Both variants of the tour start in the dreamy village of Charmey, climb up into sparsely populated valleys to warm up, first gently to Jaun, then over hearty ramps between cow pastures up to the Mittelberg Pass, the toughest ascent of both tours. In the valley town of Saanen, the cycling spirits are divided. Connoisseurs turn right and swing between the magnificent chalets of the cheese barons through the Pays-d'Enhaut, the Vaud Oberland, while ambitious men and women extend the route southwards. They hurtle towards Gsteig at the back of the Saanen valley and then, before they know it, roll over the Col du Pillon, a gentle piece of road construction. But they mustn't waste any energy in their exuberance, because the last pass, the Col des Mosses, still has a few steep climbs in store, and they also need to stock up on a few Gruyère calories for the last stretch up to Charmey.
STRIKES
- 76 km, 1,073 metres in altitude
- 115 km, 1,917 metres altitude
COSTS
- Per person 70 CHF / 60 Euro to 90 CHF / 75 Euro, depending on the date of registration. The same rate per participant in teams of 4 or 5, plus CHF 50 / 45 Euro fee per team. Special rate during the Tour de Romandie.
OVERNIGHT STAY
- see Homepage
OTHER
- Catering and spaghetti party
INFO & REGISTRATION
31 August 2014 | Gruyère Cycling Tour | Charmey
