la Berarde (w/les Deux Alpes)
July 13, 1998

Distance: 65.3 miles (including les Deux Alpes)
Elevation: 6,680 feet
Difficulty: 7/10
Scenery: 9/10;
Route: Bourg d'Oisans-le Freney-les Deux Alpes-le Freney-
la Berarde-Bourg d'Oisans

On my second full day in Bourg d'Oisans, I decided to do a "Y"-shaped out-and-back ride, going up les Deux Alpes and, on the way back to Bourg d'Oisans, turn off to ride the dead-end road to la Berarde.

The great thing about riding the entire 17-mile stretch of road to la Berarde (the D530) is that, on the way back, one hardly has to pedal to move forward--it's almost entirely downhill. Of course, that means that on the way out....

This ride is a worthy one to do from Bourg d'Oisans. It's got everything--fantastic scenery, steep climbs, fast descents, and quaint hilltop villages.

(Below: On the D530 just past the junction with N91.)

The road penetrates the canyon deep in the heart of Parc National des Ecrins. Since the road dead ends at la Berarde, motor traffic within the park is quite light (at least in July) and restricted to campers and hikers also in search of solitude. The place has a very peaceful, serene aspect to it.

The road starts out with a very imperceptible rise from an elevation of about 2,400 feet. It gains 650 feet in the first 5 miles of mostly straight roads.

(Above: The road just past Venosc, with a very pretty river alongside.)

Just as I was warming to the prospect of a scenic but gentle bike ride all the way to la Berarde, I hit the town of le Bourg d'Arud, crossed a metal bridge, and proceded to climb a very long, tough stretch of road that averaged approximately 10% grade, gaining 750 feet in about a mile. The climb is followed by a fast descent down to a lake, and a left turn onto a bridge crossing the lake's dammed end. After another gently sloping straightaway, the road, as if bored by its non-deviating straight course, all of a sudden turns left and climbs the flank of a very steep mountain via extreme switchbacks before reaching the town of St. Christophe-en-Oisans at around 5,100 feet. Just below St. Christophe gushes a very pretty "cascade", or waterfall, the sight of which helped ease the pain of the ever-steepening road.

(Below: "Esophageal pain": these intestine-like switchbacks just below St. Christophe is part of a steep stretch that gains 1,200 feet in about 2 miles)

(Below: Approaching St. Christophe-en-Oisans)