Climbing mountain passes
by bike or motorcycle
It's like entering the legend of the Tour de France climbers, but it's also one of the best runs you can experience as a biker.
Looking for wide open spaces, panoramic views, beautiful curves to follow on two wheels... Our roads are like no others.
They take you up to the top and then down to another valley, where everything changes...
The charm of high-altitude passes.
To climb a mountain pass by road, whether by bike or motorcycle, is to enter into the legend of the Tour de France climbers, but also to experience one of its most beautiful runs when you're a biker. A pass road is not a road like any other.
In Serre Chevalier Vallée Briançon, we're lucky enough to have two of the most legendary passes, on a road already renowned as La Route des Grandes Alpes.
The Col du Granon, a unique pass
The Col du Granon is an 11.5km pass with a 1049m vertical drop and a summit altitude of 2413m. The average gradient is steep (9.2%), with passages at 11.5%! A balcony overlooking the Serre Chevalier Briançon valley, its twists and turns offer exceptional views of the entire valley, the surrounding peaks and the ski slopes.
The Col du Granon had only been the scene of a Tour de France finish once before, in 1986, before the spectacular arrival of the Tour 2022 (the highest finish of this edition). Back then, Spaniard Eduardo Chozas won the race, while Greg Lemond took the Yellow Jersey from Bernard Hinault's shoulders and held on to it until Paris. bernard Hinault describes it as "a tough, relentless slope", while Greg Lemond describes it as "a memory as terrible as it was happy".
Classified as a Natura 2000 zone, its flora and fauna are remarkable: protected flowers such as the Gagée des Champs, heritage plant species such as orchids, linaigrettes, Parnassie des Marais, wetlands and peat bogs are present on this slope. The fauna includes marmots, black grouse, ptarmigan, rock partridge, insects and butterflies.
The Col du Granon also boasts an exceptional collection of fortifications from different eras. From the Berwick wall erected at the end of the 17th century to the Maginot fortifications, via Séré de Rivière, numerous defensive constructions adorn the pass and its surroundings. Among these, some very small ones, called "pilules", were built for the 2nd World War and could house 2 or 3 soldiers.
The Galibier, KING of the Valley
At an altitude of 2645m, making it the fifth-highest road pass in the French Alps, the Col du Galibier offers an exceptional 360° view. From here, you can admire the Barre des Ecrins and Meije glaciers, the entire Serre Chevalier Briançon resort, as well as one of the Aiguilles d'Arves, the Pic de Rochebrune in the Queyras massif and, of course, Mont-Blanc. Its ascent, combined with that of the Col du Lautaret, is an absolute must for any self-respecting cyclist. The descent, also by mountain bike, takes you through the picturesque villages of Le Lauzet, Les Boussardes and Le Casset to Le Monêtier-les-Bains.
Lovers of cycling and big brakets will have a tear in their eye as they recall Henri Desgrange in front of the stele dedicated to him: "Oh, Sappey! Oh, Laffrey! Oh, Col Bayard! Oh, Tourmalet! I won't fail in my duty by proclaiming that next to the Galibier, you're pale and vulgar booze: in front of this giant, all you have to do is pull off your cap and bow low." The creator of the Tour de France, he thus declared his admiration during the 1911 Tour. And the good news is that it's easier to tackle the Galibier via Briançon than via Valloire, if you've only got your calves to power you!
In the heart of the giants: the Galibier, at 2645m, the fifth-highest road pass in the French Alps.
The fascinating Col d'Izoard with its lunar landscape
A little lower than the Galibier at 2,361 meters,
the Izoard makes up for it in the hearts of its admirers with its scenery. Once past the refuge Napoléon and over the pass, you can't help but stop at the Casse Déserte site, where you'll feel as if you've reached the moon.
Then, without transition, you'll descend to the Queyras in the fresh greenery of the magnificent Arvieux valley.
Passing through Château-Queyras, you'll see its astonishing castle suspended on a peak. You don't often see such contrasting landscapes on the same road.
Both L'Izoard and Galibier are only open in summer, normally from mid-May. L'Izoard usually opens a few days before Galibier, but this depends on the snow conditions.
From Briançon, the ascent to Izoard is 20 km at 6.9% average gradient. The first part of the route is relatively easy through the Cerveyrette gorges to Cervières. The last ten kilometers, in a superb larch forest, are considerably more difficult, with an average gradient of 8%.Departure from Briançon, Rond-point du Queyras, RD902 (1,245 m)
- Length to pass: 20 km
- Positive vertical drop: 1150 m
- Average gradient: 5.80
- Maximum gradient: 9.40
Romaric's opinion - Biker
Briançonnais, Rock Captain at the Grenoble Alpes Chapter. For those in the know, this means he's authorized to supervise and plan a biker-minded outing, of course. "A biker is more of a Harley rider, but not exclusively. He rides in a group and looks for scenery, tight bends and outings with regular breaks. He likes the passes for that feeling of crossing a border, finding cold and even snow in July, the different smells, smelling the edelweiss around a bend, stopping for a coffee", Romaric told us, "and eating a blueberry tart at the top of the Izoard", added a fan on Facebook.
Despite the power of their bikes, what they like best is not speed, but sharing rides and wide-open spaces. Everything you can find here, around the valley.
The bikers of the neighboring mountains know it and envy us this chance. With the Galibier and the Izoard in the lead, you will come back every year and your photo albums will be there to remind you. Because, of course, the pleasure is to do it, but keeping a trace of it to show it is also part of the trip.
Think of the Classic selfie in front of the five signs: Briançon, Hautes-Alpes, Valloire, Haute-Savoie, and Col du Galibier.
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