EFR Island Circuit ~ 4* Medio Fondo
Who's it for?
This circuit caters for the rider who has completed the
3* Corto Fondo Ride, and wants
something to stretch them even further. If you enjoy the
challenge of the hills, this course is ideal for you. Take
an extra water bottle!
Course Description
Starting at the Sugar Basin Slip, head west to the bottom
of St Aubin and climb up Mont Le Vaux, the first of our ten hills.
Keep the Shell Garden on your right and ascend to
the very top of the climb at Noirmont Corner Shop. Keep on
the main road, but this time, as you pass the lay-by bus stop,
drop down left in to St Brelade's Bay. Pass straight
through the other side and take the ever steepening climb of La
Marquandrie to leave the bay. At the top, turn left and
head for La Moye Garage.
Go past the garage
and take the first left to head for Corbiere Lighthouse. As you drop in to the bay, be aware of the strong cross winds.
Climb out
the long sloping side and just as you hit the crest, you clear
the 10 km marker. Carry on for
500 metres, turn right just before the garage and drop down La Pulente
in to St Ouen's Bay and hope you have a tail wind. Ride all the way to the end of the bay and follow the road
around, and keep going until you reach the foot of Hydrangea,
where you turn left to pass the L'Etacq Woodcraft and head down
to the point and Stinky Bay. Round the point, and climb
out of L'Etacq, up the steep climb until you reach the top of
the headland where you take the first left, and hit the 20
km marker.
Follow the road around to Les Landes Race Course. Keep on this road all the way to the
top of Greve de Lecq and drop down in to the bay. The long drag out of the bay
is the day's fifth climb which brings us out at St Mary's 20 mph lane
and the Ecole Francaise. Carry on for around 300 metres
and at the West View Hotel, take a left turn and head down Le
Grand Rue. At the first fork in
the road, go right, past the old Butterfly Farm, and head for
Mourier Valley and the north coast. At the top of the very
steep and bumpy Mont de Barcelone, turn left down the 15 mph
lane, at the end of which, is the 30 km marker.
Once on the north coast, head for Ronez Quarry and beyond.
Keep going all
the way to the end of the road, where you find the steep Quarry Hill.
Take a left at the top and follow this narrow road until you get to
the yellow line. From there, take a right and continue until you get to
La Route du Mont Mado, where you turn left. Follow this road all the way back
to St John's Main Road, where you turn left again and head to
Haute Croix. Pass through Haute Croix
junction and as with the other routes, head for
Trinity Church and keep going until you hit the Parish hall
junction. Take a right and a
left and pick up the
main road heading for Durrell Wildlife. But you turn off
before you get there. After the church you
crest a rise, and as you drop down you take a tight left kink
with a high wall alongside it and head for a sharp right. This is where you turn "left" down the short Rue du Becquet and
head for the top of Rozel, and the Route des Cotes du Nord.
If you miss it and go past the "zoo", take the next turn left
and you'll get to Rozel that way. Safely drop in to
Rozel, as you start the steep descent you reach the 40 km
marker. As you leave the harbour you begin the
short, steep climb out of the bay. After the main climb
ends there is a long drag of 300 metres, where the road turns
sharp left. Carry on for a further 100 metres and take the
next left to head towards St Catherine's. Follow the road,
without turning off, until you reach the junction at St
Catherine's Walk. Take a left and do the loop around St
Catherine's breakwater until you return to the junction you've
just departed. Turn left again and head for Archirondel, Gorey Castle
and beyond. Keep
going, follow the road and drop down off the top
of the island, in to Gorey. It's now a "straight" run in,
along the flat coast road, all the way back to town. As you
pass the flower gardens, you hit the 50 km marker. Follow the coast road all the way back to town.
As you
pass the Victor Hugo Buildings, you hit the 60 km marker.
It's now just a short run to Harve des
Pas and the final climb of the day, the
deceptively challenging Mount Bingham. Drop down on to
the sea front and pass the Old Harbour, heading for town. When you get to the Normans Building, just before the Steam
Clock, you've reached your destination. A great,
challenging ride completed. Well done.
Course Profile
Distance and elevation, 63 kms long, 614 metres of climbing.
What Next?
What's a Fondo?
Here's a
selection of the
European events we've taken part in over the last
decade... The French and other European's call them
cyclo-sportives.
Garmin Course Download...
How did I do?
Now you've ridden the circuit, why not open a Strava account and
upload your results to their site and join
Equipe Flamme Rouge, it's all free to compare your
results to those of other riders in the island.
The view that greets you at the 20 km marker
St Ouen's Bay from L'Etacq ~ Photo David Madden
Ten climbs; St Aubin's Hill, La Marquandrie,
Corbiere, L'Etacq, Greve de Lecq, Mourier Valley, Quarry Hill,
Rozel, Gorey Castle, Mount Bingham.
When you can comfortably tackle this rides 63
kilometres you're ready to tackle the
5* Gran Fondo
Ride. A little longer, a lot hillier, and much harder;
but you're ready.
A Fondo is an Italian-style, organized, timed, cycling event.
They're not just a bike ride, they're a way of life in Italy.
The glorification of everything that makes being a cyclist one
of the most rewarding pastimes, sports, lifestyles there is.
The food, the people, the atmosphere make it a day you will
never forget. Medio, is Italian for medium!.
Follow the link below and download the ride to your Garmin of choice and just follow the directions,
couldn't be easier. But keep your eyes on the road at all
times and keep safe... 
