30 June 2014

My Top Twenty Climbs in France

We all have our favorites, these are mine

Since 2003, I have been fortunate to ride a bike frequently in France. I want you to know I actually wrote out five other posts in route to mapping out and writing this one simple post about my favorite climbs in France. You would think it easy, but any time I think of climbs, I think of scenery, I think of traveling to the climbs, I think of the Tour de France .. and I generally get very distracted.

Oh, I like so many things ...

So here it is in all it's simple glory - my favorite top twenty climbs (*top 10) in France: Link to google map of climb locations

Alpe d’Huez *
Col d'Agnes
Col des Aravis *
Col d’Aspin
Col d’Aubisque *
Col de la Columbiére *
Col du Galibier *
Col d'Ichère
Col d'Izoard
Col de Marie Blanque *
Col de Murs
Col de Peyresourde
Col d’Portillon
Col du Soulor *
Col de Tamié
Col de Télégraphe
Col du Tourmalet *
Hautacam
La Hourquette d’Ancizan *
Mont Ventoux *

My favorite, you ask? Well I just have this thing for the Col d'Aubisque to Cirque du Litor to Col du Solour route. The Tourmalet is a must ride. I also love Mont Ventoux in all it's boisterous glory. 

Map of my favorite climbs in France https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zF3Mdi_RS4EA.khPsCpthHhgk

ALPS

My favorite climbs in the Alps: Col de la Colimbiere, Col des Aravis, Col de Tamie, Alpe d'Huez, Col de Telegraphe, Col de Galibier, Col d'Izoard.


PROVENCE

My favorite climbs in Provence (granted I don't know much about Languedoc, which has many good reported rides and climbs): Col de Murs, Mont Ventoux


PYRENEES

My favorite climbs scattered across the Pyrenees are: Col de Agnes, Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde, Hourquette d'Ancizan, Col d'Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, Hatuacam, Col du Soulor, Col d'Aubisque, Col de Marie Blanque, Col d'Ichere.


This year, of my favorite climbs, the Col d'Izoard, Col d'Portillon, Col de Peyresourde, Col du Tourmalet and Hautacam will be featured in the 2014 Tour de France.

My favorite areas to travel and ride a bike in France are the Pyrenees, Le Grand-Bornand/Haute-Savoie region of the Alps, and the general areas of Provence and department Vaucluse. I also enjoy riding the foothills of the Pyrenees Atlantique and Haute-Pyrenees. The Dordogne is a fabulous place to visit. Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse are the preferred smaller airports to fly into with a bike in France.

You can see more of the climbs I have ridden in France on my About page, so many are good, but these are better. Now onto posting those other five posts I wrote on my way to finally mapping out my favorite climbs in France ......