Morzine & Portes du Soleil for Road Biking

You can expect to ride lots and lots of mountains around Morzine, there is very little flat riding to be done. You should expect to be either climbing or descending with the odd valley road thrown in to ease the burden. Have you heard about the Col du Joux Plane made famous by the exploits of the Tour de France riders? This is literally on the door step and rises up within minutes of leaving the centre of town. There are many other famous climbs in the area; Col de la Ramaz, Col de la Joux Verte and the Col de la Colombiere, as well as many less well known but equally demanding ascents. ... see "Morzine Road Biking" for more

All these climbs can be tackled in the opposite direction from that described but these are our preferred directions and those which frequently contribute to the Tour de France route. To link them into a ride check out the suggested routes section. ... see "Morzine & Portes du Soleil Road Biking Major Climbs & Descents" for more

We have tried to grade the following rides in order of difficulty, however, this does depend upon your level of fitness and how fast you want to ride them. So basically we've based it on the estimated time taken to complete each route. The location of Morzine with respect to the routes suggested and the looped nature of them mean they can be combined to make up longer more difficult rides as required. ... see "Morzine & Portes du Soleil Road Biking Routes" for more

Riding in the Alps is much more demanding than your favourite local route back in the UK. The roads are, in the main, either heading up or descending; even the valley roads generally exhibit altitude gain or loss albeit to a much lesser degree than the climbs themselves. To gain the most from your riding in the area it goes without saying you need to have a reasonable level of fitness. You do not need to be super man or woman but the ability to ride comfortably for up to 3-4 hours in the UK should see you enjoy the suggested routes.

Perhaps the biggest difficulty is the heat, combined with the effort required to keep your bike going at a modest 10-14 km/h up the climbs means you’ll need to drink plenty to avoid potentially serious heat stress. Two bottle cages are a must and we would advise using 750ml bottles containing electrolyte drinks. There are often places to fill up by the roadside in natural springs; all are potable water unless explicitly stated otherwise.

The heat is the product of a frequently blazing sun – don’t be shy with the sun cream. This is even more pertinent at altitude, there is simply less atmosphere filtering the suns rays making burn times short. Although you are not exactly at Everest base camp the altitude will have an effect on your riding as a result of the thin air – another reason to work on that fitness.

The descents are super fast in places and are often bumpy as a result of the winter covering of ice and snow. We advise caution as it can take some time to scrub your speed off. You will meet oncoming cars and frequently cyclists climbing the other way who may not be tucked into the right hand side of the road (yes the right hand side!) as much as they should. Do not imagine you are in the Tour de France with closed roads! Having said that the roads are generally quiet and car drivers (the French ones at any rate) will be considerate in contrast to their British counterparts.

It may be 35 degrees in the valley but 2000 meters up the mountain can be quite chilly, particularly when you’re descending at speeds of up to 80 km/h. Have a rain proof jacket with you at all times and a gilet chest protector to keep the wind off. If the day starts a bit damp and overcast then it will be cold so pack arm and knee warmers.

Always carry some money for emergency supplies and some rations to keep you going, the usual energy bars gels etc. The riding here is not as geared up to suit the English cycling club run tradition of a café stop for cake and tea. You may find a convenient establishment, and we’ll recommend those we like in the suggested routes section but you are more likely to come across a bar or restaurant offering a plate of dried meat and cheese as apposed to a tea cake with jam.

Always check the weather forecast, Chamonix Meteo is reliable and applicable to the area. In contrast to what Michael Fish says about the British weather; if the forecast is for late afternoon thunderstorms, then there WILL be late afternoon thunderstorms and you would not want to be caught out in them. Plan your ride to finish accordingly.

And finally - know your route! Although signposted and relatively easy to follow, it would be worth consulting a map and if not carrying it with you on the ride then at least make some notes as a reminder to use on your intended route. The Michelin map 328 LOCAL for Ain Haute Savoie is the most appropriate.

To read our report on the 2006 Tour de France stage in Morzine, click here or check out the Official Tour de France Website for the latest news on this years Tour.