Cluses / Le-Grand-Bornand

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.

Passage points

CLUSES > Les Cruz > Nancy-sur-Cluses > COL DE ROMME > LE REPOSOIR > COL DE LA COLOMBIERE > Les Bouts > Lac du Maroly > Le Vacheret > Les Touillettes > LE GRAND-BORNAND 

Don’t miss

• From the Arve Valley to the Col de la Colombière : From Cluses, with its Musée de l’Horlogerie et du Décolletage (a museum on clock-making and machine parts-making), it’s possible to ride up to the pass via the normal route, or alternatively via the perched villages of Romme (the climb is challenging) and Le Reposoir. To see at the latter, the Chartreuse du Reposoir, a former charterhouse, now going by the name of the Monastère du Carmel du Reposoir. 
• Col de la Colombière : The ride up to this pass involves a 17km-long climb and over 1,000m of positive shift in altitude, but with an alternative that’s even harder, and more beautiful, going via Nancy-sur-Cluses and Romme. Whichever way you approach it, the final stretch to the top of this classic pass on the Tour de France is difficult, but the views of the Chaîne du Bargy and Massif des Aravis ranges are spectacular. If lucky, you may spot overhead a bearded vulture, the largest bird of prey in Europe, its wingspan sometimes measuring over 2.5m.
• Le Grand-Bornand : Located in the heart of the Massif des Aravis Range, between the Arve Valley and Lac d’Annecy (both close by), Le Grand-Bornand is one of the best-preserved traditional ski resorts in the Alps. Agriculture and crafts still play important parts in the local economy. The place is reputed for its 400 historic chalets and its traditional Reblochon cheese, and all the traditional activities mean the village isn’t over-reliant on tourism. Regularly featuring as a stopover on the Tour de France, Le Grand-Bornand is also known as a major downhill and cross-country ski resort. It boasts of being the only French resort able to stage world biathlon championships. 
• The Col des Annes and Vallée du Bouchet : For breathtaking views across the Aravis Range’s wall of mountains, with their distinctive sharp-toothed peaks; for Abondance cows munching away in flower-filled meadows in summer; for tasty potato dumplings served in the restaurants dotted around the pass… welcome to the heart of the “secretive” mountain area around Le Grand-Bornand.