Col des Saisies

Col des Saisies - the fancy new sign
Info

Date: 2nd July 2023
Ride No. 67
Grade: 5/10
Location: Les Devies

Strava
Segment ID:16641289
My Time: 1:15:27

 

Gallery

 

 

… and the best campsite award goes to, Queige Municipal

It was time to move south again, and this time I found a most delightful campsite at Queige just outside Albertville.

Super value, well grassed and a large community room with a kitchen and a fridge to use, plus toilets with seats and paper.

Bloody luxury I tell you!

And all for 13Euros a night.

When I arrived at the site, a note on the office read, “If I am not here, please make yourself comfortable”.

 

Time for a mountain before tea

With time to spare after setting up my tent and before reception opened, I headed off down the road to the Col des Saisies.

A 15Km climb up to 1656m averaging 6% with a touch of 11% up to a ski village.

The climb allowed a steady rhythm along its wide well surfaced roads, however, what set this climb apart was halfway up the climb.

The road suddenly dropped like a stone.

Over 250mts the gradient changed from +8% to -10%. It was like falling off the edge of the World.

With the Brompton  set on my small chain ring, and the distance too short to perform the deadly two fingered chain lift, I had to either spin like a maniac or freewheel.

Despite my legs best efforts they couldn’t catch up.

This was of course a brief respite, and the jolt back up to 11% was not a welcome return to action.

As I neared the summit, the views across the valley and down towards Albertville were marvellous.

The sight of the Col des Saisies ski metropolis, though, was a complete surprise.

Bars, restaurants, bike hire, kids’ trampolines, and even a bowling alley were all open and busy.

I pedalled up and down the main strip, took my photo opportunities and then glared at the sky.

Dark clouds were lingering over nearby peaks, it looked ominous.

My appetite was certainly not for another Semnoz ‘character building’ experience, but more for another session of Tuna surprise.

Down I go.