I wasn't very motivated due to the weather but decided a little tour to break the 50K barrier this year wouldn't hurt.

Cycling in the fag end of the year becomes pretty much opportunistic but some unexpected good weather gave me the chance to scratch two itches, a long ride (well long for me) and to visit an unknown s

Felt tired today, still recovering from 'flu so decided to take it easy with a little loop around Mont d'Or. Went to look at the airbase, it is still active with armed soldiers patrolling.

The Monts du Lyonnais are a small mountain range to the SE of Lyon. The high point is the crêt Malherbe at 946 meters but my objective was the  signal de Saint-André at 934 meters.

DescriptionFrom Yssingeaux (there is a free autoroute from Lyon - the N88) you climb 400 meters over 16km but there are some sections of 8%.

Hill repeats largely at threshold, took in the climb to la Croix Rousse although need to find a better way down.

DescriptionA long loop with a lot of vertical covering 4 cols. Starting at Ugine take the cycle path toward Annecy. After about 9km of false flat you cross a bridge over "la Chaise".

I thought it would be possible to cycle around the park, there is a cycle route marked (#5) but only for mountain bikes it would seem. I started out along the Canal de Jonage.

A real col du Verdun this weekend with a climb on the closed section. Absolutely no-one around and few cars. Climb is just steep enough on 42x24 but not too steep.

I decided to attack the Fourviere hill from a different angle. Ride down the Rhone to the Confluence and then climb via la Mulatiere (the mule?) along a balcony road called the Chemin de la Fontaines.