アルヴィエの峠・トップ18

Hill overlooking the Vertosan valley and Col Citrin

Fetita Pass 2557m

The climb winds through a majestic valley (personally my favorite), never reaching excessive gradients; it's long but pedalable, allowing you to fully enjoy the natural surroundings. Apart from the peak season, there's almost no traffic, although you might encounter a few campers, which can be annoying on the way down. If you tackle the climb during periods of the year when there aren't too many tourists, you might, like me, have pleasant encounters with ibex and chamois that have come down to road level.

A great Aosta Valley classic; the climb itself isn't too difficult, but be careful not to underestimate the wind that often blows strongly from France, making the 12 km from La Thuile to the pass much more challenging than the gradient suggests. The landscape is beautiful and evocative: from the legendary eight hairpin bends that allow you to leave Pré-Saint-Didier behind, you enter the cool valley that leads to La Thuile. After passing the ski resort, you quickly gain altitude with long straights, then enter the forest and conclude the climb in a vast alpine meadow.

A challenging and relentless climb, like a good military road, it climbs with very regular gradients that allow, once you find your rhythm, to easily reach the summit. Be careful, in summer, of traffic (use extreme caution on both sides when descending) and the southern exposure, which makes it very hot in the afternoon.

superb pass in a grandiose environment

A demanding climb for trained cyclists. 10 km, 1000 m elevation gain. Also known as Col d'Arpy.

The municipality of Pré-Saint-Didier with Mont Blanc in the background