Cormet de Roselend is without doubt one of the extra stunning climbs within the Alps. However keep in mind, one of the best route will not be through the primary Route des Grandes Alpes highway that climbs the north and south sides. As an alternative, take the third manner up through Col du Pré, just like the Critériun du Dauphiné will on June fifth.
Col du Pré is a difficult stunning climb with 26 hairpins and excessive mountain views in all instructions. And simply past the summit is without doubt one of the nice views within the Alps down in the direction of Lac de Roselend. And better of all? To get to Cormet de Roselend it’s essential to journey over the lac de Roselend dam! Rattling!
The climb to Col du Pré begins instantly in Beaufort. But it surely’s after the village of Arêches the place all of the hairpins start.
Lac de Roselend remains to be not fairly full, so not fairly as stunning as in late summer season. However the views from Col du Pré are superb.
On the summit of Col du Pré is a superb gravel highway that leads a lot excessive to La Passage de la Charmette. See this outdated submit for particulars of the south facet of Cormet de Roselend after which this gravel journey with towering views of Lac de Roselend.
However again to the present journey: I had my drone and tried to take a couple of completely different angles crossing the dam.
After the dam, the route rejoins the primary highway at Col du Mérailet (1605m) and runs alongside the sting of the lake.
La Chapelle de Roselend:
The highway then leaves the lake and heads larger.
There was nonetheless a good quantity of snow alongside the final couple of kilometres, however the highway is nicely cleared and nice for highway bikes.
Cormet is an area phrase for col. Above Arêches on the path to Col du Pré the highway splits and one can head to a different lake/dam:
Lac de St Guérin – See right here for journey particulars. And above that’s Cormet d’Arêches at 2100m. I consider it’s nonetheless gravel above the lake, nevertheless it’s now absolutely paved on the far facet. See right here for a journey concept that goes far above Col d’Arêches to a few cols, one which overlooks Lac de Roselend. And see right here for an outdated journey that reaches Cormet d’Arêches after visiting a bunch of excessive gravel cols.
Lastly, as proven on the maps under, I descended the primary Route des Grandes Alpes highway that goes on to Beaufort. However there’s some form of development that prompted a detour that required some climbing. But it surely’s a scenic, quiet hair-pinned route. Not a nasty detour though my legs had been drained.
What an ideal day. I can’t advocate this route sufficient. Woohoo!
