Lake Annecy on the variant between Le Grand-Bornand and Beaufort-sur-Doron
Lionel Terrail

Variants

On the Route des Grandes Alpes®, there are many ways to plot your route and plan your itinerary.

The variants, while sometimes allowing you to bypass certain passes that are impassable at the start of the season, are above all an opportunity to discover new territories and new landscapes. Route des Grandes Alpes® offers you six of them, some with interesting extensions. The variants are Route des Grandes Alpes® in augmented reality: follow us, from north to south...

Variant no. 1: Le Grand-Bornand - Annecy - Lescheraines - Albertville - Beaufort-sur-Doron
Arnaud Bachelard

Variant no. 1: Le Grand-Bornand - Annecy - Lescheraines - Albertville - Beaufort-sur-Doron

This is the Route des Grandes Alpes® variant of Annecy and its lake! A pure wonder. This almost 130 km route takes you from the Aravis massif to the Bauges massif (UNESCO World Geopark), then on to the Beaufortain, via the Olympic city of Albertville. Three small passes are on the program: Col de Bluffy (630 m), Col de Leschaux (897 m) and Col du Frêne (950 m). To these can be added a very small variant via the Col des Cyclotouristes (1330 m), which avoids the main road between Albertville and Beaufort-sur-Doron.
A possible extension: the ascent of the Col des Bluffy. A possible extension: the ascent of the Semnoz (1699 m), from Annecy or the Col de Leschaux.

Alternative 2: Bourg-Saint-Maurice - Moutiers - La Léchère-les-Bains - Saint-François-Longchamps - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne - Valloire
Philippe Lemonnier

Alternative 2: Bourg-Saint-Maurice - Moutiers - La Léchère-les-Bains - Saint-François-Longchamps - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne - Valloire

A route of just over 130 km on the Route des Grandes Alpes®, with two very serious cols on the menu. Col de la Madeleine (1993 m), between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys. Col du Télégraphe (1566 m), above Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and just a few kilometers from Valloire, the first step on the road to Galibier!
For those with strong calves, ready to do anything to add to their record of achievements, we recommend extending from Moutiers to the Col de la Loze (2304 m). This high-altitude green route, between Méribel and Courchevel, was one of the most spectacular finishes of the 2020 Tour de France.

Variant no. 3: Val-Cenis - Oulx - Névache - Briançon
Philippe lemonnier

Variant no. 3: Val-Cenis - Oulx - Névache - Briançon

The Italian variant of Route des Grandes Alpes® is just 108 km long. Two passes on the program: the Col du Mont-Cenis (2081 m) and, innovatively, the Col de l'Échelle (1762 m). On the menu: magnificent panoramas, the Lac du Mont-Cenis and its Pyramide museum to discover the history of the pass, the fortresses of Ronce and Exilles, the charming little towns of the Val de Suze, Italian mountain charcuterie, pasta, cappuccino and more. And don't forget to discover the Clarée valley and Briançon, a "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire" on UNESCO's World Heritage list, for its Vauban fortress.

Variant no. 4: Val-Cenis - Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne - Saint-Jean-d'Arves - Bourg-d'Oisans - L'alpe d'Huez - La Grave - Briançon
Philippe Lemonnier

Variant no. 4: Val-Cenis - Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne - Saint-Jean-d'Arves - Bourg-d'Oisans - L'Alpe d'Huez - La Grave - Briançon

199 km of fun! Route des Grandes Alpes® takes you down the Maurienne, then up to Saint-Jean-d'Arves, before climbing the Col de la Croix de Fer (2064 m). One more glance at the emblematic silhouette of the Aiguilles d'Arves and you're on your way down to Bourg-d'Oisans, via the Grand'Maison and Verney dams. Watch out, it's (almost) only just begun! Soon, 21 twists and turns that have gone down in Tour de France legend will take you to l'Alpe d'Huez (1860 m). Passing through this major resort, then over the Col de Sarenne (1999 m), you'll avoid the dangerous and tricky stretch of road (numerous tunnels) between Bourg-d'Oisans and Lac du Chambon. Then there's the Col du Lautaret (2057 m), where the wide Guisane valley road takes you all the way to Briançon, passing through the villages of Serre-Chevalier.

