In der Stadt der Herzöge von Savoyen wurden 1989 die Weltmeister Greg LeMond und Jeannie Longo gekrönt, bevor sieben Jahre später die Tour zu Gast war. Beim Start der Etappe in Chambéry war Miguel Indurain noch unangefochtener König. Aber bei der Zieleinfahrt in Les Arcs hatte er über vier Minuten Rückstand auf den Sieger Luc Leblanc und war nur noch ein Schatten des einstigen fünffachen Gesamtsiegers. Am 14. Juli 2010 startete das Peloton erneut in der Präfekturstadt des Départements Savoyen, um in Gap den Portugiesen Sérgio Paulinho zu feiern. 2017 durfte sich Rigoberto Urán hier freuen, und im letzten Sommer hatte Jasper Philipsen auf der Etappe von Chambéry nach Voiron das letzte Wort.
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Chambéry and cycling
The city of the Dukes of Savoy crowned world champions Greg LeMond and Jeannie Longo in 1989 before hosting the Tour seven years later. At the start in Chambery, Miguel Indurain was the undisputed boss of the peloton. But by the finish in Les Arcs, he was merely a shadow of the five-time defending champion, trailing the day’s winner, Luc Leblanc, by more than four minutes. On 14 July 2010, the race set off once again from the Savoie prefecture for a stage win by Portugal’s Sérgio Paulinho in Gap. Finally, last summer, it was Jasper Philipsen who had the last word on the route from Chambery to Voiron.
Strangely for a town nestled at the foot of the mountains, Chambery, whilst it has often seen cyclists pass through, has rarely hosted a Tour de France finish. In the men’s race, the only finish took place in 2017, when Rigoberto Uran claimed victory. In the women’s race, it was French rider Maeva Squiban who secured her second consecutive stage victory there in the 2025 Tour. But the Savoie prefecture has other cycling highlights to boast of, such as the Criterium du Dauphiné (now Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), which it has, unsurprisingly, hosted 32 times, the Classique des Alpes and the Tour des Pays de Savoie.
Chambery (or more precisely the neighbouring La Motte-Servolex) is also the headquarters of the Décathlon-CMA CGM team and the birthplace of its former team principal and founder, Vincent Lavenu.
Among the local riders, mention must be made of Bastien Tronchon, winner of a stage of the Vuelta in 2026, Rémy Rochas (Groupama FDJ) and Simon Guglielmi, who took part in the 2023 Tour.
Sights
Les Charmettes
Construction: 18th century.
Features: situated in the heart of a unspoilt valley on the hills above Chambéry, this house is where Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived from 1736 to 1742. Listed as a historic monument and a ‘Maison des illustres’, the house has reopened its doors following some renovation work, offering two new and original visitor itineraries that use the latest technology to immerse visitors in a new sensory experience.
Current use: museum.
Listing: listed as a historic monument in 1905. ‘Maison des Illustres’.
Railway rotunda
Construction: 1906 to 1910.
Features: built between 1906 and 1910, this railway roundhouse – the only one of its kind in France – is covered by an articulated Eiffel-type steel framework. Comprising two sections, the building stands 34 metres high, has a diameter of 110 metres and weighs 900 tonnes. Maintained and restored by the SNCF, it is still used for locomotive maintenance and also houses several historic models.
Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1984.
Castle of the Dukes of Savoy
Construction: first built in the 11th century, then altered several times during the 13th century and completed in the 15th century.
Style: medieval, with Gothic additions.
History: the castle suffered several fires in the 18th century and, from 1800 onwards, the first prefects undertook restoration work. When Savoy was annexed to France in 1860, it was transferred to the department free of charge: a major restoration commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III was carried out, including, amongst other things, a new wing and a monumental staircase leading to the semi-circular tower.
Characteristics: it is a vast building designed as an irregular quadrangle, from which stands a square keep flanked by a watchtower, a tall semi-circular tower and a tall chapel.
Current use: used by the Savoie Prefecture, the Savoie Departmental Council and the Savoie Academy.
Listing: listed as a Historic Monument since 1881
Elephant Fountain
Built: 1838.
History and features: better known as the ‘4 sans cul’ (The Bottomless Four), the Elephant Fountain is the city’s iconic monument. Erected in 1838 to pay tribute to General de Boigne, a great benefactor of Chambéry, it was fully restored in 2015. Standing 17.65-metres tall, it is at once a fountain, a column and a statue. And of the four elephants, only their trunks are visible!
Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1982.
St Francis de Sales Cathedral
Built: 15th to 16th centuries.
Style: Flamboyant Gothic.
History: originally a modest Franciscan chapel, the construction of which began around 1420, it was extended and completed in 1585. From the 15th century onwards, the Shroud of Turin was occasionally brought to this Cordeliers church, attracting numerous pilgrims. Following the establishment of the Diocese of Chambery in 1779, the Church of Saint-François became a cathedral dedicated to Saint Francis de Sales in 1802.
The restoration of the molasse stone façade was completed in 2009.
In a nod to its past, the cathedral was presented with a copy of the Shroud of Turin by the Diocese of Turin in 2014, which can be viewed in the Chapel of the Resurrection.
Characteristics: built on 30,000 larch piles, behind a simple façade, it houses a vast collection of trompe-l’oeil paintings covering the walls and vaulted ceiling. Its organ, dating from 1847, is listed as a historic monument and, with its 50 stops, is one of the most significant in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Trivia: the people of Chambery call it ‘la Metropole’.
Listing: listed as a historic monument in 1906.
Galerie Eurêka
Galerie Eurêka is the City of Chambéry’s Centre for Scientific Culture. Its permanent and temporary exhibitions offer spaces for discovery, fun experiments and interaction. With exhibitions, events, talks and other highlights, there’s something for all tastes and all ages!
