Col de Croix de Fer and Glandon

We're on holiday in the French Alps and on the first day tackled Col d'Ornon and the Alpe d'Huez. 

We were then equally ambitious and rode up to the Col de Croix de Fer and Col de Glandon from Bourg d'Oisons on the second day. I think we were a little over-optimistic and were basing everything on the previous days climbs. It turned out to be a monstrous climb - for me over 2 hours of climbing: https://www.strava.com/activities/335403446

The Route (there and back)

We started with a necessary warm up ride which was from the camp site, along the valley road (D1091) to the village of Allencon which marks the start of the climb. This is 2 zig zags up the face of a dam. We then turned left and rode along the side of the reservoir with a slight climb to the Musée EDF Hydrélec near Vaujany. This is the end of any respite though and after a few further hundred meters the road crosses a river bridge and the incline starts - straight up at 8-9%. The roads continues to meander on the left side of a valley, the gradient varying slightly but never dropping below 7% and often rising to 10%. This went on for some time and it took a couple of km to get into a rhythm. I needed the 30t on the rear again and was able to occasionally  use the 28t, and passed (slowly) a few other cyclists climbing the same route.

There was a tiny Hamlet (Aricol) after a few miles and then a slightly larger village - Le Rivier d'Allemenot. This did have a Eau Potable tap for those that needed water. About 1km later the road starts on a slight descent that suddenly turns into a 12% descent with 4 very sharp hairpin bends. This was not what I wanted to see as not only was there a descent but I could see the height that needed to be regained immediately afterwards. I rolled down the bends knowing that I was going to pay for it and after just a couple of minutes was back into the climb. However in this case it wasn't 7-8% but 10-12% for a good km. After the drop down this was really hard to get back into the rhythm again and I just had to slog it out. I really needed the 30t here. The climb then plateaued slightly before a left-right kink over another bridge and a climb back at the ore normal 7-8%.

At the next hairpin a Movistar liveried van was quite along way over the centre of the road but a few moments later I saw Nairo Quintana descending with a team mate. Probably a recce ride for this years Tour. I captured him on my Garmin Virb and here's a link:

Look at about 50 seconds - blink and you'll miss him! 

Here's a still:

After this the trees thinned out a bit and the climb continued. There were a few more hairpins and then a straighter section - all still at 7-8%. Gradually I could see the second dam ahead - the "Lac du Grand Maison" that feeds the  hydro-electric dam at Allencon. To get to the height of the dam and skirt the lake were another couple of hairpins and then then road skirted the valley with the lake to the right, and for the first time the gradient lessened to 4-6% - I was still in the 34t at the front but in the middle of the cassette at the rear - however I was passed by two people riding on the big ring! A little further on and the road lost some height - perhaps 50-100m over 1-2km so it was good to descend again and have a slight rest - although painful knowing I'd need to regain it again. The terrain here was also very open - short grass, rocky valley sides. The gradient eased up again to 7-8% again and it was a case of slogging it out. After a few more km I could see a building ahead and guessed it was the split between the Glandon and Croix de Fer summits. This was the case when I reached it and then saw the sign for Croix de Fer to 2.5km further on - not a great feeling as it seemed I should be there by now. These last few km were hard knowing there I was nearly there but not quite.

However finally I got to the top. My son was sitting at a table in front of the cafe having had an ice cream and coffee. It was great to reach the top - and have a coffee and ice cream. The views were fantastic, air clear and the sky blue.  We took some obligatory photos and then we rode down to the junction and back up to the summit of the Glandon

Here's some pictures:

My Son

Selfie

Looking North

The proof

The actual Croix de Fer

At the top of Col de Glandon

After this we rode back down again. Just like the day before the experience of descending for 20-30 minutes at a time is not something that I've done before, and with a bit more practice this was a better descent. The steep descent on the way up hurt as much on the way back though!