Shakedown ride, Col de la Charmette from the backside

This innocent little road takes you up the backside of the Col de la Charmette. The FUN side.
This innocent little road takes you up the backside of the Col de la Charmette. The FUN side.
This is the experience I seek out!
This is the experience I seek out!

Details coming later today, but for now, suffice it to say we completed a ride that Kevin and I started 2 years ago, doing the infamous “other” side of the Col de la Charmette, up Route Forestiere. Many claims that the road isn’t for riding on anything but a mountain bike, but, if you’re willing to walk over just a couple of places where rocks might slice your tires, and probably walk through one dark tunnel as well (again, because sharp rocks might do a number on your tires), you could ride any road bike up it. Provided you have reasonably-low gears that is! And yes, parts of this are pretty steep, with kilometer sections averaging 10, 11 & 12 percent. You will be working! Thankfully, our Bike Fridays were up to the task, as usual.

 






2 thoughts on “Shakedown ride, Col de la Charmette from the backside

    1. I can see where it might be quite different under the wet conditions you experienced though! But right now, temps in the area are high enough that any rainfall evaporates very quickly. Actually that brings up another point; it’s relatively-cool on that climb, so while the area you climbed out of might have been in the 90s, we topped out at a reasonable 81 on the way up.

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