Hieronder het prachtige resultaat van de inspannende voorbereidingen door Onno (routes) en Jan (hotels). Omdat deze 2021 LINKSAF-toer Internationaal is - (dankzij Gerd), heeft Onno de tekst in het Engels geschreven.
Start date: Saturday 26 June 2021
End date: Friday 2 July 2021
Distance: 1680 km (excluding
transfer days)
Day 1 • Transition • Saturday 26 June 2021 • 1037 km • Driving time 9:00 hrs
Meeting point
Shell Haarrijn
A2/E35 WZ 2
3621 QQ, Breukelen
Arrival 07:30 hrs
Departure: 08:00 hrs
Hotel
Hôtel le Marronnier
715, Rue de la Mairie
38680 Rencurel
Telephone: 00 33 618 962 618
www.hotellemarronnier.com
Charges: € 85,00 (half board) single
room
Day 2 •Round trip Vercors • Sunday 27 June 2021 • 352 km • Driving time 7:15 hrs
After leaving the hotel we take a short drive north bound, after which we turn left into some small roads towards the super beautiful Gorge du Nan.
We continue our route via an even smaller path up the mountain to a real Buddhist temple in Montchardon. Some beautiful scenery points later we drive back down the mountain towards the Gorges de la Bourne and our coffee stop.
Coffee Stop
105 Grande Rue
38680 Choranchem
Arrival ± 10:10 hrs
The highlights after the coffee stop are the continuation of the Gorges de la Bourne, the furiously fast racetrack D2 to Col de la Machine and the balcony road with tunnels of the Combe Laval. Via a beautiful road through the forest, we then arrive at our lunch stop.
Lunch Stop
3790 Route du Col de la Bataille
26190 Léoncel
Arrival ± 13:00 hrs
We continue south into the Vercors, via the Col de Tourniol, Col de Bacchus, Col de la Croix and Col de Marignac to then arrive at the town of Die.
From here it goes north again, on to the super smooth and fast to ride Col de Rousset. At the top, just before the tunnel, is a fantastic viewpoint. Via Col de St. Alexis we continue to the afternoon stop.
Coffee Stop
Le Piroulet
26420 Vassieux-en-Vercors
Arrival ± 16:50 hrs
After coffee, the cols follow each other in rapid succession: via Du Taillebourse, De la Portette and Tunnel du Pionnier it goes to Saint-Jean-en-Royans.
From there we ride smoothly to the Gorge de Bourne, but will now largely remain on the south side of the river. After this it's not far to the hotel in Rencurel anymore.
Hotel
Day 3 • Rencurel - Beauvezer • Monday 28 June 2021 • 363 km • Driving
time 6:45 hrs
For the last time we drive through the Gorge du Bourne and then via beautiful roads towards Grenoble, from there a short stretch of freeway, followed by some beautiful small roads to the coffee stop in Gresse-en-Vercors.
Coffee stop
Hotel Le Chalet
2406 Route de Monestier
38650 Gresse-en-Vercors
Arrival ± 10:30 hrs
We continue our tour over the Col d'Allimas and set course for the beautiful and wonderfully quiet Col de Menée. In the valley we ride through the Gorges des Gats and over the Col de Grimone. We know both from previous tours in France, but now we ride them in the opposite direction. On the D1075 we can speed up a bit in the direction of Veynes, after which we head for the mountains again. Via Col de Bachassette we head for Col de la Beaume and while doing so, we pass a beautiful and rough landscape. After this we keep on following the river Durance towards our lunch spot.
Lunch Stop
Restaurant L'Itinéraire
Lieu dit le, Riou des Mioux
05110 Curbans
Arrival ± 13:20 hrs
We follow again the Durance for a while, and then turn right into the Gorges de la Blance, after which we get back on the D900 towards Barcelonnette via a small “goat” track.
Now we can make up some time which we lost after all these winding roads. From here we ride up the super beautiful and sometimes narrow Col d'Allos. On the summit we have our last break of the day.
Coffee Stop
Refuge du Col d'Allos
D908 Col d’Allos
Uvernet-Fours
Arrival ± 16:45 hrs
Now it is not far anymore to our final destination. We drive through Val d’Allos and pass the beautiful town of Colmars. After 6 km we reach our hotel in Beauvezer.
Hotel
Hotel Le Bellevue
Place du Village
04370 Beauvezer
Telephone: +33 492 835 160
www.lebellevue.eu
Arrival ± 18:00 hrs
Day 4 •Beauvezer - Beuil • Tuesday 29 June 2021 • 320 km • Driving time 6:30
hrs
Soon after our departure, we drive via a narrow road through the forest up the Col des Champs, where the top presents us a fantastic lunar landscape.
After Guilaumes we go to Gorges de Daluis with its magnificent tunnels. We have been there before, but this road is never dull. After following a narrow road, we reach our coffee stop in Puget-Theniers.
Coffee stop
Café Coste
1 Place Adolphe Conil
06260 Puget-Théniers
Arrival ± 10:00 hrs
After the coffee break, we follow the winding D27 towards Gorges de la Vesubie, the latter is really a gorge worth a detour. Via Col de la Porte, Col d l'Orme and the fast Col de Braus, if traffic permits, we reach our lunch spot in Sospel.
Beautifully situated opposite the Pont Vieux that spans the river Bévéra.
