Route Des Grande Alpes

Big Rob1200

Registered user
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
23
Reaction score
0
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
I am heading for Nice next week and am heading for Geneva after a few days on the French Riviera. Everything I've read about the Grande Route des Alpes suggests that it is a north to south route. Has anyone done it in the other direction and if so is it as good?

Many thanks:beerjug:
 
If you do it South to North you do not get the sun in your eyes.
 
Most bods' opinion that the road is better north to south, is based on nothing more than most of them are heading that way at the start of their holiday. This brings with it all the eager anticipation not present on the return leg south to north.
 
RDGA languishes in my 'in tray'. I'm putting a loose plan together to ride south down the Route Napoleon, then back up the RDGA, or vice versa.
Then maybe take in the Vosges and Ardennes on the way home.

So the question is...Has anyone done both the RDGA and RN in the same trip. If so, is there a recomended order to ride these routes?
 
I have done both several times. To be honest there is no right and wrong way to do it. If I might suggest though, do the RDGA south and the RN northwards, if only because you'll be able to pretend you are Napleon on his awesome steed, ahead of his army marching northwards.

608_001.jpg
 
Thanks. I did consider riding the RN north just like NB and I do like the idea of emulating him,
but it will be difficult riding with my right hand tucked into my Klim (I suppose I could improvise and change hands).:thumb
 
I have ridden RDGA both ways - you have to ride any Alpine pass both ways to really complete the experience, some are better one way than the other - and folk will always disagree on which way is best.

I think RDGA is a LOT better than RN and would rather ride down RN first and save RDGA till last.

The Southern end of RDGA is better than the northern end, but the best bits are in the middle anyway so not really an issue and I would happily skip the last few RDGA passes in future, heading North the last great pass (IMO) is col des Saises, after that the route is not so great and has a fair bit more traffic.
 
Thanks Rasher. Will consider this when having the usual committee meetings in the pub re the planning.:thumb2
 
Never done the RDGA S to N as always the other way but might do it in a week or so as heading to Picos next weekend then might ride the N260 over and into France followed by the RN or RDGA. Not booked any accommodation so will just make it up as I go , for a change .


Sent from my iPhone using Tosserbollockery
 
And try not to sit in Dog shit .... :thumb2




 
Thanks to all for your advice. Much appreciated. I can start planning my stops now knowing that the route is good either way.

Rob :beerjug:
 
If you have time there is loads of good riding looping out from Barcelonnette, worth stopping over for a couple of days to just go and ride ;-)

Same can be done at Bourg St Maurice with an extra day to ride over the 7 passes that circle Mont Blanc, I would rather do this than the last couple of Passes up to the top, it is a fairly long day but takes in some of the best the Alps has to offer.
 
Rasher said:
If you have time there is loads of good riding looping out from Barcelonnette, worth stopping over for a couple of days to just go and ride ;-)

Same can be done at Bourg St Maurice with an extra day to ride over the 7 passes that circle Mont Blanc, I would rather do this than the last couple of Passes up to the top, it is a fairly long day but takes in some of the best the Alps has to offer.
Click to expand...

I as going to say the same thing, another couple to try and add to the route are the Col de Mont Cenis and Col D'Agnel, worth doing even if you only have time to go up and back down the same side.
 
I did the RDGA this year in July, North to South and my only comment other that any of the above is that I thought the road condition is better as you get further South.

Went back up via the RN . starting from Castellane and turned off the RN at Sisteron and did a run through some of the Vercor, amazing gorges and narrow, high roads.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Wapping
  • Sticky
GPX - Route des Grande Alpes
Replies
1
Views
151
Wapping
Wapping
The Route des Cols, Cirque de Navacelles, and the Route des Grandes Alpes
Replies
14
Views
974
Wapping
Wapping
ChasF
Pyrenees route suggestions please
2
Replies
31
Views
1,222
force4fun
Gregd
France-Pyrenees-Costa Del Sol-Santander/Bilbao (or in reverse)
2
Replies
29
Views
763
Gregd
Gregd
Fluffmeister
Month to six weeks trip in 2025 - USA
Replies
10
Views
355
AustinW
AustinW


Back
Top Bottom