Route des Grandes Alpes question

Snowy

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I'm riding down to Paris and putting the bike on the Autotrain to Nice. I'm taking the TGV and will happily wait in Nice for the bike to arrive the following morning. This saves me a boring 2-day slog down the autoroute. I will then ride home via the RDGA having played about on the Col de Tende and a few of the military roads around it.

The first day of my RDGA ride takes me from Menton to Guillestre. There appears to be two different routes; the 'main route' (highlighted on the map) and one which goes over the Col de Bonette (claimed to be the highest paved road in Europe). Both end up at the same point before Guillestre.

Has anyone done both and can recommend which is the better or are they both as good as each other and it won't really matter which one I do?
 

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Well, if you ask me (and you did) there are many options along that section.

1. Col de la Cayolle - the original / official route

2. Col de La Bonnette (the new option with the high loop at the top)

3. Col du Allos

4. Hop over Col de Lombarde just before La Bonnette and run up Col de Larche

5. Hop over Col de Lombard and then take Col di Sampeyre

This is why whenever we head that way we stop in Barcelonette for a few nights and ride them all.

Which is best? Well that depends on who you ask, and all of the answers can be right or wrong depending on what you are looking for, but IMO;

1. Cayolle - This is a nice enough pass, and you get the Couillole (average) and Valberg (Good road / surface) in on the way to it, the pass itself is a bit narrow and a little bumpy in parts, I probably would not take this if I had to choose one - but an easier decision having ridden it before.

2. La Bonnette - This is a very nice run, the views from the top are very good and if you can kick a few cyclists off the mountain top you might get a picture of your bike next to the monument at the top. The southern side is very well surfaced all the way up, the Northern ramp is a bit ore rugged, but still fairly decent, of the two it would be my choice.

3. Having ridden 1 and 2 previously I would probably take Col du Allos, I really like this pass, some good twists and turns, some great views, just a good balance of all things Alpine Pass, rugged but not rough. We both love it.

4. This is an easy run, Lombard is a short rugged pass which drops you off at the bottom of Col de Larche, a nice twisting rollercoaster of a road, probably the route I would be most tempted to take if I had a bunch of moaning sportsbike riders with me complaining of the bumps and hairpins as Larch has few of these.

5. This is the longest and roughest route along the way, narrow and bumpy in parts with some patchy road surfaces here and there, but given great weather and an Adventure bike and this is the route I would probably take, but as stated I have already ridden all the others at least a couple of times.

I would advise you plan 2-3 routes and take the one that best suits your mood / schedule and the conditions on the day.
 
Some fantastic views from Bonnette, and great road - so would be my choice. I’m not such a fan of Allos - it is a bit nadgery in a lot of places and some really narrow bits with subsidence on the southern climb.

But, as said - you are spoilt for choice.
 
Well, if you ask me (and you did) there are many options along that section.

1. Col de la Cayolle - the original / official route

2. Col de La Bonnette (the new option with the high loop at the top)

3. Col du Allos

4. Hop over Col de Lombarde just before La Bonnette and run up Col de Larche

5. Hop over Col de Lombard and then take Col di Sampeyre

This is why whenever we head that way we stop in Barcelonette for a few nights and ride them all.

Which is best? Well that depends on who you ask, and all of the answers can be right or wrong depending on what you are looking for, but IMO;

1. Cayolle - This is a nice enough pass, and you get the Couillole (average) and Valberg (Good road / surface) in on the way to it, the pass itself is a bit narrow and a little bumpy in parts, I probably would not take this if I had to choose one - but an easier decision having ridden it before.

2. La Bonnette - This is a very nice run, the views from the top are very good and if you can kick a few cyclists off the mountain top you might get a picture of your bike next to the monument at the top. The southern side is very well surfaced all the way up, the Northern ramp is a bit ore rugged, but still fairly decent, of the two it would be my choice.

3. Having ridden 1 and 2 previously I would probably take Col du Allos, I really like this pass, some good twists and turns, some great views, just a good balance of all things Alpine Pass, rugged but not rough. We both love it.

4. This is an easy run, Lombard is a short rugged pass which drops you off at the bottom of Col de Larche, a nice twisting rollercoaster of a road, probably the route I would be most tempted to take if I had a bunch of moaning sportsbike riders with me complaining of the bumps and hairpins as Larch has few of these.

5. This is the longest and roughest route along the way, narrow and bumpy in parts with some patchy road surfaces here and there, but given great weather and an Adventure bike and this is the route I would probably take, but as stated I have already ridden all the others at least a couple of times.

I would advise you plan 2-3 routes and take the one that best suits your mood / schedule and the conditions on the day.

Did most of these last summer; my favourite (although all were fun of course) was Bonnette, as the run up to/down from the summit was great, views were spectacular and there weren’t many cyclists.

We then head to and stayed overnight in Valloire, which was a very nice town.


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To be clear, after my information overload, of the two "Official Routes" the OP was asking about it would be La Bonnette, but I am strongly suggesting you find an extra day to spend in the area to ride a couple more if you can.
 
Another must-do - is the Col De Cayole , going up through Gorges de Daluis (The ‘red gorge’) and on up through Guillaumes (a nice place to stop for coffee), and on up to Barcelonnette.

Al
 
Thanks for the advice/tips/info. It's given me lots of ideas for my trip :thumb2
 
Another must-do - is the Col De Cayole , going up through Gorges de Daluis (The ‘red gorge’) and on up through Guillaumes (a nice place to stop for coffee), and on up to Barcelonnette.

Al

Indeed the Gorge du Dulais is fantastic as well, although not easy to work in as you ride up RDGA as it heads South from Guillaumes where you should be going North (up the Cayolle)

Is another reason to spend an extra day here, easy to run up Cayolle as part of RDGA, and then have a day out riding Col de la Bonnette, Col de Valberg (another nice town for a spot of lunch / coffee of your run up RDGA) Gorge du Dulais, Col St Michael and Col du Allos. This is one of our favourite days out from Barcelonnette, only about 4-5 hours riding with lots of time to take pictures, drink coffee. have lunch etc.

You would also have time to run up and back down one side of Col des Champs (The more "interesting" West side - bring your wellies - it gets muddy up there, although they had resurfaced the East ramp and may of fixed the West ramp up by now as I was last there in 2015)
 
Indeed the Gorge du Dulais is fantastic as well, although not easy to work in as you ride up RDGA as it heads South from Guillaumes where you should be going North (up the Cayolle)

Is another reason to spend an extra day here, easy to run up Cayolle as part of RDGA, and then have a day out riding Col de la Bonnette, Col de Valberg (another nice town for a spot of lunch / coffee of your run up RDGA) Gorge du Dulais, Col St Michael and Col du Allos. This is one of our favourite days out from Barcelonnette, only about 4-5 hours riding with lots of time to take pictures, drink coffee. have lunch etc.

You would also have time to run up and back down one side of Col des Champs (The more "interesting" West side - bring your wellies - it gets muddy up there, although they had resurfaced the East ramp and may of fixed the West ramp up by now as I was last there in 2015)

Thanks Rasher :thumb2
 


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