved into the sides of hills.


It was an easy enough few kilometres this morning from where I was staying to the base of the lacets, which I believe translates to laces. Looking at the pictures you can see why they are called that! From the bottom it is really hard to see the road carved into the side of the hill, in a picture it is even harder!

Can you see them?

Once you get to the small town of Pontamafrey, it all starts. You see a sign pointing you in the direction of the Col du Chaussy, you take the left turn, and then it gets interesting. 6% first, then soon after 8%, then you are already on the laces, the switchbacks. This really is another of those places where it is just amazing how the engineers built the road; under rocks, around rocks, through rocks. There must have been something very important up there to warrant the build I guess.

The only complaint I have about the lacets are that they are over too early. They are only 2.5kms long with an average of about 8%, but they are just amazing to climb up. Every corner you get an amazing view of the switchbacks below off the edge of a cliff.

Then, when you feel the distance between the switchbacks getting shorter and shorter you unceremoniously come off the side of the hill and start heading through some meadows towards Montvernier. Out of the corner of my eye though I saw a dirt road, which I backtracked for to see if I can get a view of the climb so far. Thankfully I did. Perched on the side of a cliff the view is just awesome!

Putting this photo in twice as it was awesome!

After taking the photo, I continued on up to Chaussy. You wind your way up and through villages and meadows, with the gradient hovering just around the 7-9% range all the way up. To be honest it would be quite a forgettable ride from Montvernier up if it wasn’t for the memorabilia of the Tour adorning every second house and through the villages. Unlike most of what I have climbed so far, the tour did actually pass over the very route I was taking this year.

Once at the top, there are only limited views unfortunately and so I dressed up and moved on before getting too cold. I continued over the other side of the pass and down to meet the Madeleine. It was a nice enough descent and the road had been upgraded in a lot of places, no doubt because of the Tour.

I had thought about going all the way back down to La Chambre to start the Madeleine climb from the start, but considering I was joining it with 14kms still to go I decided that was a rubbish idea and just started climbing when I met the road.

Once on the Madeleine you are straight into the climb with 10% already. That is a shock to the system with cool legs from the downhill. It settles down momentarily as you go but the gradient feels to never really deviate too much from the 8-10% range for the next 13kms, although at one point when I felt the need to stand out of the saddle I looked down to find Mr Garmin telling me it was up to 13%.

For most of the climb you are in the trees without any view, right up to the ski village of Longchamp when it all suddenly opens up to alpine meadow. From here on you get great views of the surrounding peaks, some well in the distance with snow on them. Once you leave Longchamp there is still 4kms to go but it seems to go by a bit faster than the first part. You snake your way up the ski field to the top from there. It is hard to see the exact summit as you go but it is easy to guess where it is by looking for the one place that doesn’t have peaks enclosing you.

Almost at the top with Longchamp below

At the top there was a fair wind coming in and although it was only 14 degrees the wind chill made me put on all my warm clothes. I had contemplated not taking all my clothes actually as yesterday had been quite warm and I didn’t need them all. Luckily though I decided I have the room in my backpack and they are light so why not just in case?

And there were heaps of Combi' up there.

After a bite to eat I then headed on down for one of the best descents so far. The gradient was perfect, there was variation in the corners, the roads were good quality, no cars (or motorbikes) and the roads were also dry. What more could you ask for? It really was a blast!

So the Chaussy is worth the climb only if you do the lacets – in fact the lacets are worth it all on their own, they really were a very cool climb. The Madeleine was a good climb for the steepness and challenge, and for the descent of course, but is not the most entertaining or beautiful of climbs. Lacets definitely goes on my “go out of your way to climb” list, Madeleine goes on the “if you are in the area” category, and Chaussy goes in the “if there is nothing else or you want to make a loop” box. Was still most definitely a great day!

Tomorrow I will check the weather but with either be La Toussuire-Croix de Fer-, or Telegraph-Galibier. I want to keep Galiber for a nice day and potentially tomorrow might be rainy. The predicted rain that was supposed to start this afternoon and finish by morning doesn’t even look close to arriving, so if it is delayed may be a wet one tomorrow.

Highlight: Lacets de Montvernier, followed by finding a laundrette where I have properly washed my clothes instead of sink washing.
Lowlight: Top of Chaussy; a real “oh, is this it?” moment.
Lesson Learned: A washing machine can do a lot better job of washing clothes than I can in a sink.