Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc > Courchevel

CYCLING TOURISM
Closest KM: Flumet, KM 13

Crossing the French Alps from north to south by bicycle may seem like a daunting challenge, with routes and gradients reserved for the fittest of the fit or those with a powerful electric-assist bicycle! That is certainly true if you take the Route des Grandes Alpes®, with about 30 passes on the menu, including the Col des Saisies and the Cormet de Roselend, which appear on the map of stage 17. Riders who want to follow in the slipstream of the pros and tame these Alpine giants will either need to become lean, mean climbing machines or locate the electric-assist charging stations (nearly fifty along the route). For those who would rather avoid too much climbing, the P'tites Routes du Soleil® offer a gentler alternative that follows the pre-Alpine massifs (Chablais, Chartreuse, Vercors and Diois) before reaching the Mediterranean from the heights of Provence. Many options, one outcome: the trip of a lifetime.

HAUTE-SAVOIE (74)

Population: 862,000
Prefecture : Annecy
Sub-prefectures: Bonneville, Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Thonon-les-Bains.
Number of municipalities: 279
Area: 4,388 km2
Specialities: AOC/AOP cheeses: Reblochon, Abondance, Tomme, Tome des Bauges, Beaufort, Chevrotin, Emmental of Savoy, Raclette. Savoie AOC wines, Ayze, Royal Seyssel, Roussette de Savoie. Other labels: Berthoud (STG), Savoy appels and pears (IGP). Specialities and traditional dishes: Génépi, Crozets, Tartiflette, perch fillets (lake fish), diots, blueberry pie, Savoyard fondue, potato fritters, honey, bidoyon (artisanal cider), gentian. 
Sports clubs: headquarters of the French ski federation. Football Club Annecy, GFA Rumilly Vallières (football). Thonon Evian Grand Genève Football Club. FCS Rumilly (rugby union). US Annecy Rugby. Black Panthers of Thonon-les-Bains (American football). Annecy CSAV Handball. Annemasse Basket Club. Chamonix Elite Hockey Club "Les Pionniers". Pays du Mont Blanc Hockey Club. Haute-Savoie Nordic Team
Competitions and major events: Kandahar-World Cup Alpine Skiing (Chamonix Mont Blanc Les Houches). Greenweez Maxi-Race (Annecy). Alps Bike Festival (La Clusaz). Mountain Bike World Cup (Les Gets). Climbing World Cup (Chamonix Mont Blanc). Megève international show-jumping. Evian Championship (golf). Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc (Chamonix). Biathlon World Cup (Le Grand Bornand). Telemark World Cup (Samoëns and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains). High'Five Festival (Annecy). Rock the pistes (Portes du Soleil). Critérium du Dauphiné. Ski mountaineering World Cup (Flaine). Grande Odysée Savoie-Mont-Blanc. Tour de l'Avenir. Tour des Pays de Savoie
Heritage: Lake Geneva, Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi, Lake Annecy. Castle of the Sires of Bonneville. Castle of Clermont. Plateau des Glières (national necropolis). Montenvers train (Mer de Glace) and Mont Blanc tramway. Castle of Ripaille. Aravis pass. Village of Flottins. Pont des Amours (Annecy). Father Christmas' hamlet. Annecy Castle. Quail Bridge. Basilica of the Visitation. La Tournette. Col de la Forclaz. Abbey of Abondance. Cachat bar of Evian waters. Castles of Allinges. Baroque chapels of St-Gervais. Aulps Abbey. Thermal baths of St-Gervais Interpretation centre of the contraband in the mountains
Festivals: International Animation Film Festival (Annecy). Montjoux festival. Guitare en Scène (Annecy). Nomade Reggae Festival. Rock'n'Poche. Megève International Jazz Festival. Pleins Feux Festival. Village des Flottins. Morzine Harley Days. Musilac Mont-Blanc. Radio Meuh Circus Festival. Mont-Blanc Humour. Paradisio Annecy. Les Grandes Médiévales in Andilly
Main tourist sites: Lake Annecy, Annecy Castle, Mont Blanc and the Sea of Ice, Aravis, winter sports resorts of Chamonix, Saint-Gervais, Megève, Les Gets, Morzine and Avoriaz.
Economy: watchmaking (Cluses), screw-cutting, mechanics (Dassault, Alcatel), agriculture and agri-food (Reblochon milk production, tome, Evian water), mountain tourism, sports industry (Dynastar, Salomon, Mavic). Outdoor Sport Valley Cluster, for the economic development of the outdoor sector. Major facilities (Rochexpo, etc.)
Websites, etc. https://www.hautesavoie.fr/, www.haute-savoie-tourisme.org/  / https://fr-fr.facebook.com/hautesavoieledepartement / https://www.instagram.com/hautesavoieledepartement / https://twitter.com/dep_74 / tiktok.com/@hautesavoiedepartement    

Rich in heritage, extraordinary landscapes, quality agriculture and culinary specialities, Haute-Savoie is an attractive department with an established quality of life. It is thanks to the diversity of its territory that Haute-Savoie is able to make the most of it: mountain landscapes, exceptional lakes, dynamic valleys, etc. From the north to the south of the department, inhabitants and visitors alike benefit from and enjoy a remarkable living environment. 

