Arêches Beaufort

Arêches-Beaufort, the 4 seasons of Beaufortain

Massif du Beaufortain
Departement and Region: Savoie and Auvergne Rhône-Alpes (AURA)
Main passes : Cormet de Roselend, Col du Pré
Etape sur Route des Grandes Alpes® : Le Grand-Bornand / Beaufort-sur-Doron, Beaufort-sur-Doron / Bourg-Saint-Maurice,
Gravel Route des Grandes Alpes® stage: Flumet / Arêches-Beaufort, Arêches / Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Summary

Suggestions for cycling loops
Our major passes
Events around cycling
Biking in Arêches-Beaufort
Summer in Arêches-Beaufort
Other seasons
Other events
Services
Testimonials
FAQ
Access
Contacts
Other villages and resorts near Arêches-Beaufort

Suggestions for cycling loops around Arêches-Beaufort

Our grands cols

In terms of cols, Arêches-Beaufort is surrounded by some real pieces of bravery:

The famous and majestic Cormet de Roselend enhanced by the passage along the Barrage de Roselend.
The col du Pré, and the Montée de Bisanne have acquired their letters of nobility since the recent passages of the Tour du France.

Cycling events in Arêches-Beaufort

La Roselende - May 25, 2025: The road is yours! Departing from Beaufort or Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the Cormet de Roselend is yours for a car-free morning. Ride your bike in complete safety, without stress or traffic. With family or friends, enjoy a moment in the fresh air between Tarentaise and Beaufortain, with superb views up to 1968 meters above sea level.
July 20: Passage de l'Etape du Tour®
July 24: Route réservée sur le Col du Pré (to be confirmed)
July 25:Passage du Tour de France®

Origine Cycles

Cycling in Arêches-Beaufort

Nested in the heart of the unspoilt Beaufortain massif, Arêches-Beaufort is rich in cycling diversity. Whether you're a road, gravel or mountain biker, there's something for everyone. From Cormet de Roselend to Cormet d'Arêches, from Plateau de Cuvy and its enduro itineraries to Col du Pré with its oh-so-difficult slopes, everything is there to guarantee a passionate passage in an authentic setting.

Summer in Arêches-Beaufort

Arêches-Beaufort lies at the heart of a natural setting with 500 km of trails. Herds feast on alpine grass, which will yield a fruity, delicious Beaufort cheese in a few months' time while farmers in the valley harvest the hay that will feed the cows over winter.

Hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers discover a marvellous playground, in a preserved and maintained environment, between 750 and 3000 meters altitude, between lakes and forests, streams and alpine pastures with Mont-Blanc as a backdrop. The water is there for fishermen, paddleboarders, canoeists and swimmers. Restaurants and their terraces, in the villages or at altitude allow you to enjoy dishes composed of local produce.

International sporting competitions take place in this setting: Tour de France, Critérium du Dauphiné, Pierra Menta summer, Trail de la Frison Roche,...Traditional festivals and entertainment punctuate the summer, cultural and sporting.

Coming winter

The mountains have donned their white coats and the mountain pastures that saw the cows this summer are coming alive with skiers! The abundance of snow in our resort means that winter sports enthusiasts can take advantage of a ski area at altitudes of between 1050 and 2300m. Other activities include snowshoeing, tobogganing, snow walking and, of course, ski mountaineering or ski touring. The season to enjoy a fondue or beaufort pie prepared by one of the local chefs.

The "Pierra menta" international ski mountaineering race has been held in Arêches-Beaufort for over 35 years, bringing together the world's elite. The mountain is dressed in its white coat, and the mountain pastures that saw the cows this summer come alive with skiers! The abundance of snow in our resort means that lovers of all kinds of winter sports can take advantage of an area between 1050 and 2300 m in altitude.

Other activities include snowshoeing, tobogganing, snow walking and, of course, ski mountaineering or ski touring. The season to enjoy a fondue or beaufort pie prepared by one of the local chefs. The "Pierra menta" international ski mountaineering race has been held in Arêches-Beaufort for over 35 years, bringing together the world's elite. Numerous events for young and old, shows and sporting activities for all are organized.

Other events

Pierra Menta summer: unique mountain race, in teams of two, covering the Beaufortain's finest peaks.

Trail Frison Roche: The event kicks off on Saturday with the Kid Roche and Mini-Frison Roche, 7Km to be completed on a fun walk or run for the more competitive. On Sunday, it's time for the flagship races of the Petite Frison 17Km and La Frison Roche 42Km.

Fête d'Arêches: The second weekend in August sees the Fête du village d'Arêches. Aperitif with fanfare, float parade with a different local theme each year... Fireworks, grand ball, folk groups and entertainment add to the festivities.

Salon du Goût: The Salon du Goût is the meeting place for lovers of generous, gourmet products; it's an opportunity for visitors to talk to producers about their manufacturing secrets, discover cooking recipes, taste new products and buy direct from producers.

