Route de grande alpes in mid April

[akadk]

Hey guys

Doing a shot trip mid April

Currently only going as south as the Black Forest but wondering how much of the Route de Grande Alpes is possible at that time of year....obv the high stuff will be closed but does that mean avoid, or still fun?

Any experience ?

Thanks

[SmilerFTM]

All of the high stuff will still be closed I would think. I did a lot of it in late June a few years back and some of the higher passes were still closed then. Ski resorts are still up and running in April so you've got little-no chance. Big detours would be needed

[SmilerFTM]

It is an amazing route though, I had an awesome time driving along it and even the detours I took were incredible

[akadk]

yeah i will do it later in the year, Sept probably

but just wondered if worth doing in mid April and obviously doing the detours around the high stuff, question is a) are they still fun b) do they add massive mileage / time ?

[Cabrony]

Sorry to hijack but is it worth doing it in full; Nice to Lac Leman?

[AdiT]

Some great roads but I'd say all the good bits will be closed in April and the detours either long or boring... or both.

[Cabrony]

Sorry to hijack but is it worth doing it in full; Nice to Lac Leman?

[Logbert]

Definatly worth doing the full route , we did it in June two years ago and they where still clearing snow of one of the higher passes. Great roads and for the most of it fairly quiet.

[SmilerFTM]

akadk said:

yeah i will do it later in the year, Sept probably

but just wondered if worth doing in mid April and obviously doing the detours around the high stuff, question is a) are they still fun b) do they add massive mileage / time ?

The vast majority of the route is heading up to a pass or away from one. You won't be able to do much of it without very long detours I wouldn't think. I did one detour because of a closed road (still too much snow in top) in June 2013 and going around the pass added an extra hour into my journey. In April pretty much all 17 passes will be closed, that's a hell of a lot of detouring.