Lunch Stop
Restaurant Le Picoun
15 Avenue Jean Médecin
06380 Sospel
Arrival ± 13:00 hrs
After the lunch we drive via the scenic Gorges du Piaon to the Monte Carlo classic; Col de Turini. Same route as previous year, but now in the opposite direction. Once back in the Vesubie valley, you have to make a choice: either you drive over a challenging offroad path with many hairpins towards Col d'Andrion, or you go over the road towards Utelle and then drive over a narrow mountain road to La Tour. In that town both routes comingle, and we will have there our afternoon stop.
Coffee Stop
Bistrot des Panissiers
Grand Place
06420 La Tour
Arrival ± 16:00 hrs
Pending our physical condition, we may decide to ride the winding D26 or the smoothly traveled D6202. Eventually both arrive at the turnoff to Gorges du Cians. Again, a magnificent gorge with red stone walls, inviting us to take a firm ride. After this we arrive at hotel Genepi in Beuil. Also given the experiences of last year, a reason to come back here.
Hotel
Day 5 • Beuil – Alpe d’Huez • Wednesday 30 June 2021 • 318 km • Driving time 6:20 hrs
This morning we first ride over Col de la Couilole and then follow the rest of the beautiful D30 to Gorges de Valabres. The latter is nice and invites you for a swift ride.
It is also the precursor to the highest mountain of our trip through France: Col de la Bonnette with its 2715 meters. At Halte 2000, the name says enough on our elevation, we will have our coffee stop.
Coffee stop
Halte 2000
Route du Col de Restefond
04850 Jausiers
Arrival ± 10:15 hrs
When back on lower elevations, we continue our route to Col de Vars. When we reach the town of Guillestre, there we turn right and drive through many tunnels towards beautiful Combe du Queyras.
This
is the portal for the classic Col d’Izoard. In the likewise named hotel we will
have our lunch.
Lunch Stop
Hôtel D'Izoard
92 Le Chef Lieu
05100 Cervières
Arrival ± 13:00 hrs
After the lunch it is not far towards busy Briancon, and when we have taken that hurdle we will drive via Vallée de la Guisane to the Col de Lautaret.
For those who
have appetite for an extra Col, you can turn right here to have a peak on the
Gallibier. Next, we will ride over the Combe de Malaval towards le
Bourg-d’Oisans for the late afternoon stop.
Coffee Stop
Le café Presse du Bourg
202 Avenue Aristide Briand
Le Bourg-d'Oisans
Arrival ± 16:00 hrs
The area around Alpe d’Huez is famous for its balcony roads, and once there you have to try them. The most spectacular is the D219 towards Villard-Notre-Dame.
It is a miracle how they were able to build this road with it tunnels on the side of this shale stone mountain. When back in Bourg, we take the last balcony road of the day towards Alpe d’Huez.
Hotel
Hotel Les Grandes Rousses
425 Route du Signal
38 750 Alpe d’Huez
Telephone: +33 4 76 80 33 11
www.hotelgrandesrousses.com
Arrival ± 17:30 hrs
Day 6 • Alpe d’Huez – Le Grand-Bornand • Thursday 1 July 2021 • 324 km •
Driving time 6:30 hrs
The last day already, but definitely not the least. After leaving Alpe d’Huez we drive via the Combe d’Olle to the Col du Glandon. When back in the valley, we head for the Lacets de Montvernier: in 17 hairpins we tackle an elevation of 277 meter. How much fun. But be careful, it is a single-track road. When reaching Col de Chaussy, we will have our coffee stop.
Coffee stop
Bar du Col de Chaussy
Col du Chaussy D77
73300 La Tour-en-Maurienne
Arrival ± 10:15 hrs
After the coffee, we drive over the Col de Madeleine towards Moutiers. The N90 through the valley is too boring, so we take the road up the mountain and follow the D88 to Aime.
There we head for the unpaved road towards Cormet d'Areches. We rode this track last year as well, and now we just hope not to lose someone again. At the top we will have lunch at the Refuge.
If the weather is too bad to ride offroad, we take the Cormet de
Rosselend and have lunch if we see a nice restaurant.
Lunch Stop
Refuge De La Coire
Cormet d'Arêches
73210 Granier
Arrival ± 13:00 hrs
After lunch it goes alternately on fast roads and winding paths to Albertvile and Ugine. At the latter we ride through the woods and countless hairpins up the Mont Dessus.
At the top we take the gravel path to our late afternoon stop at
the Col de l'Arpettaz. In case of bad weather, we take the road back to the
valley and head towards Col des Aravis. The stop will then be at Restaurant Le
Chalet Savoyard.
Coffee Stop
Refuge Auberge du Col de l'Arpettaz
Col de l'Arpettaz
73400 Ugine
Arrival ± 16:15 hrs
We keep on driving offroad towards Col de Aravis and after the decent we turn left to Col de la Croix Fry. When we arrive in the city of Thones, we take the D909 towards le Grand-Bornand. There we will sleep in our most visited hotel in France: La Croix Saint Maurice.
Hotel
Hôtel la Croix Saint Maurice
29 Place de la Grenette
74450 Le Grand-Bornand
Telephone: +33 4 50 02 20 05
www.hotel-lacroixstmaurice.com
Arrival 17:45 hrs
Charges: € 90,00 (Half board) single room
Day 7 • Transfer home • Friday 2 July 2021 • 997 km • Driving time 10:00
hrs
the small print