Haute-Savoie is a true cycling region and since 1947 has provided 21 Tour de France stage towns and 30 of its mountain passes have been ridden by the Tour.

Since 2021, the Haute-Savoie Departmental Council has implemented a genuine policy in favour of cycling. Whether it is in supporting the projects of its 279 communes through the "Savoir rouler" operation set up for schoolchildren or thanks to the hosting of numerous cycling events, Haute-Savoie is fully committed to the practice of cycling.

DEMI-QUARTIER

Formerly part of Megève and now a commune in its own right, the locality is best known for its most famous guest, popular French singer Michel Sardou. Demi-Quartier is, along with Taillepied (Manche), the only French commune whose town hall is located in another commune: in this case it is on the church square in Megève.

PRAZ-SUR-ARLY

More famous skiers in Praz-sur-Arly: Patricia and Claudine Emonet, and giant slalom specialist Thomas Fanara.

NOTRE-DAME-DE-BELLECOMBE

Considered the cradle of Val d'Arly, nestling between Mont-Blanc, Beaufortain and Aravis, the ski resort of Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe is a village with an authentic family feel, where nature has remained unspoilt and local culture has been preserved. The Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe ski area, surrounded by Mont Reguet and Mont Rond, is part of the Espace Diamant and its 192 km of pistes shared with 4 other village resorts: Crest-Voland/Cohennoz, Flumet, Praz-sur-Arly, and les Saisies/Hauteluce. This village in Val d'Arly is a land of skiers: Jacqueline Rouvier, Catherine Quittet and Roger Rossat-Mignod all come from here, as do Nicolas Burtin in Flumet and Patricia Emonet and Thomas Fanara in Praz-sur-Arly.

COL DES SAISIES

Rated as a 1st category climb, Col des Saisies has been ridden thirteen times by Tour de France riders (excluding the ascent of the Bisanne in 2016 on a slightly different route). The last time it was yackled, in 2021, Dutchman Wout Poels was in the lead. A year earlier, it was Switzerland's Marc Hirschi who was leading at the top of a climb approached by the other side. In 2017, in the Tour de l'Avenir, Egan Bernal won a stage that handed him the race leader's jersey. The Colombian has since confirmed his promises.  

Beaufort

Overlooking the Doron River, the remains of Beaufort Castle, built on the ruins of a Roman villa around the 10th century, bear witness to Beaufort's long history. Owned by the Beauforts, the King of France and then the House of Savoy, it was occupied by various religious congregations from the 16th century until the present day.  Famous for having given its name to a cheese, Beaufort is also the birthplace of the family of writer Roger Frison-Roche. It was here that he discovered the love of the mountains that inspired all his work before settling in Chamonix.      

Le Beaufort
The "Prince of Gruyères", Beaufort is a smooth, ivory to pale yellow cheese with an extremely fine, fruity flavour. This pressed, cooked cheese is made from the milk of Tarine or Abondance cows that graze the mountain pastures in summer. More than 10 kilos of milk are needed to make one kilo of Beaufort. Once removed from the mould, the cheeses are matured in a cellar for 5 to 12 months, regularly turned over and rubbed with a mixture of salt and cheese rind called "morge". Although the region's monks and farmers have always produced cheese, Beaufort appeared towards the end of the 17th century. Already highly regarded in the mid-eighteenth century, it found its identity around 1860 when two carpenters from the Beaufortin invented the wooden rings that surround it. It has had an AOC since 1968.

BOURG-SAINT-MAURICE LES ARCS

From the capital of the Upper-Tarentaise, in winter you have to climb to the resort of Les Arcs to take full advantage of winter sports. Numerous events attract visitors: the 2001 ski world cup, the French speed skiing championships and the French ski joëring championships. Bourg Saint Maurice is also an ideal starting point for mountain walks. The town is also a stage town for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) and the Trace des Ducs de Savoie (TDS). Bourg Saint Maurice also attracts water sports enthusiasts thanks to its international white-water base, where top-level competitions are held, particularly in canoeing and kayaking. The birthplace of former finance minister Hervé Gaymard (1960), chef Guy Martin (1957, 2 stars at the Grand Véfour in Paris), Jean-Frédéric Chapuis (1989, 1st French world skicross champion, Olympic champion at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, three-time World Cup winner) and many other alpine skiers. The town has hosted the Tour de France on four occasions. In 1939, it was the finish line for the first individual uphill time trial in the Tour de France, with the Iseran on the 64-km route. The winner was Sylvère Maes. In 1996, it was another time trial that led to the downfall of Miguel Indurain, who had been dropped the day before on the climb to Les Arcs. In 2009, Sandy Casar won a stage from Martigny. Finally, in 2018, Bourg-Saint-Maurice was the starting town for the 12th stage, won at l'Alpe d'Huez by Geraint Thomas.  

