The Col du Télégraphe is the short, wooded climb that every rider must make before the great ascent of the Galibier, and it is easy to dismiss as a warm-up. At 1,566 metres, it is not high, but it lies in a deep, green valley, the Maurienne, between the town of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and the ski village of Valloire, and the road is a steady, enjoyable climb through spruce and beech forest, with a good surface and a regular rhythm of hairpins.
The name comes from the optical telegraph, an early system of semaphore towers designed by Claude Chappe in the late eighteenth century to relay messages across France. A tower stood on this pass, and the name stuck. Just beside the road is the Fort du Télégraphe, built in the 1890s as part of the defences facing Italy, one of a chain of fortresses that guarded the Alpine frontier. The fort stands among the trees above the road, and it is open to visitors in summer.
The Maurienne valley itself has a long history as a trade and military route. Hannibal is said, by some historians, to have crossed the Alps in this region, and Roman, Savoyard, and French armies all marched through. The valley is also a heavily industrial corridor, with factories and the railway to Italy, and the contrast between the grey valley floor and the green slopes above is stark. The pass is a regular on the Tour de France, and in summer the road is full of cyclists, so expect to share it.
For fuel, Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, about two and a half kilometres below, has stations and supermarkets, and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, farther down the valley, is the bigger town. Valloire, on the far side of the pass, has more services. At the top, there is a small cafe and a few spots to park. The pass is generally open year-round, though snow can fall in winter, and the Galibier beyond it closes for months. Early mornings are best for quiet riding, and the descent to Valloire is a lovely, gentle run, with views of the Galibier massif opening in front of you.