Col du Galibier - Col du Lautaret

Climbed the Galibier this July shortly before the mammoth 17th stage of the tour. Set off early in the morning to try and beat the heat (something I would later fail to do on Alpe Duez). I climbed the col on the north side from Valloire, heading up at a steady pace. Plenty of other riders where out that morning so the air was full of cheery bonjours although these became more and more grunted the higher you got. The one thing that stood out for me ws the dominating view of the Grand Galibier before you and the occasional glints of light on car windscreens to let you know just how much higher you have to go. Like all other cols, the key to a good ride up the galibier is pacing yourself as well as doing your homework. The Galibier really kicks up towards the end and making sure you have enough in the tank is critical. Another piece of advice is to compose yourself enough to get a good photo!- Theres plenty of photographers on the bends and its best to give them your best race face. All in all its a cracking climb and you really feel the ghosts of tours past as you chug up it. The view at the top is amazing and the decent has to be one of the best out there.

My personal climb rating:

We climbed the Galibier as part of a 4 day trip from Geneva to Nice, also crossing Vars & La Bonnete, & off course Telegraphe & Lauteret. We are four middle aged fools of various levels of fitness on an odd assortment of bikes variously loaded with luggage for the trip. After an enjoyable stay in The Savoy Hotel [seriously] in St Michel du Maurienne sleep only disturbed by passing trains & snoring. we set off up the Telegraphe at 9.30 reaching the Col comfortably at steady pace chatting all the way we then decended into Valloire & had a somwhat extened break searching for a bike shop to replace an allarmingly buckled wheel with 2 spokes gone [no such luck] & to purchase bananas. we lweft after an hour or so & climbed steadily & comfortabley to Plan Lachat all going smoothly, resisting the temptation to chase lighter bikes woithout panniers , only slightly upset when overtaken by a couple on mountain bikes as heavily laden as us.From Plan Lachat onwards it stops being funny theres a stretch of 10% & wow does it show. anyway we kept going all the way to the top. with a brief stop in a hut to be rervived by the cold fresh water & the smelliest cheese in the world. In early June this year there was lots of snow to cool the cranium. the last few turns from the tunnel to the top arent too steep but hurt the alck of O2 starts to show, the top & the view are incredible. the decent to lauteret & on to Briancon were hairy & great spoilt only by catching up with camper vans & motorbikes. The spokeless buckled wheel held out! It was great but hard! The addition of the telegraphe beforehand takes it out of you & is no small climb In itself. We made it to Nice with " hour before our flight to have a dip & a cold beer, we were raising money for Hammer Out brain tumours a fantastic local charity [google it]. next year The Raid Pyreneen?