HIBC goes to the Alps - HIBC

As Douglas Adams almost said, the Alps are big. Really big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big they are. I mean, you may think it’s a long way up Chapel Hill, but that’s just peanuts to the Alps. Here’s our story….

Fourteen intrepid HIBC Alpinists arrived in Annecy on the evening of Saturday 5 July 2025.  I’ve been to the Alps many times, but that evening I was particularly struck by just how high these mountains really are.  And that it wasn’t obvious how roads could cross them.  Fortunately (according to Will) Napoleon III decreed that his military roads should have gradients fitting for horse-drawn gun carriages so whilst the climbs are a bit longer than Chapel Hill (600m, 6%), they aren’t much steeper.

Day 1 started with 40km of flattish cycling around the lake at Annecy before we headed into the Alps proper.

However before I talk about the first climb I must mention Ross.  Ross was our support crew, equipped with a minibus, water barrel, tool kit, first aid kit, enthusiasm, and local knowledge.  Having completed this tour, I now realize how essential having support is.  Every Alpine trip should have a Ross! You’ll soon see why.

The first significant climb was Cormet de Roselend, 20km at 6%.  Its worth mentioning altitude here.  I’ve had a few unpleasant experiences overexerting myself on the first day of Alpine holidays, so now I try to avoid heavy exercise above 2,500m early on in a trip.  Roselend tops out at 1,968m and at 1,800m I was feeling the effects…..I was light-headed and had developed a very unhealthy hot sweat.  I was glad of the gentle drizzle.  Still, we all made it to the top and began the 20km descent.

I donned my waterproof and a pair of woolly gloves and set off.  It was cold.  My body wasn’t warm enough; my arms and hands went numb, and it took me an age to warm up again even in the warmth of the valley.  It was at this point I really appreciated having Ross meet us on the cols with a load of easily accessible warm clothes.

It’s the unexpected that makes HIBC tours, and just before the short (i.e. less than 5km) climb to our accommodation, we stumbled across the Fêtes in Séez.  With a raucous brass band, an informal choir, and local beer it was a good break before our final climb of the day to a warm welcome, home-cooked food, and Alpine outdoor hot tub at the Ferme d’Angèle.

Day 2: And so we continued.  We learnt to have staggered starts with slower riders setting off before the speedier.  We crossed Col de L’Iseran on Day 2, one of the highest paved roads in the Alps at 2,764m.  It was windy and 10C at the summit and the down jacket I almost didn’t bring was extremely comforting.

For the descent I put on arm warmers, a gilet, and a windproof jacket, and was fine.  But if I’d had to carry these items up the mountain it would have made the trip much harder, and less enjoyable.  Thank you Ross!

Day 3 was an easier day, ‘just’ the Col du Telegraphe.

Having stayed in a mixture of gites and cheap hotels, the two chalets booked for that night made a pleasant change, and gave us the chance to do a bit of cooking.

Day 4 started with the Galibier, another 19km of ascent at an average of just under 7%.  By this time I was feeling comfortable on the climbs.  At 3km in I was cycling up the side of a huge valley, dots of sheep a couple of hundred metres below me, a brilliant blue sky, the road winding upwards forever and snow-capped peaks visible ahead, and I was feeling good.  If you’d told me that spending a couple of hours slowly climbing up an Alp would be enjoyable before this trip I wouldn’t have believed you, but there is something very satisfying about cycling at your own pace in spectacular scenery, with a great bunch of friends to meet at the top and bottom of each mountain.

Day 5 was our toughest day.  We’d done two big climbs the previous day, and had another two scheduled for today.  Only 8km into the ride we were stopped by a workman who said the road ahead was closed due to a rock fall.  After conferring we realised the only way around added an extra 18km and 700m of ascent.  The road up to Villard Reymond is beautiful, narrow, and heads up through a wooded valley.  I took it gently and was rewarded with 2km of gravel at the top (sorry bike).

But the descent was something else.  A tiny road hewn out of the cliff, with the bonus of four unlit tunnels and huge airy views across the Bourg d’Oisans valley to Alpe d’Huez perched on the other side.

After a quick coffee-and-cake stop in Bourg d’Oisans, we headed to Alpe d’Huez via the classic climb with 21 hairpins.

We ate lunch, took photos, and then headed across another balcony road to Glandon.  Glandon was a pig of a climb – 23km with the dubious bonus of two short descents on the way up.  The climb was hot and long and brought our total ascent for the day to over 3,400m.  It was gone 6pm by the time I got to the top and I was completely done in.  But the descent was great, the best so far with sweeping curves you could see around.

Day 6: And so to the last day – one climb (the Madeleine) or a recovery route by-pass for some.  The climb was 20km at 8%, and another 2 hours plus of cycling slowly upwards.  At the summit we were  rewarded with a view of Mont Blanc, a warmish sun terrace, and then probably the best descent of the week with more sweeping curves, huge drop-offs, hair pins, and the advantage of a week of practice descents behind us.

And so we headed back along the lake shore to Annecy, regrouping in a bar by the lake for a quick swim to round off the week.

For me it was a fantastic week of cycling.  We covered 559km in 6 days and climbed 13,600m – one and a half Everests. I came home with a huge sense of achievement, a realisation that I enjoy climbing for hours on end (given the right scenery) and, as ever on HIBC tours, shared memories with a great bunch of people who offered support and friendship throughout the trip.  I’ll be back.

Some top tips for those thinking of going to the Alps.

1. Get support. I can’t thank Ross enough.  It means you can cycle relatively unencumbered in the knowledge that you can add clothing at the top of the cols and then get rid of it again down in the valleys.  It also means you have plenty of water and snacks.  If you’re using support, pack a day-sack with everything you need so it is easy to get at.  This is important when it is cold at the top.
2. 80km-100km per day with 2,000-2,500m of ascent works well.
3. And be prepared for altitude to affect you early in the trip. Our first day was quite long which probably didn’t help.
4. There is often only one road between overnight stops. So there are few opportunities for alternatives.  We were really lucky that we were able to find a detour to the closed road, and that it was exceptionally beautiful, exhilarating, and exciting.  Even so it added 18km and 700m of ascent and descent.  The other alternative was for Ross to shuttle us around the closed road on a 60km detour.
5. We had picnics for lunch; bread, local cheese, ham, salad, crisps, peanuts, fruit, cake….thanks again Ross. It was quick, you could eat as much or as little as you wanted and it was great to meet up as a group.

6. Bring plenty of warm clothes; I wore four layers and decent woolly gloves for the descents, and I appreciated my down jacket. I didn’t wear it cycling but it was good to be cosy on the cols for photo-taking.
7. Bring front and rear lights. We went through about a dozen tunnels and some were unlit.
8. We stayed in a mixture of cheap chain hotels, smaller family run hotels, gites, and one night in two chalets. We were 15 (including Ross) and it is worth booking 6 months in advance for such a large group.

Our ride stats.

 

The cycling Alpinistas were Alex, Bart, Cathy, Chris, Dan, Drew, Ian, Roos, Sharone, Stephen, Steve, Stuart, Tom, and Will, and we were ably supported by Ross.  I am Dan, and these words were mostly written by me.