A few of the 22 switch-backs in L'Alpe d'Huez


 L'Alpe d'Huez

Muggaccinos 2nd 'Tour de Conquer' le Rhone Alps to climb Grande Montagnes to Le Sommets and Le Cols
in Le Rhone Alps from
Friday, 6 Sept '13 to Sat, 21 Sept '13 (inclusive)  
during 18 Days In France Itinerary
with
16 Days Climbs Schedule split between Two Base Camps for 18 Days Budget Is Less Than $5,000 provided you book an Early Bird Flight by mid-April '13


Seven
Committed Climb Participants have booked flight tickets.


Le Col de la Croix de Fer


Le Galibier

'Push On' May 2013 article "Climb the French Cols with Muggs - this Sept"    Planning for '2014 Tour de Conquer the Dolomites', Nth Italia

Risk Warning re bringing front and rear bike lights from Scott aka PatternMaker who was part of 2012 Tour de Conquer le Rhone Alps & Mont Ventoux

Ride Pics 2013 'Tour de Conquer de Rhone Alps'

Several cyclists who, from time to time, ride with Muggaccinos, incl Eric aka PapaBear, David aka CricketTragic, George aka Englishman, Bazza, Pete aka AnotherBeanCounter, Phil aka Scribe, Kerry aka Miner, Karen aka NurseKaza, Matthew&Linda, Dieter aka ElectricMan have cycled in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and/or Austria.  Some and have contributed to the logistics herein. 

In Sept. 2012, five Committed Climb Participants participated in Muggaccinos inaugural Tour de Conquer.   Climb Stats and Pics from 2012 'Tour de Conquer'  -  4 Sept  to 22 Sept '12  provides over 200 pics of an exceedingly successful inaugural visit to Le Rhone Alps which also included scaling Mont. Ventoux from three towns in Provence. 

At our 2012 TdeC, we 'ate out' at restaurants each of 16 nights and paid up to 5 times the cost for wine and beer than from super-markets.  By cooking evening meals at our Chalet for half of the 16 Days Climbs Schedule this coming Sept. and buying some of our 'brews' at Carrefour, Casino and/or Hypermart, the cost of meals/booze would more than half.  Hence, the Budget  for our 18 Days In France Itinerary this Sept, with Early Bird Flight , accommodation, meals, alcohol, Bicycle rental and two TVG train trips to/from -

*           Geneva Int'l Airport to Grenoble (2¼ hours train travel - single train fare 'Flexible Second Class': $41  -  Geneva is 160km from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and 192 km from Bourg d’Oisans), or

*           Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport to Grenoble (1:25 mins travel time (ave) departs Lyon every 30 mins - fare 'Flexible Second Class' is $34  -  Lyon is 158km from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and 139 km from Bourg d’Oisans) - an hourly service departs Grenoble (around 23 mins past the hour) bound for Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport on Sunday 22nd Sept,
would be less than $5,000 per
Committed Climb Participant, provided each book their Early Bird Flights by end-March '13 when these deals normally phase out. 

Most 'economy' flight tickets (ie. Qantas, Lufthansa, Swiss Air etc) offer a 'one check-in luggage' limit up to 23kgs and charge up to $150 per flight leg to carry a bicycle - that can be 4 charges of up to $150 = $600.  Some of the very cheap Chinese flights can charge even higher additional fees for bicycles.  Hence, the merit of Hiring A Bicycle in our 1st Base Camp of Bourg d'Oisan.  Emirates presently allows up to 30kg 'check in luggage' including a bicycle.  On 1 April '13, QANTAS entered into an alliance with Emirates to fly the leg from Australia to Dubai and has increased its normal 23kg baggage limit to fall into line with Emirates 30kg limit and bicycle concessions.

In summary, this webpage sets out a highly 'cost and time effective' 18 Days In France Itinerary to provide a 16 Days Climbs Schedule selected from over 100 different climbs in Les Rhone-Alpes, split between Two Base Camps, where riders know their 2013 - 18 Days Budget Is Less Than $5,000 with no 'middle man' which was tried 'n tested last September by five Committed Climb Participants.

NB:       In 2014, interested Muggs will climb the Stelvio and Mortirolo Pass in the Italian Alps, provided "interested Muggs" are prepared to 'put in the spade work' to again ensure a 'mistake free'  holiday.  Otherwise, Bank Teller will stick with this "tried 'n tested" itinerary.

Below is your 1st French lesson:

  The hill :  la coline                             The mountain :  la montagne
  The pass :  le col                               The ridge :  l'arête
  The valley :  la vallée                        The summit :  le sommet

   Finish line:  arrivée

We plan to take about 20 hours of movie footage during our  '18 Days In France Itinerary 'Unless one of our 10 max. Committed Climb Participants is handy at editing, we may have to pay for it to be edited down to 90 mins of highlights.  PacificPete has taken lots of movies of his week long rides in Vic. and meticulously/painstakingly edited them down to a 'viewable' size.  Pete isn't joining us, but he has the skills to do it, if we don't induce a MovieMaker on board.

Au Geography:

  • Les Rhone-Alpes [low RHS of green map »»»] are to the east of France and on the Swiss, Italian borders. The highest peak is the Mont Blanc at 4,808 metres. 
    The region of
    Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur is the southern part of 'Le Alps' on the green map »»».

  • Les Pyrénéés [low LHS of green map »»»] are in the south of France and borders with Spain, stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts, with many Cols (passes) over 3,000 metres.

The Rhone-Alpes (includes two Hors Catégorie KOM Climbs namely Alpe dHuez and Col du Galibier )

Click on above team jersey:
 


Aix-en Provence, often shortened to Provence is a region just above Marseille and Toulon, and about 150km below the Rhone-Alpes



Golly, we climbed a long way up!!!