Flumet / Arêches-Beaufort

This gravel bike cycling stage sticks close to the classic Route des Grandes Alpes®, but proves almost wholly original, as you’ll rarely use that well-trodden route itself! Heading out from Flumet and through Notre-Dame de-Bellecombe, enjoy the exceptional natural landscapes of the regional nature reserve of La Tourbière des Saisies – Beaufortain – Val d’Arly, which you’ll climb through, heading up to the ski resort of Les Saisies. Next, plunge into the heart of the Beaufortain area to reach Arêches via the exquisite villages of Hauteluce and Beaufort. From Beaufort, or from Arêches (going via the Col du Pré), those of you intent on ticking off as many high mountain passes as possible can branch off from our proposed route to climb the famed Cormet de Roselend (at an altitude of 1,968m), guarding the way to the valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the mighty Tarentaise Valley.

Passage points

FLUMET > Pont sur l’Arly > Notre Dame de Bellecombe > Le Sauzier > CREST-VOLAND > Le Cernix > Sur Prarian > Route de la Palette > BISANNE > CCAS Les Saisies > Les Carrets > Chenavelle > Nantailly > Le Praz > HAUTELUCE > La Combe > Les Traverses > Les Curtillets > Les Cutards > BEAUFORT > La Glirettaz > Route du Mont > Le Mont > Les Mittiets > La Frasse > Les Carroz-Dessous > ARECHES. 

Don’t miss

• Arêches-Beaufort : Extending from 730m to 2,300m in altitude, Arêches-Beaufort typifies the mountain village resorts of the Beaufortain area, located in the heart of the département (French county) of Savoie, just 20km from the town of Albertville and at the foot of the impressive Cormet de Roselend high pasturelands. Consisting of two charming, typically Savoyard villages, namely Arêches and Beaufort, surrounded by magical mountain scenery, this area makes a perfect destination in which to enjoy exceptional times in such unspoilt surrounds.
• Coopérative Laitière du Beaufortain : A must-see site, this dairy cooperative is famed for producing Beaufort d’alpage cheese, as well as proposing further Savoie culinary products. 
• High Alpine cow tracks open to gravel bikes : Criss-crossed by numerous tracks used by herders and cows to reach the area’s high summer mountain pastures and passes perched at over 2,000m in altitude, such as the Cormet d’Arêches (at 2,107m), the Arêches-Beaufort area is particularly well suited to gravel bikes. In fact, the resort has developed cycling circuits specially for you, plus it puts on cycling trials, outings and events, for example high-altitude aperitifs at sunset!