{"id":75235,"date":"2023-06-26T17:47:12","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T15:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centcols.org\/?page_id=75235"},"modified":"2025-10-17T20:02:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T18:02:42","slug":"anecdotes-bra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/anecdotes-bra\/","title":{"rendered":"Anecdotes and stories from the BRA (Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In anticipation of the next ARO (on 51<sup>th<\/sup>), which will take place on 15 and 16 July, and after publication of an article. <a href=\"https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/139055-un-peu-dhistoire-et-de-geographie-au-sujet-des-cols-du-bra-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A bit of history and geography on the subject of the BRA 2023 passes on the site of the Grenoble cyclotourists CTG - BRA<\/a> and a message on this subject on the LDD (21 March 2023), numerous reactions from CCC were received. They are the subject of the \"VERBATIM\" reproduced below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">These messages recounting various adventures experienced by CCCs on the roads of the ARO gave rise to the idea of writing a more exhaustive article bringing together these accounts. A brief description of this article (and the link) can be found below after the verbatim report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This article presented the cyclomontane route, which allows you to admire ....<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>in the distance from the <a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-1924\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Glandon pass<\/a> Mont Blanc,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>from <a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-2064a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Croix de Fer pass<\/a> The Aiguilles d'Arve<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>from <a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-05-2642a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Galibier pass<\/a> The Massif des \u00c9crins and La Meije<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>The BRA will enable you to visit 8 passes (9 for the Super-BRA), including 4 over 2000 m.<\/strong>&nbsp; ....<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-2064a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Col de la Croix de Fer<\/a><\/strong>(and close to the course <strong>&nbsp;the Col du Glandon<\/strong>) <br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-1638\">Col du Mollard<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-1566\">Col du T\u00e9l\u00e9graphe<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-1522\">The Pass<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-73-2406\">Collet de Plan Nicolas<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-05-2642a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Galibier pass<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-05-2057\">Col du Lautaret<\/a><\/strong><br>And for the Super-BRA on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/util\/geo\/visu.php\/?code=FR-38-1999\">Col de Sarenne<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The article will remind you, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Saint-Empire-Romain-Germanique.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Saint-Empire-Romain-Germanique.jpg 900w, https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Saint-Empire-Romain-Germanique-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>To the north-west of the Brian\u00e7on escarpment: the Galibier pass<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">that if the route is located in the d\u00e9partements of Is\u00e8re, Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, these regions were formerly known as the Holy Roman German Empire, the Kingdom of Sardinia, the D\u00e9partement du Mont-Blanc, the R\u00e9publique des Escartons, etc. ...<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">that the roads you will be using have suffered a few setbacks ... in particular the collapse of the Croix de Fer road in 1989 and the Chambon tunnel in 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"744\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BRA-Eboulement.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87981\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover;width:500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BRA-Eboulement.jpg 992w, https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BRA-Eboulement-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The 1989 landslide from the Pic Bunard; on the right, the new (steep!) road on the left bank of the Eau d'Olle, leading to the Cols du Glandon and de la Croix de Fer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The verbatim report<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">These are the reactions of the LDD CCCs to G\u00e9rard Galland's messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Hello everyone,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>While trying to clarify certain points of history concerning the first AROs (a job in progress with G\u00e9rard Galland), I realised that many modern sources gave incorrect dates for the opening of the new Galibier route (south side). So I dug a little deeper and published a short article on the subject on my club's website, which you can read at this address:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/177646-histoire-et-histoires-du-b-r-a-premiere-partie\">https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/177646-histoire-et-histoires-du-b-r-a-premiere-partie<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All the best,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Lucien Chevalier (CC 1300)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Hello Lucien,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>and my respects to a member who joined the Club shortly before me (1300 against 1364! :-) Very interesting article, well done for the documentary research! Do we know the identity of the cyclotourist photographed in 1979 wearing a checked shirt that would not be disowned by a certain Christophe Guitton? (or Michel Mathieu, of course, but he must have been a bit too young at the time for it to be him, and it's not easy to recognise him from the back).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>For the sake of completeness, shouldn't we mention the recent history of the closure and partial reopening of the tunnel?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>I'm copying here the very brief Wikipedia article on this subject: \"Drilled in 1891 and the last link in this road linking the Hautes-Alpes and Savoie, the tunnel was closed to traffic in 1976 because it was considered to be dilapidated, and replaced by the road over the pass. Renovated in 2002, it was reopened to alternating and partial traffic; cyclists and pedestrians are not allowed to use it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>My personal memory is of going through the tunnel in 1974 for my first Galibier (on the easier south side to start with) and of going over the Col G\u00e9o in 1976 for my 2nd Galibier.<sup>th<\/sup> Galibier (on the north side this time, climbed from St-Michel).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>So for a long time I wondered whether the tunnel was closed in 1975 or 1976. Ideally, a detailed article should provide the answer to this question.