After yesterday’s big day, today was to be an easier day with just one of the closer climbs to Bourg St Maurice on the menu. The climb chosen was to the ski resort La Plagne.
It has been included in the Tour de France on a few occasions, but unlike another ski resort Alpe d’Huez which thousands flock to, this climb only draws a few. Yet the climb to La Plagne has one extra numbered hairpin, climbs higher and climbs for longer!
One of the many corners
It was a pleasant roll along the valley for just over 10 km to the climbs base after a slow breakfast, before turning left and onto the climb. As the road ascended, it passed through a mix of fields, trees and then towards the top even past the La Plagne bobsleigh run. Soon enough the corner signs ticked down into single digits and not long after that the resort came into view. At the village the road forked, so I took the left road till the bitumen ended. Then back at the fork took the right fork just in case it was any higher. I got some strange looks for some workers as I rode up a service lane behind the highest building up the hill, but it was bitumen and still heading up so I had to take it!
Lucky 13
With my one climb out of the way, I got to enjoy the fast descent back down. All that was then left was to roll through the small villages that line the road back into Bourg St Maurice.
Valley road back to Bourg St Maurice
After a late lunch, the only other task for the day was to walk the short distance to the Europcar office and pick up my car I’ll be using for the next two weeks.
Initially my trip to France was to be just two weeks. For these weeks, I chose Bourg d’Oisans and Bourg St Maurice. Both towns had enough climbs to keep me busy for a week each and were accessible by public transport. Given I’d be riding back to my accommodation; a car would be an unnecessary extra expense.
But when the extra two weeks were added to the itinerary, I decided to book a car to get to all the other areas in the French Alps I wanted to visit. I will be spending at most three days at each of the remaining locations before I leave, so although possible to still go to these towns with public transport, it would involve numerous transfers to get around.
The new car
The car I chose was a Peugeot Partner. Although a little pricier than the usual small compact cars available, the Peugeot with its high roof and fold up seats allows the bike to sit inside upright with only the front wheel off plus fit the bike case and the rest of my luggage easily.
Ride details:
Distance 65.82km
1652m elevation
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