Les Arcs resort
Founded in 1968, Les Arcs is a ski resort that is perfectly integrated into its environment. Since then, it has grown steadily (Arc 1800 in 1974, Arc 2000 in 1979, Arc 1950 in 2003) to become one of the most popular resorts in Tarentaise, with 200 km of pistes and links to Villaroger and La Plagne. The resort was listed as a 20th Century Heritage Site in 1999. In 1996, the resort hosted a stage of the Tour de France, won by Luc Leblanc.

AIME-LA-PLAGNE

This Tarentaise town is best known for the La Plagne winter sports resort, whose ski area covers the communes of Aime-La Plagne, Champagny-en-Vanoise and La Plagne-Tarentaise. The Grande Plagne ski area offers 225 km of pistes. The resort was founded in 1961 by the then mayor of Aime, Pierre Borrione, to save the valley, which could no longer survive on farming alone. In 1992, La Plagne hosted the luge and bobsleigh events at the Albertville Olympic Games. Four stages of the Tour de France finished in La Plagne in 1984 and 1987 (Laurent Fignon won), 1995 (Alex Zülle) and 2002 (Michael Boogerd).

MOUTIERS

Stage town for the 3rd time
Municipality of Savoie (73)
Population: 3,500 (Moutiérains)
Specialities: crozets au gratin, beaufort cheese, Savoy wines, fondue.
Personalities: Michel Vion, Alexis Pinturault, Joël Chenal, Frédéric Covili, Julien Lizeroux, Laura Gauché (Alpine skiing).
Sport: alpine skiing, ES Tarentaise.
Events : 1992 Albertville Olympic Games.
Economy: skiing, tourism. Commerce, construction, university hospital.
Festivals: Street Art Festival, Alimenterre Festival. Painting and sculpture festival.
Labels : village étape,
Websites / FB / Twitter: www.moutiers.org / www.coeurdetarentaise-tourisme.com / https://www.coeurdetarentaise.fr/

BRIDES-LES-BAINS

A spa town linked to the Three Valleys by a cable car, Brides-les-Bains combines skiing with its mountain wellness facilities. The 600 kilometres of pistes offer skiing pleasure for all levels. Brides-les-Bains is France's leading spa for slimming and is a village where health care and dietetics come together to achieve results. With its recently renovated and enlarged thermal spa, Brides is a bubble of well-being at the gateway to the Vanoise National Park, whatever the season. As the site of the Olympic Village during the Albertville Games in 1992, Brides-les-Bains was able to take advantage of the new infrastructure to develop. In 2019, Brides-les-Bains was the starting point for an uphill stage of the Tour de l'Avenir to Méribel, won by Australian Alexander Evans.

COL DE LA LOZE

In 2019, Méribel-Cœur des 3 Vallées and its neighbour Courchevel opened a pass closed to motorised traffic and dedicated to road bikes, Col de la Loze, which links the valleys of Bozel and Les Allues and reaches an altitude of 2,304 m, making it the seventh highest pass in France and the third highest in Savoy after the Iseran and Galibier. Before 2019, Col de la Loze was a ski slope in winter and a mountain bike trail in summer. Today, the ascent is via a 7-km greenway starting at 1,673m and culminating at 2,304m, reserved exclusively for bicycles from May to November. Slopes of over 20 pc. Breathtaking views of Mont Blanc. The route then reaches Courchevel 1850. In 2020, Miguel Angel Lopez won here for the first time in the Tour de France, while Primoz Roglic dropped Tadej Pogacar in the finale. Despite having recently been tarmacked, Col de la Loze was not totally new as it was the entire 23.5-km 8th stage of the2019 Tour de l'Avenir. It was here that Australian Alexander Evans won and Norwegian Tobias Foss took the leader's jersey he kept until the end. The flagship race of the U23 calendar had already made a stopover in Méribel the previous year, allowing Tadej Pogacar to make a name for himself. In 2016, the Critérium du Dauphiné visited the resort built by Le Corbusier: Thibaut Pinot sprinted past Romain Bardet after a great two-man breakaway.