Discover the Route des Grandes Alpes

You don’t have to travel to the remotest corner of the globe to experience one of the greatest journeys and some of the loveliest scenery in the world. Whether by bike, motorbike or car, nothing could be better in summer than discovering the Route des Grandes Alpes which passes by Morzine just a stone’s throw from our hotel.  This 720 km route connecting Thonon-les-Bains with Nice crosses 18 legendary “cols” (mountain passes) and retraces a number of the iconic stages of the Tour de France. Without a doubt, it stands as one of the most prized mountain cycling routes.

The first stage from Thonon-les-Bains (30 km from our hotel in Morzine) to Arêches-Beaufort, 135 km long, will provide you with a great crossing across the Haute-Savoie department, from the Massif du Chablais through the Gorges de la Dranse, a mixture of rock faces and wooded slopes. The view gradually widens and soon makes way for the first mountain pastures and more typical landscapes of the Haute-Savoie area. This stage traverses four mountain passes. First is the Col des Gets (at an altitude of 1170 m), followed by the Col de la Colombière (1613 m), allowing crossing between the Arve Valley and the Aravis. Continuing en route, the Col des Aravis (1486 m) connects the departments of Haute-Savoie and Savoie, while finally, the Col des Saisies (1633 m) connects Flumet with Beaufort. The towns and villages you’ll cross are Morzine, Les Gets, Taninges, Cluses, Le Grand-Bornand, La Clusaz, Flumet and Notre-Dame de Bellecombe.