Snow clearing on the high alpine cols has started this week but don't expect them to be open soon. This winter has seen record breaking levels of snow at altitude with a return to winter this week hampering snow clearing. Workers have found drifts 7 meters deep in places. Work is ongoing on the Cormet de Roselend in the Beaufortain, a spring favourite of both ski tourers and road cyclists. The Col de Pre is currently open but with snow on either side of the road. These are the planned opening dates:
Petit St Bernard (image: Dept of the Savoie)
10 May : col du Mont-Cenis
17 May : cols de la Croix de fer and the Cormet de Roselend
31 May : cols de la Madeleine, Petit-Saint-Bernard, Glandon and the Galibier tunnel (not open to cyclists)
7 June : col du Galibier
14 juin : col de l'Iseran - summer skiing starts for a month on the glacier from the 8th June.
Petit St Bernard
However the weather conditions and amount of snow will almost certainly delay these opening dates.