July, 2023
Read this page for a lot of background information about cycling in the French Alps.
We came to Chambéry at the end of our July cycling trip to Europe. We were done with gray, overcast, rainy weather and thought a few days in Chambéry would be relaxing and fun.
As we were the way from Switzerland to Chambéry I thought I might as well ride the Col du Grand Colombier on the way, and am glad I did.
Chambéry itself is an amazing town. It has a wonderful, large downtown pedestrian area, filled with restaurants, stores, intriguing alleys, a self-guided “Elephants Tour” around downtown.
Col du Grand Colombier
There are four ways to climb the Grand Colombier, and I’d read that the prettiest is the climb from the village of Culoz, a little to the northwest of the Lac du Bourget. You can park in Culoz at 45.8478705, 5.7818710
From here it’s a wonderful climb, 18 km long, very steep in parts, gentle in others, and a short section of lacets in the lower section. The climb is mainly in the trees, but at times you have lovely views of Rhône river and the Lac du Bourget.
From the parking area head east about 100 meters then turn left on the D120, following signs for the Grand Colombier. The round trip is 36 km with 1,239 meters of ascent.
There are some very steep sections on the climb and at one point you’ll see a sign that says 14% for the next 3 km, although this is an exaggeration. The climb is often part of the Tour de France, and there are many, many names painted on the road. Vingegaard’s name features many times, but you also see the name of Jan Ullrich, who last raced up here a couple of decades ago.
In a little less than 5 km you reach the lacets, a short section of about 8 tight turns. I barely noticed them on the way up, but loved them on the way down. In fact, I enjoyed the downhill much more because the views were so much better than on the way up.
Here’s the ride on Ride with GPS.
Mont du Chat
The Relais du Mont du Chat is a tough climb with almost no views until the top. The Inner Ring describes it as: “A challenging climb, almost traffic-free and with superb views from the summit. What’s not to like? Actually it’s hard work with few rewards along the way and a useful example of how the enjoyment of a climb depends on more than the road itself.”
Very true. I enjoyed it as it was quiet and peaceful, at least on the way up, and it was my last climb of this 2023 European trip.
Starting in Le Bourget du Lac the climb is about 13.7 km, with 1,205 meters of climbing. I parked at the free parking here: 45.647759, 5.862051 and there also appears to be free parking here: 45.648587, 5.858671
At the intersection of the D14 and D42 you’ll see a sign for Relais du Mont du Chat. Follow this and just keep climbing, initially through the residential area, and then through the trees. Apparently Le Cycle magazine called Mont du Chat one of the hardest climbs in France. It’s not, but the gradient is pretty consistent and hangs out a lot in the 9-11% range.
The climb is reasonably popular, and I saw 15 other cyclists as I rode up then down. Initially there were very few cars, but around 10:00 I started to see many more cars, probably because there is a restaurant and good hiking at the top.
Here’s the ride on Ride with GPS.
Links and Other Clicks
Here’s a profile of the Grand Colombier from Culoz.
Here’s a page about the four sides of the Grand Colombier.
Here’s a profile of Mont du Chat.
Cycle Uphill 