Pierra Menta Winter: Famous the world over, the Pierra Menta has seen hundreds of athletes compete over 4 days for over 30 years. In teams of 2, racing between 3 and 6 hours a day, the duos climb 10,000 meters of positive vertical drop, some fifteen passes, steep couloirs and vertiginous ridges...
vélo col du pré

Services

The Tourist Office has 2 offices in Arêches and Beaufort, and several hotels and restaurants are equipped to welcome cyclists. A repair station is available in the center of Beaufort, and there are 2 washing stations in each of the villages.

The map

4 Le Grand-Bornand / Beaufort-sur-Doron

57 km

3 h 48 min

Difficult

This Route des Grandes Alpes® stage between Le Grand-Bornand and Beaufort-sur-Doron passes via La Clusaz, Val d’Arly’s four mountain resorts and that of Les Saisies, plus the village of Hauteluce. You cross between the counties of Haute-Savoie and Savoie. Expect breathtaking views of Mont Blanc, typical mountain villages, plus, in summer, Alpine meadows in flower, ingredients for an unforgettable day’s cycling. It’s made all the better for having two passes to conquer: the Col des Aravis, part of the border between Savoie and Haute Savoie, and the Col des Saisies, gateway to the Beaufortain Range.
NB: Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, a village equidistant between Le Grand-Bornand and La Clusaz, is the starting point for an alternative section, involving two stages, taking you via Annecy Lake.

7 Beaufort-sur-Doron / Bourg-Saint-Maurice

40 km

2 h 38 min

Very difficult

A magnificent Route des Grandes Alpes® stage, taking you between the Beaufortain area and the Tarentaise Valley via breathtaking landscapes. Water accompanies you along the way, while Mont Blanc is never far off. Much closer by, the toothy rocky summit of La Pierre Menta watches over your progress. The route wends its way beside lakes, dams and Alpine meadows and up summits, with the climb to the top of the Cormet de Roselend (1968 m) the highpoint, perched above the lake of the same name. From Bourg-Saint-Maurice, choose either to continue along the classic route in the direction of Val-d’Isère and the Col de l’Iseran pass, or to join the Maurienne Valley along an alternative way via the Col de La Madeleine.

6 Variante Lescheraines / Beaufort-sur-Doron

67 km

4 h 29 min

Difficult

This is a beautiful linking stage on the Route des Grandes Alpes®, marked by the crossing of the Bauges Range, with its Global Geopark, and the discovery of the former Winter Olympics town of Albertville, as well as the climb to the Beaufortain Range. There’s just one pass along the way – the Col du Frêne (950m), gateway to and from the Massif des Bauges, the climb much more challenging when tackled from the south. To avoid the main road between Albertville and Beaufort-sur-Doron, take the short alternative route via the Col des Cyclotouristes (1330m).

4 Le Grand-Bornand / Flumet

42 km

4 h 30 min

Difficult

This stage takes you across the Massif des Aravis Range and its two village-resorts, Le Grand-Bornand and La Clusaz, before making you plunge down into the Val d’Arly, on the border between the two départements (French counties) of Haute-Savoie and Savoie. First, climbing a portion of the Vallée du Bouchet from Le Grand-Bornand village, enjoy the lovely hilly, up-and-down route to the Vallée des Confins and its little lake, at the foot of the typical coombs (steep dry valleys) of the Aravis Range. From here, continue on to La Clusaz, then follow the road up to the Col des Aravis (a pass at an altitude of 1,486m). In the midst of the array of chalet–restaurants at the pass, turn right onto the Route de la Soif, a splendid road perched on high, providing easy cycling and preceding a splendid wild descent to Saint-Nicolas-la-Chapelle, followed by Flumet.

Témoignages

"The Beaufortain is well-suited to Gravel because it's a dynamic agricultural area and there are many tracks leading to the alpine pastures which are ideal for gravel riding... There are also roads deteriorated by winter where it's more comfortable to ride a Gravel bike than a road bike and thus not worry about potholes, gravel..." Florent S.

"The Gravel is a bit of a return to the basics of cycling before mountain bikes existed-it's the ultimate do-it-all bike, and it's also an excellent companion for traveling." Marie-Hélène

"The Cormet d'Arêches and the Col du Coin pass are adventurous routes that sometimes require you to carry your bike, adding a mountaineering aspect to the experience. These routes combine rolling and technical paths, offering a magnificent view over 3 to 4 hours from Arêches-Beaufort." F. Robiot.

FAQ

What's the emblematic cheese of the Beaufortain? The Beaufort, prince of the Gruyères.
What's special about the athletes of Arêches-Beaufort? Touches-at all their discipline of choice remains ski mountaineering, which allows you to ski up into the magnificent untouched spaces of the Beaufortain to reach iconic peaks like the Grand-Mont without touching the ski lifts.
What is Arêches-Beaufort's main asset in winter? its geographical location, which allows for above-average snowfall by capturing maximum precipitation thanks to its proximity to Mont Blanc