La Clusaz is almost unique in the Alps in offering no fewer than five different roads out of the village, in five different directions. There is no better base from which to cycle the Alps.
The summits of three well-known climbs from the Tour de France are within less than 20 km of cycling, and in total there are thirteen major Tour de France climbs that can be reached directly by bike from la Clusaz. In a typical week, we climb nine or ten of them.
All of the following 27 climbs can be managed by any moderately fit rider in a day’s ride from our base, although riding there and back to either the Joux Verte, the Cormet de Roselend or the Madeleine is quite a serious challenge! Sometimes the best option is to stop for lunch and ride back in the minibus.
Local Climbs | Altitude | Distance |
Col des Aravis | 1487 m | 8 km |
Col de la Croix Fry | 1467 m | 8 km |
Col de la Colombière | 1618 m | 17 km |
Col du Marais | 843 m | 19 km |
Col du Plan Bois | 1299 m | 21 km |
Col de l’Epine | 987 m | 25 km |
Col de Romme | 1297 m | 30 km |
Col de la Forclaz (Annecy) | 1157 m | 32 km |
Col des Saisies | 1650 m | 35 km |
Mont Saxonnex | 975 m | 35 km |
Col de la Forclaz (Ugine) | 871 m | 37 km |
Côte de Domancy | 796 m | 40 km |
Col de Tamié | 907 m | 41 km |
Col des Fleuries | 920 m | 43 km |
Col de Leschaux | 897 m | 48 km |
Le Semnoz | 1641 m | 50 km |
Col de l’Arpettaz | 1581 m | 50 km |
Col des Glières | 1440 m | 51 km |
Col du Joly | 1989 m | 56 km |
Col de la Ramaz | 1610 m | 59 km |
Col du Pré | 1703 m | 65 km |
Col de Joux Plane | 1691 m | 66 km |
Col de Plainpalais | 1173 m | 69 km |
Col de l’Encrenaz | 1432 m | 70 km |
Cormet de Roselend | 1968 m | 73 km |
Col de la Joux Verte | 1760 m | 89 km |
Col de la Madeleine | 2000 m | 92 km |
Further afield: more legendary ‘Cycle the Alps’ climbs
Many other famous Alpine climbs, such as the cols de l’Iseran, d’Izoard, du Télégraphe, du Galibier, du Glandon, du Mollard, de la Croix de Fer, du Chaussy – including the amazing lacets de Montvernier – as well as, last but not least, the climb to Alpe d’Huez and even Mont Ventoux (which is not in the Alps) are all accessible from La Clusaz but are best tackled via an initial minibus ride.
We are delighted to guide you on any of these climbs, so long as a large enough group is in agreement. The climbs are listed below, together with their approximate journey time from La Clusaz by minibus.
Climb | Altitude | Travel time (by minibus) |
Col du Chaussy | 1533 m | 1h 10 |
Lacets de Montvernier | 787 m | 1h 10 |
Col du Glandon | 1924 m | 1h 20 |
Col de la Croix de Fer | 2067 m | 1h 30 |
Col du Mollard | 1630 m | 1h 30 |
Col du Télégraphe | 1566 m | 1h 30 |
Col du Galibier | 2645 m | 2h |
Col de l’Iseran | 2770 m | 2h 15 |
Alpe d’Huez | 1815 m | 2h 30 |
Col de l’Izoard | 2361 m | 2h 40 |
Mont Ventoux | 1912 m | 4h |