The Col Locals Ride When They're Sick of Alpe d'Huez

The Col d'Ornon is the climb locals ride when they're sick of Alpe d'Huez. Same valley. Same mountains. A fraction of the traffic. First ridden in the Tour de France in 1952, it sits in the shadow of its famous neighbour — which is exactly why it's still quiet. I lived in Bourg d'Oisans for 12 years. I've ridden the Col d'Ornon more times than I can count. This is my honest take on why it's worth your time — and one thing you need to know before you descend it. The climb 10 km from Bourg d'Oisans to the summit at 1,371 m Average gradient 4.8% — Category 2 Smooth tarmac, wide curves, Alpine switchbacks The turn-off to Oulles (7 km, 7% average) is the best detour in the area Why ride it Rest-day climb if you're tackling Alpe d'Huez or the Galibier Proper introduction to Alpine cycling without the crowds Connects to some of the best hidden cols in the Oisans — Villard Reymond, Col du Solude, Pas de la Confession One warning My son was hit by a car descending this road in 2023. He's fine. But there's a specific section where drivers cut across the lines on the way down. Stay right. Watch the video for where. Riding in the Alpe d'Huez region? Free GPX of this exact route Drop a comment below and grab it here: https://morethan21bends.com/col-d-orn... Looking for a bike that actually fits? Carbon all-road bikes for riders who want to enjoy the Alps, not just survive them. Properly fitted on arrival, adjusted through your trip, set up for long days in the mountains. https://morethan21bends.com/bike-rent... More quiet climbs in the area My full Cycling in the Oisans playlist:    • Cycling in the Oisans - Alpe d'Huez   Like & Subscribe: If you’ve climbed Col d’Ornon, let me know in the comments. Which Oisans climbs are your favourites — Alpe d’Huez, Croix de Fer, or Galibier? Don’t forget to subscribe — it’s free and helps me make more videos exploring cycling in France. Honest picks — I actually own and use all of these. These are affiliate links, so I get a small commission if you buy through them (at no extra cost to you). It helps keep the channel going. Camera — Insta360 Ace Pro 2 My main camera for cycling videos. 8K, flips up for vlogging, sharp in low light. Replaced my old action cam and I haven't looked back. https://amzn.to/4qMBP7I 360° camera — Insta360 X-series For the wide shots and the moving footage where you want to reframe later. Worth it if you're filming rides solo. https://amzn.to/3OocaVg Microphone — Hollyland Lark A1 Clip-on wireless mic. Clean audio even in wind. Single biggest upgrade to video quality I've made — a good mic matters more than a better camera. https://amzn.to/3ZJ3oUf Bike computer — iGPSPORT What I use for route recording and navigation. Solid alternative to Garmin at half the price. https://amzn.to/4r1Mg7D Tripod Large, stable, survives being left out in the Alps. https://amzn.to/4aCpcGd Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends #ColdOrnon #OisansCycling #AlpesCycling #AlpedHuezAlternative #TourdeFranceClimb #ScenicAlpineCycling #cyclingfrance