C. Chabod Le Grand Bornand Tourisme

The Tour de France arrives in Le Grand Bornand

C. Hudry - Le Grand Bornand

Final steep ramp on the north side of Colombière

Brice Milbergue

Le Grand-Bornand

Aravis village and resort

Massif des Aravis
Département et Région : Haute-Savoie and Auvergne Rhône-Alpes (AURA)
Principal passes : col de la Colombière, col des Annes
Stage on Route des Grandes Alpes® : from Cluses to Grand-Bornand,from Grand-Bornand to Beaufort-sur-Doron , variant Le Grand-Bornand to Lescheraines
Stage on Route des Grandes Alpes ® Gravel : from Cluses to Le Grand-Bornand , from Grand-Bornand to Flumet

Summary

Suggestions for cycling loops
Our major passes
Events around cycling
Biking in Grand-Bornand
Summer in Grand-Bornand
Other seasons
Other events
Services
Témoignages
FAQ
Access
Contacts
Other villages and resorts near Le Grand-Bornand

Suggestions for cycling loops in Le Grand-Bornand

After crossing the famous col de La Colombière, Route des Grandes Alpes ® first passes through Le Grand-Bornand-Chinaillon, before arriving in the heart of the village, a regular stage on the Tour de France. To make the pleasure last, we suggest the Col des Annes route, 24 km return. An ascent of 800 m D+ with a splendid balcony overlooking the Aravis range, in the heart of the mountain pastures that produce farmhouse Reblochon cheese. Don't miss the potato fritters at the summit. They're worth the detour!

Download the GPX trail

More information

More coolly, from the church in Le Grand-Bornand, we recommend a short 15 km round trip, without much change in altitude, to the Auberge nordique, at the bottom of the Vallée du Bouchet. Magnificent!

Our major moutain passes

In the shadow of the famous col de la Colombière, Col des Annes is the other Bornandin pass. Closing off the Bouchet valley, which stretches the length of the Aravis range from which it reserves the most spectacular view, it is both a walking goal in itself and the starting point for hiking trails through the massif dominated by Pointe Percée, the highest point in the commune of Le Grand-Bornand (2750 m).

The ascent, over 11 km and 800 m of ascent from the village, offers gradients of up to 12.5% on the final 500 m. Suffice it to say that the region's best potato fritters - among other specialties offered by the alpine chalets enlivening the hamlet nestled in the indentation of the pass - are well deserved!

Cycling events in Le Grand-Bornand

"La Grand-Bo" : Sunday, June 29
La grimpée cycliste "Le Bouquetin" : Friday, August 15.

D. Machet-Le Grand-Bornand

Cycling in Grand-Bornand

Le Grand-Bornand is an essential stopover on Route des Grandes Alpes ®, a prestigious tourist route linking Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean via the finest Alpine passes.

Le col de la Colombière remains a classic of the Grand Loop to be climbed (also) on an electrically-assisted bike to register, seemingly or almost, your pedal stroke in the wheel of the Tour de France champions... A hundred or so VAEs are now available from activity providers at the resort, which has also boosted its mountain bike offering with the creation of a children's ludopark, the complete renewal of signposting and the creation of a route map.

T. Vattard

Summer in Le Grand-Bornand

At the height of the summer season, the village located 35 minutes from lac d'Annecy cultivates the art of beautiful encounters mixed with sporting spirit to experience the time of a day in the mountains between sport, nature and culture...
Everything at Le Grand-Bornand exudes authenticity, excellence and good living, in a natural setting conducive to the discovery of a boundless outdoor playground. Le Grand-Bornand offers over 160km of marked hiking trails with magnificent views of the Aravis mountain range and Mont Blanc, and 178km of mountain bike trails for all levels.
There are so many experiences to be had in conjunction with the discovery of artists' studios nestled in some of its oldest chalets (the resort boasts over 400, most of them two-hundred years old), and the cosy boutiques and terraces that make the heart of Le Grand-Bornand beat faster...

Coming back in winter

Skiing at sunset facing the Aravis range, strolling between its ancient chalets, meeting its farmers, artists and craftsmen and meeting up over a famous farmhouse Reblochon: these are all the moments that make a winter vacation in Le Grand-Bornand a unique experience... and help make it a place that belongs to us all a little. With its unspoilt village life, its open panoramas, its varied ski area for all levels of skiers, giving everyone access to the most spectacular viewpoints, its skiing that's both sporty and contemplative among fir trees, chalets and chapels, Le Grand-Bornand attracts lovers of nature and discovery...
Le Grand-Bornand is a snowpark regularly ranked among the 10 most reputed in France, a committed freeride area, a mythical piste : the Dénivel'Maxx with its 3 km length and 1100m vertical drop, the biathlon experience in the heart of the resort, host of the French round of the World Cup... But also the whole range of Nordic and alternative activities...
With the region's most beautiful view of the Aravis mountain range, its fine restaurants, discovering the secrets of Reblochon cheese on the farm, or on the stalls of a market dating back to 1795 where you can savour other local specialities, Le Grand-Bornand has something to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Other events

Glisse en Coeur (March): the French mountain charity event
Au bonheur des Mômes (August): international festival for young audiences
French leg of the BMW-IBU Biathlon World Cup (December)

tour de france femmes — © A.S.O. - Thomas Maheux

Services

A lively year-round village, Le Grand-Bornand offers the full range of shops and services typical of a town center with over 25,000 tourist beds. 142 shops including 4 mini-markets, 48 bars and restaurants, post office, bus station, free public transport (bus), electric vehicle charging station, numerous sports and leisure facilities, etc.

