Matt T wrote:
On 20 Apr, 09:24, LittleRob wrote:

Matt T wrote:

On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob wrote:

wrote:

Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike,
sunny day,
dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined,
that
after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over
the
top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess
it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the
Col
d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first
couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva).
Cheers.
Iain.

Iain

I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it
in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it.

A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com

Rob

All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3
metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on
coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll
be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong
though.

Cheers,

Matt

Matt

From memory its open about July-October. We went the 2nd week of
September, but the problem by then was that France had pretty much
"closed" after the Summer season. There was only a single restaurant in
Val d'Isere open. Fortunately we were only staying 1 night, but we met a
couple who were there for 3 or 4 days!

Rob- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


That makes sense - I've seen snow up here in August, so I guess it's a
pretty limited window. I don't know what the col de petit st bernard
opening times are like, but probably similar.

I've been in Tignes a couple of times in September - I wouldn't
recommend it!

Matt
There are no fixed dates and it can be very late in the season when the
Col opens. It may open in late June, but it will almost certainly be
closed in early June. It has been known to be closed in July - it
depends upon the weather. The Petit st Bernard opens a little earlier.

I did ride my bike over it one summer, but cannot recall it being
anything special. The Galibier is much better. It was a long time ago
and IIRC we went from the Mauriene via Valloire, Briancon, over the
Montgeneve pass then back into the upper Mauriene valley over either the
Cenis or the Frejus passes, up and over the Col Iserian then via the
Cormet de Roseland to Annecy. I was riding a BSA A65 at the time, which
was great for thundering up the passes but it really tested the brakes
on the way down and hauling it around hairpin after hairpin got tiring
in the end.

BTW the scenery on the Bonneval sur Arc side is better than the Val
d'Isere side.

John