May 23, 2025
Drac River Ride
The skies had cleared and it was a splendid day of blue, white and sunshine. The pressing question wasn't what to do with this beautiful day but where to do it? Scott had suggested a ride along the Drac River that would end with a modest climb and a view. I toyed with the idea of a solo ride into the mountains around Grenoble but chose to join the group along the Drac – after all, the reason I’m here is be with friends and share the delight of cycling in this extraordinary landscape.
We set off just a few minutes past ten and easily navigated through the city streets. Within two miles we crossed the Drac and were on a dedicated tree-lined bike path along the river. The trees partially blocked our views of the surrounding mountains, but there were enough gaps and viewpoints to keep us wagging about how beautiful everything was.
Soon we came to the 17th century bridge Pont Lesdiguières, commonly known as the Pont Claix. It first opened to traffic in 1611, was classified as a historic monument in 1898, and is now “listed among the 7 wonders of Dauphiné.” The bridge was a highlight off the day for me and we all lingered, taking long looks over the Drac and snapping numerous photos to remember our visit.
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Though the Claix Bridge does cross the Drac River, Scott had routed our crossing on a small bridge just upstream; however, that crossing was blocked by a large metal barrier. The road across the bridge was clear, but we did not know what barriers may lay ahead. While Scott searched for an alternative route, I noticed a man and his dog crossing the bridge toward us. He assured us the way forward was clear, so the next challenge was getting the bikes to the other side of the barrier. It was a group effort, but we were undeterred and all bikes and riders made it through unscathed.
Once everyone was safely across the bridge we faced the next small challenge of the day – gravel! Though it seemed endless at the time, it was only a mile and not too chunky. And when it ended, we were rewarded with a field of poppies.
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Beyond the poppies, the route opened up and offered views of snow-capped distant peaks while we enjoyed a short snack break in the sun. We continued through the town of Varces-Allières-et-Risset and Vif before our turnoff for what Scott described as a five mile “modest climb” on a small, dead-end that should offer good views at the top.
The grade was a bit more than modest for me (the sign said 18%) and I soon had both feet on the ground pushing Vivien George. Janos and Suzanne needed their lowest gear and eAssist to get up the steep part and had pulled over just a short ways into the 5 mile climb. When I reached them, they said that they were turning back, and I immediately concurred with their decision. Scott had continued up the road a bit, but returned shortly with the news that the hoped-for view of the high Alps was blocked by an intervening ridge. We all carefully made our way back down the hill and headed to Grenoble.
Our return to the city was interrupted by a nice boulangerie stop where we lingered a bit over pastries, espresso and Scott’s new favorite – Schwepps Agrumes. Thanks to experience, the gravel road seemed shorter and bridge barrier easier to pass the second time through. Before long we were back in the Grenoble, navigating traffic, and remembering the code for the Rocky Pop garage. It had been another great day cycling with friends.
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Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 564 miles (908 km)
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