Alternative stage Saint-Jean-d'Arves / L'Alpe d'Huez Route des Grandes Alpes à Vélo

From St-Jean-d'Arves to L'Alpe d'Huez via the Col de la Croix de Fer and the 21 hairpin bends up to L’Alpe d’Huez

Route North / South

↗ 1947m ↘ 1561m

Leaving Saint-Jean-d’Arves, after 4km, you enter the pretty village of Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves, the other mountain resort of Les Sybelles. At the exit to that village, you set out on 7km of hairpin bends taking you up to the Croix de Fer pass (2064m). You then switch to the Oisans area via the Eau d’Olle Valley. The route runs alongside Grand’Maison Lake, on the border between Savoie and Isère, then beside Lake Le Verney, where roads head off to Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany. Soon, you reach Le Bourg-d’Oisans, from where you can embark on the 21 iconic hairpin bends up to L’Alpe d’Huez (1850 m). So, it’s over to you!

Route South / North

↗ 1561m ↘ 1947m

You start by speeding down the iconic 21 hairpin bends linking L’Alpe d’Huez to Le Bourg-d’Oisans. Then, after a few kilometres riding along the Grenoble road, turn right to head up the Eau d’Olle Valley. The route runs alongside Le Verney Lake, where roads head off to Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany. A bit further on, having passed Grand’Maison Lake, on the border between the counties of Savoie and Isère, you’re not far from the Col de la Croix de Fer pass (2064m). After that, enjoy 7km of descent, down to the pretty village of Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves. A further 4km on, you arrive at Saint-Jean-d’Arves, the other mountain resort of Les Sybelles.

Don’t miss 

• Les Sybelles: for six beautiful mountain resorts making up an interconnected ski area: Saint-Jean-d’Arves and Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves, along with La Toussuire, Le Corbier, Les Bottières and Saint-Colomban-les-Villards.
• L’Alpe d’Huez: this is the major mountain resort in the county of Isère, a well-known star on the Tour de France.
• Grand’Maison Dam and the EDF Hydrelectricity Museum (in Vaujany): how water is turned into electricity makes for a fascinating industrial story!