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Variant no. 5: Guillestre - Embrun - Barcelonnette
Remi Fabregue

Variant no. 5: Guillestre - Embrun - Barcelonnette

75 km to see Lac de Serre-Ponçon! A swim if you wish, as there are plenty of beaches to choose from! To complete the menu: the pretty town of Embrun, famous for its "XXL" triathlon, the strange geology of the Demoiselles coiffées, the dam... To add a little elevation gain to this pleasant stage, you can "cut the cheese" from the pretty village of Pontis, a few kilometers from Savines-le-Lac, to Église-d'Ubaye, almost at the end of Lac de Serre-Ponçon.

Variant no. 6: Barcelonnette - Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée - Saint-Martin-Vésubie
Lionel Terrail

Variant no. 6: Barcelonnette - Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée - Saint-Martin-Vésubie

A 113 km variant of the Route des Grandes Alpes®. Through the Mercantour National Park and close to the Italian border, it links the Ubaye, Tinée and Vésubie valleys. On the program: the legendary Cime de la Bonette (2802). It's short, it's high, it's steep... and it doesn't have to be, because the Col de la Bonette (2715 m) is all you need to switch to the Tinée valley and its beautiful villages. All that remains is to climb the Col Saint-Martin (1503 m), or Colmiane, named after the small ski resort where it is located, before reaching Saint-Martin-Vésubie.

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Alternative section Le Grand-Bornand / Lescheraines

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.
Variante Lescheraines / Beaufort-sur-Doron

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).
Alternative stage Bourg-Saint-Maurice / Saint-François-Longchamp

9 Alternative stage Bourg-Saint-Maurice / Saint-François-Longchamp

80 km
5 h 20 min
Very difficult
This stage includes the iconic switch from Tarentaise to Maurienne Valley, via the Col de la Madeleine (1993m). This pass also proves very useful for those tackling the Route des Grandes Alpes® when the Col de l’Iseran above Val d’Isère remains closed. We can also put forward an extra suggestion, only suitable for adventurous, exceptionally fit cyclists – a long detour going from Moutiers, via Brides-les-Bains, up to the Col de la Loze (2304m), exploiting the high-altitude greenway between Méribel and Courchevel; its continuous steep slopes, sometimes at gradients of over 20%, made for one of the most spectacular stage ends on the 2020 Tour de France.
Alternative stage Saint-François-Longchamp / Valloire

10 Alternative stage Saint-François-Longchamp / Valloire

72 km
4 h 46 min
Very difficult
This beautiful stage links two Maurienne resorts. It involves tackling the 18 hairpin bends up to Montvernier, along the way to the Col du Chaussy pass (1533m), nowadays considered almost as iconic as those of L’Alpe d’Huez and the Col du Télégraphe pass. At the beginning or end of the stage, depending on the direction in which you’re tackling the route, enjoy a large mountain resort that’s also a very pretty extended village – the aptly named Valloire-Galibier!
Alternative section Val-Cenis / Oulx

13 Alternative section Val-Cenis / Oulx

72 km
4 h 45 min
Very difficult
This is an alternative section along the Route des Grandes Alpes® that takes you briefly across into Italy. Its first stage links Val-Cenis, the main resort of the Haute-Maurienne Vanoise area, to Oulx, in the province of Turin, in the Italian region of Piedmont, going via the Col du Mont-Cenis pass. On the menu are magnificent views, Mont-Cenis Lake and the Musée de la Pyramide, explaining the pass’s history, the forts of Exilles and Ronce, and the charming little towns of the Susa Valley… not forgetting Italian mountain charcuterie, pasta, cappuccini and more!
Variante Oulx / Briançon