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The map

3 Cluses / Le Grand-Bornand

30 km

1 h 56 min

Difficult

On the menu on this stage is a climb worthy of a Tour de France… of which there are very many along the Route des Grandes Alpes®! Here, you tackle the Col de la Colombière pass. That’s not all, as the stage offers up several Haute-Savoie surprises: the resort of Le Grand-Bornand; the Chartreuse du Reposoir (an historic religious establishment); the Bargy Range; the Aravis Range; and the villages of Le Reposoir and Romme, perched on their natural balconies. If not in a rush, from Le Grand-Bornand village, ride to the end of the Bouchet Valley for a detour you won’t regret!

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.

5 Alternative section Le Grand-Bornand / Lescheraines

74 km

3 h 46 min

Difficult

The " Lake Annecy " variant of the Route des Grandes Alpes® ! We propose you a new itinerary, by the Marais pass, the Val Sulens, Faverges, the green way of the Tour du Lac d'Annecy and its cycle track, until Saint-Jorioz and the ascent of the Leschaux pass. But, you can also embellish the day, by making the loop of the pass of Plan Bois (1299 m), from Thônes. Or, by going to the Semnoz (1670 m), from the col de Leschaux. You can also choose another itinerary towards the lake, by the pass of Bluffy (630 m) and the castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard, one of the architectural jewels of Haute-Savoie.

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.

3 Cluses / Le-Grand-Bornand

40 km

4 h 30 min

Very difficult

You start this stage riding along a track high above the Arve Valley, then you cycle along beside the Bargy chain of mountains before tackling the Col de la Colombière (a pass at 1,613m in altitude) to enter the heart of the Massif des Aravis Range. Leaving from Cluses, follow the alternative Nancy-sur-Cluses / Romme route off the classic Route des Grandes Alpes®, taking you up via Le Reposoir, with its famed chartreuse (charterhouse), to the Col de la Colombière (at 1,613m). Coming down from this pass, break your descent towards Le Grand-Bornand - Le Chinaillon, turning in the direction of the Lac du Maroly and the Col des Annes, then continue descending to the bottom of the Vallée du Bouchet to reach the centre of Le Grand-Bornand village.

colombiere — @Tristan Shu - Annecy Mountains

Testomonials

"What a joy to be at Le Gd Bo! We enjoy every day in this little green paradise" Sophie M. and family

"One of the most beautiful corners of the Alps, a true Haut-Savoyard authenticity" Olivier Blanchard

"The misty climb to the Col de la Colombière was magical. It's a magnificent pass, ideal to climb it by bike at the moment" Camille Benoît-Gonin

"A mythical pass for those who love cycling and I take my leave of these cyclists" (about the Col de la Colombière) Sandia Tazi

"Wonderful memories even if a little painful on the climb" (about the Col de la Colombière) Seb. Perrier

pique-nique — © P. Guilbaud-Le Grand-Bornand Tourisme

FAQ

What is the emblematic cheese of Grand-Bornand?
The reblochon! The cradle of farmhouse reblochon, mentioned on the Annes mountain pastures from the 13th century onwards, Le Grand-Bornand, the leading agricultural commune in the Haute-Savoie department, still boasts 35 working farms today, totaling over a hundred jobs. 2 million reblochons, equivalent to 32% of the total production of the PDO reblochon fermier zone, leave the Grand-Bornand cellars alone every year...
In what discipline is Le Grand-Bornand the only French resort able to organize world-class events?
Biathlon! The resort boasts the only Olympic standards-approved stadium, which since 2013 has successfully hosted the French World Cup round of this popular discipline driven by the talents of the French Team. More than 60,000 spectators regularly attend the event....
What is the highest point in Le Grand-Bornand?
It's Pointe Percée, the highest peak in the commune of Le Grand-Bornand (alt. 2750m), but also the highest point in the Aravis mountain range and therefore in the Annecy Mountain area.
How does Le Grand-Bornand shine (in addition to the Tour de France and the Biathlon World Cup!) on the sporting front?
As the French resort with the highest number of skiers on the World Cup circuit every winter in all disciplines, Le Grand-Bornand is a land of champions, as illustrated by the career of Tessa Worley, twice Giant Slalom World Champion in 2013 and 2017. The resort boasts a total of 16 Olympic and Paralympic medals, 16 world championship titles and 7 Crystal Globes!