Mud-club

Chat & Social => The Bar - General Chat => Topic started by: smo on November 30, 2006, 19:56:53

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: smo on November 30, 2006, 19:56:53

Anyone care to enlighten me as to what it is, i gather is a non-competetive play in the snow in france, or something?

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: Bush Tucker Man on November 30, 2006, 20:08:48

Point to point, with a 'Tulip' road book

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: smo on November 30, 2006, 20:15:54

Youll have to elaborate BTM, whats a Tulip roadbook?

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: Bush Tucker Man on November 30, 2006, 20:41:25

Quote from: "smo"

Youll have to elaborate BTM, whats a Tulip roadbook?

It's a schematic map.
Instead of showing all the erroneous detail (buildings, churches, etc.....) it simply shows each road junction, the distances & directions to be taken

This was the first link I found; see 4th item down (http://www.donbarrow.co.uk/navigational_bits_and_bobs.html)

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: smo on November 30, 2006, 20:50:44

Aah i see what you mean now, i always thought they were really confusing but i guess its like any map when you learn to read them properly?

So has anyone partaken in the CB and have any more info? Reason i ask is it was mentioned on another forum in a convo about snow chains and got my interest as i'd love to "play" in the snowey mountains.

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: fatusbloke on November 30, 2006, 21:33:54

See here :)
  http://www.grands-randonneurs-motorises.com/

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: Lee_D on November 30, 2006, 21:40:14

Did someone say Snowy mountains? you have my attention  :D

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: TDi90 on November 30, 2006, 21:50:42

and mine  :)

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: ibexman on November 30, 2006, 22:19:35

Yes, I did it in 2004.  It is an excellent event.  Non-competetive and is run over 4 days.

Day 1 is a short prologue day and then the other 3 days are full days.

You are given a road book each day which has the tulips in and off you go.  A trip meter is essential.

Early starts are the order of the day if you dont want to get stuck in queues.

There are some pictures of it in my gallery.

Realistically its a two day drive each way, its in the southern alps, based at a ski resort called Orcierres and its always at the end of January.

Obviously conditions are variable but when we went there was very heavy snow all week - I'm talking feet of the stuff each night.  It was also about -20 each night

The driving is not terribly difficult although there are a few tricky descents.  You could get round in a fairly standard truck although tall tyres help with clearance.

Good quality chains - 2 sets- are essential and the scrutineers are pretty particular about that - we used Pewag Austro Supers.  If you turn up with the cheap and cheerful sets that you can buy in french supermarkets they won't let you drive.

If you want more info, please ask and I'll dig out my file.

The organisers, GRM, organise good events and the Trophee Cevenol is another good one.

Go and do them - you will not be disappointed.

Regards

Dom

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: smo on November 30, 2006, 22:55:47

Cheers Dom - sounds fantastic, i shall take a look at the pics tomorrow.

fatusbloke - i found that site, sadly it mean nothing as i dont speak french!

Title: The Croisiere Blanche?
Post by: SteveG on December 01, 2006, 08:55:23

smo also PM Petergg on LR4x4.com, Peter goes every year and knows the event well, but he'll give you an unbiased view on what it's like.

Cheers

Steve