Click the map to view the interactive Michelin map of Villard Notre Dame

The corniche leading to Villard Notre Dame is a road that will take you far, far away from the temporary troubles of the professional bike racing world yet it's just across the valley from Alpe d'Huez. It's a spectacular, narrow road built like a balcony as it appears to overhang the Romanche Valley at times. It ranks next to La Corniche du Cirque de Litor (French Pyrenees) and Passo dello Stelvio (Northern Italy) as one of the best roads we've ever cycled. There were so few cyclists on this road that I wondered how many people come to Bourg d'Oisans and cycle Alpe d'Huez without also doing the more scenic, quiet and tougher climb to Villard Notre Dame.

I first learned about this ride from a June 2006 post on the UK CyclingPlus.co.uk touring and expedition forum which appears to have scrolled off into oblivion. It was also recommended by others during my first pass through Bourg d'Oisans a month earlier in July. My return visit with Rebecca, in August, was unfortunately cool and rainy forcing us to cycle the small window of opportunity that opened each day. During our U-profile Alpe d'Huez → Villard Notre Dame out and back ride, we avoided getting dumped on until the rain resumed on our way back up to Alpe d'Huez; however, it didn't dampen our spirits since we had literally captured the best part of the ride and day.

Click the pic to watch... NOW DOUBLE the frame size Video of the amazing road up to Villard Notre Dame. By the way, for those who don't know French, “Notre Dame” means “Our Lady”

The movie (see right) and photos (see below) will describe the scenery better than I possibly can, but I'll pass along a couple of lessons learned this day. First, bring a bike light on this ride... especially if you normally wear prescription sunglasses. I luckily opted for my regular glasses on this day, but the tunnels were still pitch black. If the weather is overcast as it was for us then you'll reach a point in one of the tunnels where you can't tell whether your eyes are open or closed. On the return descent through the same tunnel, I rode in front of a car that kindly shared its headlights.

But, the most important thing I learned about this ride after returning to California is that the “dangerous, private” road past Villard Notre Dame, marked as a hiking trail on the local Michelin map, is ridable. This allows a cyclist to continue on to Col de Saulude and Villard Reymond before descending down to Ornon and looping back to Bourg d'Oisans (see map). Frenchman Jean-Philippe Battu has an excellent photo report of his ride to Col du Saulude translated into English. If you scroll to the bottom of his report, you'll see that the condition of the road past Villard Notre Dame deteriorates, but it's definitely ridable. So ignore the Route Privée. Viabilité Incertaine. Danger sign if you wish and carry on.

This is our third and final report from the Bourg d'Oisans area and the French Alps. We had expected to stay several more days, but we bailed early and headed south to the warmer, dry climate offered by Provence. Flexibility is one of the benefits of self-guided touring, of course. We'll return again another year since there is much more to the French Alps.
— Steve, November 8, 2006

French Alps profile courtesy of cyclingcols.com

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