14 Variante Oulx / Briançon

45 km
2 h 59 min
Difficult
An innovation along the Route des Grandes Alpes®! You can of course take the classic route via the Col du Montgenèvre, just above Briançon. However, we can suggest this other route, via the Col de l’Échelle pass (1762m) and the splendid Clarée Valley, one of the gems of the county of Hautes-Alpes. You cross the Les Cerces Range, its pointed mountains dominated by the iconic Mont Thabor, drawing many hikers as well as skiers. Running beside the Italian border, the Clarée Valley is a protected natural area, ranging between 1400m and 2000m above sea level, that boasts unspoilt nature and heritage. Briançon, at the beginning or end of this beautiful stage, has Ville d’Art et d’Histoire status, given its rich heritage, and its fortifications form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering works designed by Vauban, Louis XIV’s great military architect.
Alternative stage Val-Cenis / Saint-Jean-d'Arves

16 Alternative stage Val-Cenis / Saint-Jean-d'Arves

75 km
4 h 59 min
Difficult
Here’s a stage set entirely within the Maurienne Valley along the Route des Grandes Alpes®, giving you the chance to ride through what’s described as ‘‘the largest mountain cycling area in the world’’! It links the Haute-Maurienne Vanoise area to the villages going from the Upper Maurienne Valley to the Arvan Valley, dominated by the iconic three sharp summits of the Aiguilles d’Arves, arguably the most beautiful trio of mountains in the French Alps. On this stage, you also cross the Maurienne Valley’s three main towns, Modane, Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. As to Saint-Jean-d’Arves and its close neighbour Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves, they remain traditional villages with family-oriented resorts, part of Les Sybelles ski area.
Alternative stage Saint-Jean-d'Arves / L'Alpe d'Huez

17 Alternative stage Saint-Jean-d'Arves / L'Alpe d'Huez

63 km
3 h 52 min
Very difficult
This stage takes you to the Col de la Croix de Fer pass (2064m) and up to L’Alpe d’Huez (1850m), with 21 hairpin bends to reach the latter! It’s an option we recommend for you to avoid the first part of the way to the Col du Lautaret pass, between Le Bourg-d’Oisans and Le Chambon Lake. On this stage, you’ll jump between the counties of Savoie and Isère, take in amazing views of the Aiguilles d’Arve and Mont Blanc, and ride alongside the manmade lakes of Grand’Maison and Le Verney, as well as beside the Eau d’Olle River.
Variante L'Alpe d'Huez / Briançon

18 Variante L'Alpe d'Huez / Briançon

74 km
5 h 03 min
Very difficult
This route we’ve chosen between Le Bourg-d’Oisans and Briançon, going via L’Alpe d’Huez, enables cyclists to avoid the dangerous section of road (including numerous tunnels) between Le Bourg-d’Oisans and Le Chambon Lake. Our alternative delivers stunning views over the Oisans Range and the towering La Meije Mountain. Enjoy many unforgettable discoveries along the way on this magnificent Route des Grandes Alpes® stage: the rough shepherds’ route up to the Col de Sarenne pass (1999m); the village of La Grave and the little valleys around La Meije; the Col du Lautaret pass; the wild landscapes of the Romanche Gorges; the descent of the Guisane Valley; and the arrival in Briançon, designated a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire, its Vauban fortifications part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Alternative stage Guillestre / Barcelonnette

21 Alternative stage Guillestre / Barcelonnette

78 km
4 h 58 min
This alternative stage takes you from the Route des Grandes Alpes® to Serre-Ponçon Lake… a stage leading to the possibility of a swim, as there are numerous beaches dotted around the lake! Further delights include: the pretty historic town of Embrun, famed for its XXL triathlon; the curious geological formations known as the Demoiselles Coiffées, like behatted figures; Serre-Ponçon Dam; the Ubaye Valley’s villages; and the town of Barcelonnette with its Mexican villas. On this friendly stage you don’t have to worry about tackling any significant climbs!

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