Minimum altitude: 164 meters
Distance: 61.5 km
Slope Aspect: North-West
Vertical Climbed: 931 meters (3,055 feet)
Vertical Descended: 916 meters
Rating: 3
I set out with a simple plan: climb up and drop into Yzeron via Saint-Laurent-de-Vaux, then link the small cols before heading back toward Lyon. The climb itself is a satisfying zig-zag, nothing too brutal, around 400 metres of elevation at a steady 6%, with a few sharper ramps just enough to wake the legs and get the heart rate up.
From there, the road rolls nicely before tipping down into Yzeron. After the descent, I continued across the Col de Maleval and on toward the Col de la Luère. Maleval, in particular, was a joy. about 4 km at 4%, the kind of climb where you can just settle into a rhythm and spin comfortably. Easy riding, almost deceptively so.
Temperatures were on the cool side. Fine in a T-shirt on the climbs, but I was glad of a jacket for the descent back toward Craponne. A light westerly wind kept things fresh. nothing too strong, but enough to remind you it wasn’t quite summer yet.
The ride out of Lyon was the least enjoyable part, with a fair bit of traffic. cars and the occasional truck but things improved quickly after Vaugneray. From there, especially on the back road through Saint-Laurent-de-Vaux, it was quiet and rural, save for a few farmers in oversized pickups who seemed a little too eager to overtake.
I passed through Châteauvieux, where the church is currently wrapped in scaffolding for restoration. slightly detracting from the usual charm. Yzeron, however, was as picturesque as ever. The climb out of the valley turned out to be pleasantly manageable, allowing for a steady pace without digging too deep. Higher up, the views opened out: sweeping vistas over Lyon to one side and toward the Massif Central on the other. The city itself sat under a light haze, and while the Alps were just about visible in the distance, they were softened by the smog.
From there, it was simply a matter of linking the two cols and enjoying the long descent back toward civilisation. a relaxed and rewarding loop through the Monts du Lyonnais.
Warm but a chilly westerly. Heavy traffic close to Lyon but there are quite a few cycle paths.
