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HAUTE-SAVOIE
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Recommend an establishmentHaute-Savoie is the ultimate playground for any rider who takes their machine seriously. Between the crystal-clear waters of Lake Annecy and Lake Geneva and the snow-capped peaks of the Mont-Blanc massif, this department lines up roads that put a grin on your face from the very first bend. Every corner comes with a view: you sweep through the alpine pastures of the Aravis massif, past the cliffs of the Cirque du Fer à Cheval, climb the Cols de la Colombière and des Aravis — both immortalised by the Tour de France — and string together hairpins with the roof of Europe as your backdrop. Villages like Yvoire, Chamonix, Samoëns and Menthon-Saint-Bernard add a generous dose of authenticity to the mix. And when it comes to refuelling, a proper farmhouse reblochon never disappoints. Haute-Savoie is simple: you tuck your bike away in a locked garage each evening and head back out the next morning on roads that remind you exactly why you ride.
Haute-Savoie packs an extraordinary natural and cultural heritage into one department. Annecy, the Venice of the Alps, draws you in with its pristine lake, its medieval old town and its picturesque canals. Further north, Lake Geneva reveals Yvoire, a medieval village ranked among the most beautiful in France, with its flower-draped ramparts and harbour. In the Chamonix valley, the Mer de Glace glacier and the Aiguille du Midi deliver breathtaking views over the Mont-Blanc massif. The Cirque du Fer à Cheval, near Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, impresses with its towering cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. On the heritage side, the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard commands a majestic position high above Lake Annecy. The villages of Samoëns, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand and Talloires embody true mountain authenticity, with their traditional chalets and Savoyard cuisine. Make sure you try the farmhouse reblochon, the tomme or the abondance cheese — genuine treasures of the Haute-Savoie terroir.
Renowned as one of the purest lakes in Europe, an idyllic setting surrounded by mountains.
Picturesque canals, a medieval castle and the Palais de l'Île at the heart of a well-preserved historic centre.
A listed medieval village with flower-covered ramparts and a 14th-century castle on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The capital of mountaineering and the gateway to the roof of Europe and its legendary glaciers.
France's highest cable car, offering a 360° panorama over Mont-Blanc at 3,842 m.
France's largest glacier, accessible by the Montenvers rack railway.
A grandiose natural amphitheatre with cascading waterfalls and cliffs, classified as a Grand Site de France.
Known as the Queen of the Alps, a spectacular 80-metre waterfall at its most powerful in spring.
A medieval castle over 1,000 years old perched majestically above Lake Annecy.
Western Europe's largest lake, with beaches and picturesque harbours along the French shore.
A stonemasons' village with an alpine botanical garden and a 600-year-old lime tree.
An authentic Savoyard village, birthplace of reblochon cheese and the biathlon capital.
A typical mountain village resort at the foot of the Aravis range and its famous pass.
A refined village on the shores of Lake Annecy, home to an abbey and top-notch restaurants.
An exceptional panoramic viewpoint overlooking Lake Annecy and the Aravis range.
A key Resistance site from 1944, now a Nordic outdoor area with a mountain memorial.
A suspended walkway above an impressive canyon carved out by erosion.
An authentic village with a medieval abbey and its own AOP cheese made on-site.
A protected mountain dominating Annecy, with 360° panoramas over lakes and alpine summits.
Haute-Savoie offers riders some of the most spectacular alpine roads in the entire French Alps. The Col de la Colombière (1,613 m) links Cluses to Le Grand-Bornand via the D909, throwing tight bends and sweeping views over the Aravis massif at you in equal measure. The Col des Aravis (1,486 m) separates La Clusaz from La Giettaz and serves up an unforgettable head-on panorama of Mont-Blanc from the summit. Deep in the Beaufortain, the Cormet de Roselend (1,968 m) impresses with its high-altitude turquoise lake and hanging hairpins. The Route des Grandes Alpes cuts through the department from Thonon-les-Bains southward, chaining together legendary passes and ever-changing scenery. On the lakeside front, the D909A hugs Lake Annecy between Annecy and Talloires, while the D1005 follows Lake Geneva from Évian to Yvoire. The back roads around Samoëns, Morzine and Les Gets round out the offer with technical, forested riding. Bear in mind that most passes are closed from November to May depending on snowfall.
An iconic climb from Le Grand-Bornand or Cluses, 1,613 m, bends facing the Aravis range.
La Clusaz to Val d'Arly link, head-on view of Mont-Blanc at the 1,486 m summit.
Turquoise high-altitude lake, tight hairpins through the Beaufortain, pass at 1,968 m.
A 40 km circuit via the D909A and D1508, picturesque villages and lakeside panoramas.
From Thonon to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, hitting the legendary passes of Colombière, Aravis and Saisies.
A panoramic loop connecting the finest lakes of Savoie via passes and winding roads.
Riding up the valley with the Mont-Blanc massif straight ahead, tunnels and dramatic corners.
A natural balcony over Lake Annecy, starting from Montmin on a narrow and winding road.