French Mountains passable (Mont Blanc)

I don't understand why people don't know what summer gear is.....When its summer and hot its what you wear rather than winter gear.

I am well aware of layering clothing but I am trying to gather as much info as possible to whether I would need to carry a winter jacket….. I do not wish to go via Germany….. for a reason.

I don’t understand why someone asks to gather as much information as possible, but then gets mildly snotty, when bods seek to help him.

You’ve been given the answer and offered an (admittedly unwanted) alternative or two. Enjoy your holiday and your chosen route, whatever the reason and season.

PS Here’s a handy chart, for you to cut out and keep.

7c4231e41e518ad21ed226dfc836b705.jpg
 
Do this route: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/L...a84f11881620a!2m2!1d8.946256!2d44.4056499!3e0

Longer, but as stated earlier, generally lower altitude and easier with the climate.

I generally travel with a Dainese Carvemaster and use layers if needed. I keep a mesh in the roll bag for very hot temperatures.
Went multiple times to about zero degrees and it's just about due to personal resistance to colder weather. If you are crossing the alps during summer you go up and down in a matter of few hours. Check the weather in the morning and prepare for what to expect (generally nothing terrible).

Gets a bit sketchier in later months. I travel by bike between Italy and the UK quite often and took that route (and slight variations of that) to avoid colder weather when traveling in October/March.

You stated that you wanted to Cross from Geneva/Mont Blanc. The route is longer, but not that much longer (considering a multi day trip from the UK).
Many thanks I like the look of that route and other than crossing at Caen rather than Calais as Portsmouth is my doorstep. Especially along the coast line in the south.

Thank you


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I don’t understand why someone asks to gather as much information as possible, but then gets mildly snotty, when bods seek to help him.

You’ve been given the answer and offered an (admittedly unwanted) alternative or two. Enjoy your holiday and your chosen route, whatever the reason and season.

PS Here’s a handy chart, for you to cut out and keep.

7c4231e41e518ad21ed226dfc836b705.jpg
Nothing snotty about it ...just odd that some were confused about what summer gear is and then went off on a tangent.

When all I'm after people's experiences who would simply say...naah you can get away with a summer jacket and layers as you're not up there for to long or boy you will need a winter jacket to provide you with the extra protection that gives in the cold over what a summer jacket and base layers.....even in Sept.

But as some one has just mentioned a heated base layer would be ideal with a summer jacket....not bulky so easier to carry over a winter jacket. Which sounds like the perfect solution.

I mean it can be a considerable difference between the jacket types....but as others pointed out a winter jacket isn't needed so saving me space and weight.


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base layer then heated liner then mesh over that and a waterproof over that if its raining same for bottoms, should just about cover it, remove heated liner if hot.

So I could get away with a summer jacket and layers with the addition of a heated liner? sounds like a golden solution.

Thank you
 
See post #9

PS I have two ‘summer’ jackets, indeed two two ‘summer’ suits. One is mesh and far from waterproof. The other isn’t mesh and has a waterproof liner. There is a considerable difference between Over both, I can wear a throw-over waterproof jacket / over trousers. Beneath both, I can wear layers and / or a thin electric liner.

Inevitably, as bods had no idea what YOU meant by YOUR ‘summer’ clothing (or indeed if you even intended to bring any layers or waterproof covering at all) they made assorted suggestions. All with the best intention of helping you. Likewise on the possible alternative routes.

Enjoy your holiday. Hopefully it won’t be chucking it down or -2c or you might then wish you hadn’t tried to get away with something. But hey, you can always blame us if it does.
 
See post #9

PS I have two ‘summer’ jackets, indeed two two ‘summer’ suits. One is mesh and far from waterproof. The other isn’t mesh and has a waterproof liner. There is a considerable difference between Over both, I can wear a throw-over waterproof jacket / over trousers. Beneath both, I can wear layers and / or a thin electric liner.

Inevitably, as bods had no idea what YOU meant by YOUR ‘summer’ clothing (or indeed if you even intended to bring any layers or waterproof covering at all) they made assorted suggestions. All with the best intention of helping you. Likewise on the possible alternative routes.

Enjoy your holiday. Hopefully it won’t be chucking it down or -2c or you might then wish you hadn’t tried to get away with something. But hey, you can always blame us if it does.

Why would I get cold and wet when I will do what others have stated....carry layers for my summer jacket.
 
Why would I get cold and wet when I will do what others have stated....carry layers for my summer jacket.

You only told us you were planning on taking your summer gear, possibly worried as to whether it would be sufficient for crossing at Mont Blanc / in the ‘mountain region’.

When would the mountain region down that way be passable in summer gear…..

We now know that (with help) you’ll also be taking waterproofs, layers and maybe an electric liner of some sort…… all to go with your ‘summer gear’.

Enjoy your holiday.
 
Many thanks I like the look of that route and other than crossing at Caen rather than Calais as Portsmouth is my doorstep. Especially along the coast line in the south.

Happy it can be helpful. I'll fetch a couple of GPX files from the trips I've done and add here.
 
I just have "Bike Gear" as opposed to a set for each season - and you can get all four seasons in a day (even going over a single pass) in the Alps, one early August day we went up the Nufenen pass, turning up from the Swiss side it was cool and damp, like a wet autumnal day, at the top about 0c, a dry cold and snowing a little bit with gale force winds, by the time we were down in the valley on the italian side it was 30c and humid.

Hence I use a textile suit with outlast liner as it works from below 10c to above 20c with just a light baselayer, consistently hotter and out the liner comes, I then carry a light micro-fleese to layer up and down so I am OK down to about 5c, I take a selection of summer / "3 season" (Lined but not too bulky) gloves and combined with Heated grips I tend to wear the coolest I can get away with and use the grips if I get a bit chilly.

I have on occasion carried a mesh jacket, but found if i had it I never needed it, and if I did not take it then I wold have 2 days of 40c to deal with, but I also learned at this heat nothing keeps you cool, so I tend not to bother.

I sometimes yearn for better ventilated textiles, like the ones with seperate waterproof liners, but these tend to "wet-out" and weigh a ton / take forever to dry / flood your hotel room overnight, and are then cold and wet the next morning.

I personally don't like being really bulky either, so with the exception of the now antiquated practice of commuting I would just not go out in the depths of winter, if I need to dress to the point I can barely move it is not much fun, coupled with shit on the roads, low sun, risk of ice etc. I just don't see the point and typically stay off the roads December - February and save my fuel money / tyres.

Also with the Alps you rarely "Have" to go over a high pass that's freezing cold and can take an alternate valley route or whizz through a tunnel.

I think the OP's idea of "summer" gear is workeable, I think a good waterproof laminated suit with a quality outlast liner would be ideal, as would probably be fine 90% of the time without layering up or down, my Mrs feels the cold a bit more than me but can sit in a sauna and not sweat, so she can do a 2 week tour of the Alps in summer without ever removing her liner.

I have had trips where my liners were out almost the entire time, others were they were in the entire time, and some where they were in some days and not others.

Since having laminated textiles I have bot really bothered with Waterproofs, had about 3 hours of torrential rain on last years trip one day and stayed dry with the exception of hands - yet to find genuinely waterproof gloves, so I carry a couple of pairs and when they are both sodden I just put up with it, or just go back to non waterproof ones as they don't feel as soggy, and turn up heated grips.

ALso wateproof oversuits tend to be very clammy, like a boil-in-the-bag suit for people, so unless it is very cold and very wet I find them pretty useless, but if going to the Alps in May I would make sure they were packed!
 


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