Roundtrip Italië through Montgenèvre en Echelle from Briançon
(68 km/1220 altimeters)
Note the route is described from Briançon. If you start in Puy Saint Vincent the route is 119 kilometers and 1900 altimeters.
The Col de Montgenèvre is a climb of 9 kilometers with an average gradient of less than 5%. The climb is not very special and the fraffic doesn’t make it better. The best part of the tour starts after the Col de Montgenèvre. We descend to Oulx, where we take the route along the river Dora di Bardonecchia; a friendly ascending road up to Bardonecchia. Have a break for a good cup of coffee or cappuccino as only the Italians can make. After Bardonecchia begins the nine kilometer climb of the Col de l'Echelle. The first 3 kilometers, until the sign Col de l'Echelle 6km, are nasty steep. It is a beautiful climb through the forest, where the gradient is 5.5% on average, with a maximum of 13%. On top you can enjoy a beautiful piece of flat road, then the route returns to Briançon through the beautiful Vallée de la Clarée.
