Col de la Croix de Fere
On a sunny summer weekend this summit feels like the center
of cycle racing culture of the western alps. It's not only a
center of Tour de France activity. It is also a popular hang
out spot, as well as the finish of many a private rivalry
between friends, not to mention many other organized races,
other than "the Tour".
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01.(00.0km,448m) START-END NORTH:
bridge over river l'Arc in la Chambre
02.(07.0km,875m) lower turnoff to Saint Alban de
Villards and other villages
03.(08.9km,993m) upper turnoff to Saint Alban in le
Plan Champ
04.(10.0km,1086m) Saint Colomban des Villards
05.(21.1km,1924m) Col du Glandon
06.(21.3km,1897m) profile turns left on D926
07.(24.0km,2067m) TOP: Col de la Croix de Fere
08.(31.0km,1502m) Saint Sorlin d'Arves
09.(37.8km,1249m) START-END SOUTH ALT: route to Col du
Mollard takes off on right
10.(53.5km,538m) START-END SOUTH: Saint Jean de
Maurienne, approaching river l'Arc.
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 Approaches
From North. From the top of Col
du Glandon, just a hundred meters of climbing remain to gain
this pass. The route traverses a gentle high valley, in treeless
at half height. You're at the top before you can actually fully
appreciate the surroundings. Both approaches of Gol
du Glandon can be used to construct one day loop rides over
Col de la Croix de Fere. But the one using the Col du Glandon
southern approach is very long and goes over Col
du Galibier. Using Glandon's northern approach to make a
loop, Croix de la Fere can be cycled in a loop without any other
additional passes. A nice optional addition to that ride is Col
du Mollard.
On top of the pass waits a grand panorama, centered around les
Aigles s'Arves, three glaciated horns reaching between 3200 and
3300 meters.
From South. (described downwards): Switchbacks and
great views last till St Sorlin d'Arves, a ski resort that
attracts just as many bicycle events when there is no snow, as
ski events in winter. From here the road follows the valley
bottom and descends rapidly towards St Jean de Maurienne.
If looking for the turnoff up Col
du Mollard, the descend on the main road from the top Croix
de Fere, goes well past St Jean d'Arves. The turnoff follows a
small damn and is signed. My Michelin map seems to show a
completely different picture.
telephoto picture of Aigles s'Arvres from top of Col de la Croix
de Fere
History-Cycling. The
pass has been a favorite of Tour de France route pickers only
since after WW2. But between 1947 and 2012, 16 stages crossed
the top.
Dayride with this pass as highest summit:
Col de la Croix de Fere, Col
du Mollard: St Alban des Villards > Col du
Glandon(shp) > Col de la Croix de Fere > St Jean d'Arves
> Col du Mollard > Albiez le Viex > Albiez le Jeune
> Villargondran > St Jean de Maurienne > St Etienne
de Cuines > sp: 52.8miles with 6940ft of climbingin 5:31hrs
(VDO MC1.0 m4:12.6.15).
Notes: on a hot and sunny
day in June
The last summit ride with different start and end points on
this Extended Tour was: Col
du Glandon
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left: the jct with Col du Glandon, as well as its
summit, can be seen on the right side of this picture,
while riding to the summit of Col de la Croix de Fere
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Passes in Europe
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