Once you have cycled past the “Rampe des Commères”, access to the foot of the hill up to Les Deux-Alpes is not particularly difficult. The climb from the Chambon dam is 9 km long with an 8% gradient on a wide and well-maintained road.
Itinerary no. 18 of the “Cycling in Oisans” guide (Oisans Tourisme)
Departure / Arrival (loop): Bourg d’Oisans 720 m
Time: 2 h 30
Distance: 42 km
Highest point: 1663 m
Lowest point: 720 m
Total ascent: 1268 m
Max. gradient: 10%
Map: Michelin Local Map no. 333 Isère, Savoie
ITINERARY
From Bourg d’Oisans, follow the D1091 towards “Briançon / Les 2 Alpes” as far as the Chambon dam. You will go through 4 lit tunnels on this portion. For your safety, make sure you are visible.
Just before the dam, turn right and follow the D213 to Les 2 Alpes.
Go back down via Bons on “route des Travers”. After 4 km along the drop down from 2 Alpes, turn left towards Bons, then go through Le Ponteil. Continue on this small and narrow road to the bottom. You will catch up with the D1091 that you took on the way out a little bit before the tunnel “Rampe des Commères”.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: Via the Venosc cable car
From Bourg d’Oisans follow the D1091 towards Briançon. After 5 km, follow the road D530 towards La Bérarde. Stop at Venosc and take the cable car to Les 2 Alpes.
Please note that the cable car only operates during the winter and summer seasons. Tickets can be purchased from the cable car ticket offices.
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Distance: 8 km
Time: 50 min
Total ascent: 250 m
42 km
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max. 1658 m
min. 717 m
1268 m
1268 m
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Accessibility | ||||
Style : Mountain Public : CyclistsReserved for experts/confirmed |
From Bourg d’Oisans follow the RD1091 towards Briançon.
After 5 km turn left into the gorges of the Infernet. Go through the tunnel of the Rampe des Commères until le Freney d'Oisans.
Towards the Chambon dam.
Before the barrage, turn right and follow the D213 to Les 2 Alpes.
Continue towards 2 Alpes at the roundabout.
You can take the same road on your way back.
Prendre à gauche direction Bons, puis Le Ponteil et Les Travers.
On rejoint la D1091 prise à l'aller. Descendre sur la gauche pour retourner à Bourg d'Oisans.
Both a museum and a café, the Chasal Lento is a real place to live, share, meet and discover the local heritage located in the heart of the village of Mont de Lans.In the heart of Mont de Lans, the house of arts and traditions "Chasal Lento" takes you to meet the life of the locals, through their history over time ... the Romans ... the peddlers ... the construction of the Chambon dam but also the pioneering years that made the resort of Les Deux Alpes. The museum also offers you a café area with the possibility of tasting some sweets in a real bistro atmosphere of yesteryear. From its terrace with a unique view, the Café du Chasal invites you to a moment of relaxation by providing a piano with free access, a library with books related to the museum, card games and board games, activities dedicated to children, wifi access... Take the time to go back in time and have a good time at the Café-Museum. You will be welcome there.
Saint Arey was the Bishop of Gap between 579 and 614. Born into a noble Gallo-Roman family, he was ordained priest, and then Bishop of Grenoble, before continuing his vocation in the Triève and in Gap. Documents proving existence of the church date back to at least 1096.A number of legends are associated with the life of Bishop Saint Arey, but the most famous is the legend of the bear: On his way back from Rome in 605, Arey travelled over the Col du Montgenèvre on his way to Gap via Briançon. In the woods, his carriage came across a bear, which scared away one of the harnessed oxen. Arey then ordered the bear (or made a pact depending on the version,) to take the place of the ox under the yoke. The submissive animal allowed itself to be harnessed and the Bishop arrived in Gap pulled by one of the most original teams ever seen. The bear was freed and took refuge in nearby woods. According to the legend, the bear only emerged on the day of the Bishop's burial in 614. The church that we see today was built in 1840. with the first stone, blessed by the Bishop, laid on 11 May. Once the church was consecrated, a lead box sealed with the arms of the Bishop and containing the relics of several saints was placed in the tomb of the high altar, which was not consecrated itself. The former church had been dedicated to Saint-Arey and he remained patron saint of the new church. Shortly after it was built in 1878, the church received a visit, as recounted in a document of unknown origin: " The church, isolated on a rock overlooking the Romanche river, stands several stories high at an altitude of 982 m. It was rebuilt in 1841 and is shaped like an ogival-style Latin cross. The solid, old bell tower has been kept, although it is in the 11th century Roman style. The chimes are very pretty, even though the bells are not heavy. The church portal is truly remarkable, built with a type of large grain porphyry - a rare stone that is found locally. The interior of the church is very simple, without any decoration or stained-glass windows. The altar is made of white marble and is rather elegant. Some pictures of certain merit decorate the Sanctuary, representing Saint-Arey, the patron of the Parish, talking with Pope Gregory VII." Information from freneydoisans.com/freneytique/ Sources: Associations Coutumes et Traditions de l'Oisans / Freneytique - Fonds d'Archives numériques André Glaudas
The Chambon dam was built between 1929 and 1935. In 1918, the industrialist Henri Frédet discovered the potential of this narrow, 75m long section of the Romanche river. It proved to be the ideal location for regulating the flow of the river.In 1921, studies showed that the presence of hard, cristallin schist in the soil provided a perfect seal for the water. The potential of hydroelectricity drew the attention of speculators during the 1920s stock exchange boom. Despite having to flood the villages of Le Chambon,Le Dauphine and Pariset, work began on the dam. During the construction period, a temporary cable car was set up over a 10.5 km stretch from Bourg d'Oisans to Le Chambon to supply the site with cement and other materials more rapidly. This cable car had 193 huge buckets that could each carry 250 km of cement. 62 metal pylons were built 900 m apart, some up to 40 m high, to bear the weight of the 22.5 km steel cable. The reservoir filled with water between 24 April and 9 October 1935. As early as May 1935, the turbines of the Sainte-Guilherme power plant were being driven by water and intake from the neighbouring Ferrand Valley was later added to boost the supply of water.
Mountain location
Mountain view
Oisans Tourisme - 08/04/2024
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Topo guides references :
Itinerary no. 18 of the “Cycling in Oisans” guide (Oisans Tourisme)
Map references :
Michelin Local Map no. 333 Isère, Savoie