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>A subsidiary question that's been nagging at me (yes, yes): did our eminent member no. 5000, Eddy Merckx, ever cross the Galibier via the geographical pass? I don't think so, and that's why I think that the tunnel, like other tunnels of the same type, should have its own reference in the catalogue, so that Eddy can count the tunnel and not the pass :-) On the other hand, I'm absolutely certain that my father, who could enter the Cent Cols posthumously, only ever passed through the tunnel on his many ascents of the pass.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Kind regards,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jean-Michel Clausse (CC 1364)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Hello,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>I crossed the Galibier twice in 1975 (on 22\/7 NS and 16\/8 SN), both times via the tunnel.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claude Morin (CC 222)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Good evening everyone,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Claude, we may have crossed paths on 22\/7\/1975, depending on whether you then went down to Brian\u00e7on or not ...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>At the time, I was doing my first solo tour of the French Alps, and that day and the next day I'd ridden with two lanky Californians who were doing a Nice-Frankfurt itinerary on beautiful bikes with racers' gears and a saddle bag lighter than my front panniers, but at a cyclotourist's pace that suited me fine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>We'd met in Guillestre on the morning of the 22nd, climbed the Col de l'Izoard together and then made a date to meet up at the Col du Lautaret for the end of the day, while I'd spent a good while radiating in Brian\u00e7on at a grumpy bike shop, which had helped me out more or less free of charge, no doubt taking pity on the helpless youngster in his white cap and white surtout that I was. We had eaten together that evening at the H\u00f4tel des Glaciers on the Col du Lautaret.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>The next day, we set off together from the Col du Lautaret to reach the Galibier tunnel, I presume at around 8.30 am according to my notes, it was the last year without summer time, the day was getting up an hour earlier ... After the descent, we split up at St-Michel de Maurienne, they leaving for the Col de l'Iseran and I for the Col de la Croix de Fer, which I didn't know yet ...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>A slightly dated photo taken on 23\/7\/1975 at the southern entrance to the tunnel shows the three of us with our mounts, mine less elegant in stovepipes being partially hidden by a signpost.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"477\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/1975_Galibier3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87986\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Best regards,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marc Liaudon (CC 289)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>PS: thanks to CT Grenoble, especially Lucien, for this nice article.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Hello Jean-Michel and everyone else,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>The cyclotourist pictured is not one of the colleagues you mention. He's never been a centcolist, although he's climbed more than enough passes to become one.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Yes, I didn't mention the last episode of the tunnel. It was closed at the end of the 75 season, and replaced the following year by the summit road, the geographical pass thus becoming roadworthy for the 3rd time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>The southern slope is much easier, but only as far as the tunnel. For the road above, the opposite is true. Cyclists from the Romanche valley who are used to the Galibier climb the south side, cross the tunnel (it's forbidden) and finish on the north side.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>For Merckx, it must have been possible to find out by consulting the sporting press of the time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>All the best,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lucien Chevalier (CC 1300)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Good evening everyone,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Thanks Marc, I love your photo ... and I'm taking the liberty (a posteriori!!!) of asking your permission to include it in my BRA 2023 slideshow: the passes ... (it's already done!!!). This slideshow illustrates the article we discussed on the list more than 2 months ago - that was in March.\u00a0<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/139055-un-peu-dhistoire-et-de-geographie-au-sujet-des-cols-du-bra-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/139055-un-peu-dhistoire-et-de-geographie-au-sujet-des-cols-du-bra-2023<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>&nbsp;In 1977, the BRA passed over the geographical pass for the first time... we'll be talking about this again soon in an article entitled \"Anecdotes and stories from the BRA\", in which Lucien and I have reproduced some of your comments (particularly about the 1977 edition).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>&nbsp;Best regards to you all ... and see you soon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>G\u00e9rard GALLAND<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Hi everyone,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Thank you G\u00e9rard, what nerve, but what an honour next to this moustachioed champion in red, white and blue!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>For the record, among my two Californian sidekicks with their rock star looks, I chatted mainly with the tall, dark-haired guy called Bill, who was an engineer at HP - a real class act back then!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>On the climbs, he pulled his huge gear, sometimes balancing like a dancer. On the descent after Plan-Lachat, he had a puncture which he repaired very quickly, before suffering a serious stomach ache on the Valloire side. I hope that 48 years later he's still with us and that he still remembers that descent of the Col du Galibier.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>For the record, Claude Morin wrote back to me personally and it's possible that we met on 22 July 1975 near Brian\u00e7on.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Lastly, I had a strong headwind going up from Brian\u00e7on to the Col du Lautaret, and it almost never changed the many times I've had the opportunity to cycle that route, and I imagine that's the case for many of us. And all things considered, because our speeds aren't comparable, we remember Andy Schleck's feat in the Tour on 21 July 2011, when he too struggled against the wind on this part of the route before triumphing on the Col du Galibier.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Greetings Cent-Cols,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marc Liaudon (CC 289)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Good evening to everyone and to you Marc, you're a real bible with your posts always backed up by images and extracts from your writings, just like other CCCs (G Galland, G Garcin, and others...) I'm enjoying myself while waiting to try and get my nail back!&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>By the way, thank you and well done to all the editors: the magnificent 2023 magazine we received at La Mandallaz yesterday (with a nice article by our club cyclo buddy Ollivier Tocqueville on pages 103\/109 ). Like the others, it's a pleasure to read this edition.