French Alps

Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier, Col du Tourmalet. The heartland of grand tour climbing.

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Cycling Base Cities in French Alps

Annecy

Ringed by mountains and centred on its turquoise lake, Annecy pairs a flat, car-free lakeside path with serious climbing on the Col de la Forclaz, the Semnoz and the Montée du Plateau des Glières. It's an ideal base for riders who want family-friendly miles and Tour-grade cols from the same town.

461m elev

Bourg-d'Oisans

Bourg-d'Oisans sits at the foot of Alpe d'Huez and its 21 iconic hairpins, but that's only the start — the Col du Galibier, Croix de Fer, Télégraphe and the fearsome Col de Sarenne all fan out from the valley. Few places pack this many legendary climbs into such a small radius.

728m elev

Briançon

The highest town in the Alps, Briançon is encircled by giants: the Col d'Izoard with its lunar Casse Déserte, the Galibier, the Col du Granon and the Montgenèvre toward Italy. Thin air and long, consistent gradients make it a proving ground for climbers.

1219m elev

Chamonix

Beneath the summit of Mont Blanc, Chamonix offers dramatic valley riding and stiff climbs like the Col des Montets and the road to the Emosson dam across the Swiss border. The scenery is world-class and the passes toward the Aravis and Switzerland open up big alpine days.

1036m elev

Grenoble

The mountains begin where the streets end: Col du Coq, Col de Palaquit and Col de la Charmette climb straight out of town into the Chartreuse, while a flat valley run up the Romanche opens the door to Alpe d'Huez and the Col de Sarenne. Flat approaches make for easy warm-ups, the alpine tarmac is well kept, and a lively student city means trains, bike shops and late dinners after long days in the high country.

217m elev

Region Info

CountryFrance
Base Cities5
Routes0

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