Briançon to Guillestre via Col de l’Izoard

June 17, 2025

When I asked Georges yesterday about an earlier breakfast, he suggested 7 so we could get an early start. Perfect! No muesli, though, he’d run out.

The back entrance to Le Bacchu Ber. Its parking area is off frame to the left; Georges had brought out the bikes for all the cyclists heading our for a ride today.

We encountered today’s only Route Barrée not 20 metres from getting on our bikes. Seriously closed, with a metal mesh gate wall to wall right across the street and an excavator working not far beyond. After let’s-try-this dead end we gave up some elevation and got onto the marked route to Col d’Izoard.

Neither of us took many photos. The first 11 km, to Cervières, weren’t particularly photogenic, nor the next couple to Le Laus, and then the road tilted upward. And we each acquired our own swarm of flies. Honestly, the flies were so annoying I didn’t notice the grade or the heat as much as I might have, except for trying to take my little breaks where there was a breeze.

I stopped just above Le Laus to get a pic of the standing rock.

One km to go and then I looked up and saw the hoodoos. Walked back to get them both in.

Looking back down, less than 1 km to go.

The descent starts sort of usual for the Alps but you can see the landscape ahead is different. Based on information found online:

La Casse Déserte, located at an altitude of 2,200 meters on the southern slope of the Col de l'Izoard, is a listed historical monument, a legendary Tour de France location, as well as a geological feature.

At the entrance to the Queyras Regional Natural Park, the road winds for 2 km between the limestone Cargneules, at the foot of the scree, which rise like needles with their characteristic ochre color. The site of La Casse Déserte is protected as by ministerial decree of June 1, 1937, to protect it from any commercial exploitation or degradation.

It has served as a filming location for numerous movies and is the starting point for some very enjoyable hikes. There is a memorial to Fausto Copi and Louison Bobet beside the road.

Georges had told us about the memorial before we left; we woukd have missed it otherwise!

Memorial to Fausto Copi and Louison Bobet

The memorial site is about mid-height of the photo, a third of the way across from the left. The van is parked in a no-stopping zone.

We keep descending and descending through a landscape that became greener as we lost elevation. We stopped at one of the outlooks over the valley below.

Not sure if this had been trampled or if it just grows along the ground

Looking down the valley, the road through the fields looks flat. It wasn’t; we were still flying down and other cyclists were working hard to climb.

The road later passed through the Combe du Queyras, running beside the Guil River. The river was that beautiful glacial blue, rather than the silty grey of rivers we saw further north, with white foaming rapids. I regret not stopping for photos! Then, of course, there was a headwind and we had to pedal downhill. Al finally took off his jacket!

After Maison du Roy, we entered the Gorges du Guil. The river is now far below us.

There’s a dam across the top of the gorge.

We found our hotel in Guillestre easily and none too soon on this hot afternoon. We were happy not to be riding further today.

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Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 925 km (574 miles)

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