- Balado au Parpaillon - France -

ord13

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One of the last opportunities to ride the Col du Parpaillon in French Alps, before the final closure of its tunnel to motor vehicles, decided by European law concerning tunnels over 500 meters, 520 meters for the Parpaillon, 20 meters less and the tunnel could have been left open :(

 

Longdog Cymru

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Nice video, but what is this about closing tunnels over 500 metres to motor vehicles? There are dozens of tunnels longer than this open to motor vehicles in France, Italy and Switzerland, what’s this all about?
 

ord13

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There are dozens of tunnels longer than this open to motor vehicles in France, Italy and Switzerland, what’s this all about?
There is since 2006 an European law (sometimes called "Loi Mont-Blanc") that applies to road tunnels, and although the Parpaillon does not appear on the map of the Trans-European road network, the Hautes Alpes county authority wants to apply that law to the Parpaillon tunnel, and therefore permanently ban motorcycles, 4X4, quads, etc... and just bicycles, hikers, horses and other short-haired moleskins will be authorized.

The main reason for this ban would be the upgrading and maintenance costs too high to bring this tunnel to European standards, which is admittedly pure bullshit but which will soon be voted on despite several petitions from local and departmental users associations.

Here is a summary of the law in question :

"Decree n ° 2006-1354 of November 8, 2006 relating to the safety of works of the road network and modifying the code of the road network.
This Directive enters into force on April 30, 2004. It is transposed into their internal law by the Member States by April 30, 2006 at the latest.
Complete transposition by the following texts :
- Law n ° 2006-10 of January 5, 2006 relating to security and development of transport.
- Decree n ° 2006-1354 of November 8, 2006 relating to the safety of works of the road network and modifying the code of the road network.
- Order of 8 November 2006 setting the minimum safety requirements applicable to tunnels over 500 meters from the trans-European network."

Vive la france and long live to its crystal-clear politics :oops::(
 

Longdog Cymru

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Thanks ord13 for the detailed explanation. When all is said and done, it comes down to money and the cost of maintaining these rights of way.

I wonder if the lunatic politicians who have shamefully dragged the U.K. out of the European Union under false pretences will follow suit, as although we are sadly destined to leave our neighbours in Europe on 31st. January, we will still be subject to European laws and legislation for some time to come.....!
 

pooh and xtine

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I doubt that the French love of extreme sports and activities sits well with being in a nanny superstate - only the EU could undertake an investigation into the Mont Blanc and Gotthard disasters which results in the closure of iconic military mountain pass tunnels. And forgive me if I’m mistaken, but my understanding is that a democratic vote has taken us out of the EU, not lunatic politicians.
 

Longdog Cymru

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True, it was a democratic vote but it was based on a fabric of lies displayed on the side of a bus and believed by quite a lot of the population of U.K. who really don’t appreciate or understand the benefits of being part of the European Union and who still think Britain has a Commonwealth.

For the record, here are the figures of the “Democratic” vote:

Leave: 17,410,742

Remain: 16,141,241

Did not vote: 12,948,018

Not on the Electoral Register: 18,099,999
 

pooh and xtine

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That is democracy. I’d be cautious of sweeping generalisation about what 17.4 million people did or didn’t understand (or any similar assumption about the 16.1m who voted the other way). And the best you can infer about those who didn’t bother to vote is that they didn’t care whether we remained or left the EU and were happy with whatever the outcome. Those who weren’t on the electoral register are irrelevant in a democracy.

Anyway, back to Tunnel du Parpaillon, I’ve noticed a couple of “exciting” tunnels in the Vercors that have been closed for the past two or three years which don’t look like they’ll ever reopen, probably for the same reason.
 

pooh and xtine

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Yes, ord13, at least the Grand Goulets was replaced with a new tunnel! The tunnel through the Canyon des Ecouges further north seems to have been closed for years.
 

ord13

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It seems that the Canyon des Ecouges is now open to traffic since last November.

Source posted on September 20, 2019 :

"The start of work to protect against falling boulders on the RD35 at the Ecouges canyon has been postponed by a week following the security work in progress in the Bourne gorges (end of construction on Friday September 20 at 5.30 p.m.).
The Route des Ecouges, between Saint-Gervais and Rencurel, will therefore be closed during the day, from September 23 to November 15, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., traffic will be possible on weekends and holidays."
http://www.saintmarcellin-vercors-isere.fr/evenement/8879/4451-toute-l-actualite.htm

And now just have to check it out... :p:cool:
 

ord13

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I had not posted the teaser BEFORE the full video so here it is AFTER the full video, I know this is inappropriate, I make my mother despair... :oops:

 
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