© Savoie Mont Blanc - Alban Pernet
Cycling in Savoie Mont Blanc – discover routes between lakes and mountains
Road Cycling Collection by Savoie Mont Blanc
9
Tours
29:00 h
351 mi
28,800 ft
With its mountains and lakes, Savoie Mont Blanc, in the Savoie and Haute-Savoie departments, is a picture-postcard destination. What better way to explore these sublime landscapes than by bike?
While it's true that the words ‘passes’ and ‘mountains’ often go hand-in-hand, this eclectic Collection will introduce you to a wonderful variety of routes. As you may expect, some involve a lot of climbing, others have just a little and a few have (almost) none at all! Yes, it's possible to find flatter routes, even here! Where there are mountains, there are also valleys, often with cycle routes running through them. Savoie Mont Blanc is accessible for all abilities, whether you're a fan of the Tour de France and its legendary mountain passes, or you're more interested in cycling along the Greenways, along the shores of Lake Bourget or Lake Annecy, or through the hearts of the vineyards.
The star guest on almost all these Tours is, of course, Mont Blanc. You'll have the chance to admire the mountain in its white dress from every angle. This Collection takes you off the beaten track and away from the region's most popular mountain passes. The idea is to take you on routes that are a little more secretive, and over beautiful passes that are out of the ordinary.
You can cycle these routes from spring to autumn. The region generally enjoys plenty of sunshine, but the weather can be fickle in the mountains. Always bring an extra layer of clothing (rain jacket, windbreaker) depending on the weather forecast.
All nine routes are loops, except one – the Tour des Bauges. This can be made into a loop for more experienced cyclists who don’t mind riding over 150 kilometres (93 mi). It’s also possible to complete the Tour by taking the train. You'll find all the practical details in the Tour description.
Enjoy discovering the breathtaking panoramas of Savoie Mont Blanc!
On The Map
Tours
- 04:5075.3 mi15.6 mph1,425 ft2,050 ftIntermediateIntermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
This route that connects Lake Annecy to Lake Bourget is a pure delight! The landscapes, each more sumptuous than the next, will make you take "full eyes" as we say here. As a bonus, very nice little breaks are possible along the way.
From Annecy, you follow the lake for about twenty kilometers on a greenway…
- 01:0111.0 mi10.8 mph1,300 ft1,300 ftIntermediateIntermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
For this small loop of 17 kilometers, you will start in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Known today for its aluminum production, there were once a host of small trades there. It is also here that Joseph Opinel created the famous knife that is now known worldwide. In the town centre, a free museum retraces the…
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- 04:2445.7 mi10.4 mph6,050 ft6,050 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
Joux-Plane has become one of the mythical passes for cycling events in the Alps. He has already seen the Tour de France pass 17 times and is a regular part of many national and international sporting events throughout the year.
You guessed it, so this is a great mountain course for experienced (and motivated…
- 03:4849.1 mi12.9 mph3,175 ft3,175 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
This tour is an improved variant of the Tour du Lac du Bourget, with the bonus of crossing the Col du Chat, the descent into the Avant-Pays vineyards and an obligatory break at one of the terraces of Chanaz, little Venice Savoyard.
From Chambéry station, head towards Lac du Bourget, the largest natural…
- 03:1035.3 mi11.2 mph4,000 ft4,000 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
The Salève, although located in Haute-Savoie, is the emblematic mountain of Geneva, on the Swiss side. From up there you have a breathtaking view of the canton of Geneva, the Jura and, on a clear day, of Mont Blanc.
This route starts from Annemasse. Done in an anti-clockwise direction, the slopes not…
- 04:0041.8 mi10.4 mph5,800 ft5,800 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
The main difficulty of this route is the climb to the Col des Saisies. Between forests and pastures, it criss-crosses the heart of Beaufortain with magnificent views of the Mont-Blanc massif. You will pass through emblematic villages of this region, such as Hauteluce and Beaufort, which gave its name…
- 03:1340.7 mi12.6 mph2,375 ft2,375 ftIntermediateIntermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
La Tournette is the highest mountain bordering Lake Annecy (2,350 meters). With its massive armchair look, it is an emblematic landmark of Annecy residents. They watch there for the arrival of the first snow at the end of autumn, and the melting of the last, which indicates the moment of the first swimming…
- 03:0334.3 mi11.3 mph3,325 ft3,325 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
This route crosses several traditional villages of the Pays du Mont-Blanc, with a rich heritage. You will discover, among others, Cordon, Combloux, Megève, and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. The route offers magnificent views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains. For the last kilometers, we take you…
- 01:3118.0 mi11.8 mph1,350 ft1,350 ftIntermediateIntermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
This small loop of less than 30 kilometers for 410 meters of elevation gain is really within everyone's reach. Surprisingly flat for the Alps! Indeed, the course takes advantage of the flatness of the bottom of the valley with a return which takes place on a real greenway, embellished with a body of…
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Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance351 mi
- Duration29:00 h
- Elevation28,800 ft
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