Forbidden French passes
More than one cyclist, mountain biker or mountain bike enthusiast has found themselves in this frustrating situation one day: a tempting pass within reach, or almost within reach, of their wheels, only to have a deterrent or even threatening sign forbidding passage. What should you do? Ignore it? It can be costly if you're on the edge of a protected area. Elsewhere, you may be confronted with situations that are as unexpected as they are delicate: an encounter with a hound whose intentions are nothing less than peaceful, or an aggressive owner (when he's not armed).
To avoid this kind of problem for curious pass hunters, the CCC decided to launch a study into the issue in 2006. The aim of this work was twofold: to inform hunters of the existing bans (whatever their more or less legal basis: while some bans are statutory, others are not), and to inform hunters of the rules that apply to them. [1]We should also look at a phenomenon that is tending to spread to certain rural areas: the de facto privatisation of public roads. In the light of certain testimonies, there are bans that amount to an abuse of power on the part of local residents who benefit from the passivity of the public authorities. In the long term, this drift risks compromising our practice in certain regions.
This list only includes passes that are more or less accessible to more or less "normal" climbers (if an off-tarmac pass hunter can be considered a "normal" individual). Therefore, we have not included cols rated S4 or S5 which require acrobatic climbing, such as the Brèche de la Meije or the Col de la Temple. This initial inventory, which does not claim to be exhaustive, is open to additions, comments and criticisms from users. The situation is not set in stone, and new limitations and prohibitions may emerge. In addition, it is not always easy to appreciate the more or less categorical and absolute nature of the bans. The classic "traffic at user's own risk" sign is simply a disclaimer and should not be taken as synonymous with a prohibition. Conversely, the formulas "passage interdit" or "vélos interdits" are unambiguous, but what are we to think of "interdit sauf usagers de la forêt / sauf ayants-droit" and other (more or less rusty) no-entry signs without the slightest comment?
Jean-Paul Zuanon, April 2010
[1] PNE: Ecrins National Park; PNM: Mercantour National Park; PNV: Vanoise National Park
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