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Good night, cyclists, because tomorrow many of you will be riding, pushing or carrying your bikes!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Skinny cat, Gilbert Roy (CC 4113)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>In 2011 I was doing the BRA and as <strong>I didn't understand French<\/strong>I kept pedalling (easy for a Dutch speaker).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>We set off from Vizille at 6am on Sunday morning. 3km from the summit of the Croix de Fer (junction with the Col de Glandon) it started to rain. Then it started to rain harder, hail, snow, quite a strong wind, cold...<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Saint-Michel de Maurienne: coach ready to take us (my answer: I haven't booked, I don't have a ticket...).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Valloire: coach ready to take us (my answer: I haven't booked, I don't have a ticket...).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Before the summit of the Galibier: a car with members of the CTG passes me and asks if I want to stop: no, I carry on, it's just a bit of snow.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Galibier summit: snow and strong wind; I eat a little and start the descent. After a few bends, the gendarmerie comes up with sirens, but I pretend and continue on towards Le Lautaret.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>La Grave: the fire brigade stopped me with my bike inside the building. I think they're looking at my bike too much (are they trying to steal my bike?), so I leave the building and head down towards Lac de Chambon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Fork in the road: BRA or Super-BRA? Don't hesitate: I'm registered for the Super-BRA! The ravito point has gone as I pass it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Bourg d'Oisans: refito in a place full of cyclists who have dropped out; I spot someone I know from the Manosque club. Everyone is shivering from the cold. No candidates to accompany me to the finish.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Vizille: arrival.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>I often have to open and close my mackintosh while hiking to avoid overheating\/cooling down.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hugo Suy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The collection, in a roughly chronological file, of these testimonies from Centcolistes who had shared adventures they had experienced during their participation in previous BRAs has led to an article bringing together all the information available on the subject of the BRA, since its creation by Gustave Darchieux in 1936.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BRA77-1200x821-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85730\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">BRA 1977: on the Croix de fer pass<br><em>(photo Andr\u00e9 Rudaz)<\/em><br>But what does the safety delegate do?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"275\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/BRA81.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87982\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">17 July 1981: Snow - BRA cancelled<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BRA-Carte-eboulement.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-87979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BRA-Carte-eboulement.jpg 860w, https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BRA-Carte-eboulement-768x416.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">BRA 2017 - The landslide in the Chambon tunnel and the rescue road (now a greenway)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Initially, the aim was simply to gather accounts from participants, but during the writing of this report, the authors sought to gather together everything that was available, including organisers' memories, participation figures, the direction of the route and any modifications, the creation of the cyclomontagnardes in two days, recent or old press articles (in particular Cyclo-magazine articles from the 40s and 50s digitised by the BNF). However, there are still some major gaps, particularly for the 50s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This article - which only needs to be completed - is available on the CTG - BRA website:<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/177646-histoire-et-histoires-du-b-r-a-premiere-partie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">History and stories of the ARO, Part 1<\/a>&nbsp; and&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cyclotouristes-grenoblois.assoconnect.com\/articles\/177945-histoire-et-histoires-du-b-r-a-deuxieme-partie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">History and stories of the ARO, part 2<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>En pr\u00e9vision du prochain BRA (le 51\u00e9me) qui aura lieu les 15 et 16 juillet prochain et apr\u00e8s publication d\u2019un article. Un peu d\u2019histoire et de g\u00e9ographie au sujet des cols du BRA 2023 &nbsp;sur le site des cyclotouristes grenoblois CTG &#8211; BRA et un message \u00e0 ce sujet sur la LDD (21 mars 2023), [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":87986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-documentaires"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Anecdotes et histoires du BRA (Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes) - Club des Cent Cols<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/anecdotes-bra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Anecdotes et histoires du BRA (Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes) - Club des Cent Cols\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"En pr\u00e9vision du prochain BRA (le 51\u00e9me) qui aura lieu les 15 et 16 juillet prochain et apr\u00e8s publication d\u2019un article. Un peu d\u2019histoire et de g\u00e9ographie au sujet des cols du BRA 2023 &nbsp;sur le site des cyclotouristes grenoblois CTG &#8211; BRA et un message \u00e0 ce sujet sur la LDD (21 mars 2023), [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/en\/anecdotes-bra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Club des Cent Cols\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/5261880558\/?locale=fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-06-26T15:47:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-17T18:02:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/1975_Galibier3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"477\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Webmestre\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Webmestre\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Webmestre\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/#\/schema\/person\/911b404fb133d8c913dd27cdcf71c8e5\"},\"headline\":\"Anecdotes et histoires du BRA (Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes)\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-26T15:47:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-17T18:02:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/\"},\"wordCount\":2367,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/1975_Galibier3.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Documentaires\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/anecdotes-bra\/\",\"name\":\"Anecdotes et histoires du BRA (Brevet de Randonneur des Alpes) - 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