Collar of Galibier

See also: Galibier

The collar of Galibier is a collar of the the French Alps. It connects Saint-Michel-with-Maurienne and Briançon via the Col of the Telegraph to north and the Col of Lautaret in the south. This collar is closed the winter.

It is located between the Massif of Arvan-Villards and the Massif of the Rings, in particular the link of the Galibier.

Indicated to 2645 m by the roadway system, but with a real altitude of 2642 m, the collar is frequently the highest point of the Tour de France (except when the Col Iseran, to 2764 m, is crossed). The collar of Galibier was crossed for the first time during this test in 1911.

On the southern slope, at the edge of the road, rises the monument Henri Desgranges, great champion Cycliste of the end of the XIXe century and instigator of the Tour de France, in 1903, which at the head gives place to a reward for the runner passing to the collar at the time of this race. Henri Desgranges will write in the Car at the evening of the first rise of the collar during the Tour de France these some words: “ Oh! Sappey! Oh! Laffrey! Oh! Collar Bayard! Oh! Tourmalet! I will not fail in my duty by proclaiming that beside Galibier you are pale and vulgar bibine: in front of this giant, there is not any more but to draw its bonnet and to greet well low! … ”

Before 1976, the tunnel was the only point of passage at the top, at an altitude of 2556 Mr. Due to restoration, it was closed until in 2002, obliging the layout of the last laces over a one kilometer length on each side, which present a high slope besides. Since, the choice is possible, making it possible to retract the last 100 meters of uneven, by knowing that the work has a 370 meters length for a width of 4 meters which authorizes only one alternate circulation.

The road alignment on the southern slope was completely different until in 1947, date of the construction of the tunnels avalanche barriers between Briançon and the collar of Lautaret.

Random links: