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+ 194

The Villages of the Aravis

Cycling Route

Details
69.95 mi
8,472 ft
An incredible tour through some of the most beautiful villages in the Haute Savoie

Starting in Annecy and then touring through some stunning French villages and over the high, wild Col des Aravis, this is about as good as road biking gets in the Alps.

The initial section can be rather busy as you get clear of Annecy town and make the climb up to Thônes, but most of the ride thereafter is peaceful. Our suggested line here is not the most direct way of getting between the villages but it takes you along serene country lanes rather than larger, busier roads.

From Thônes the route climbs up to the popular village of La Clusaz, where you're advised to grab a coffee and a croissant to power you for the pull up to the Col des Aravis. The final climb goes up classic Alpine zig zags and the Col itself is a typically wild and windy low point between towering peaks.

Make the long descent through La Giettaz and on to Flumet then head south through hamlet after hamlet and follow zig zags down to the suburbs of Ugine, an industrial little town from where you quickly reach Marlens and then Faverges.

From Faverges you can go (on a large, busy road) directly to the southern end of Lake Annecy but a superior - albeit more difficult - option is to climb up to the little village of La Perrière before making a long descent to Menthon Saint-Bernard, on the eastern shore of the lake.

From there, head through Veyrier-du-Lac and swing around to Annecy town centre. You will have earned some calories and in Annecy you're spoiled for choice when it comes to replacing them! Written by Charlie Boscoe
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
IUT Long0.77 mi253 ft6.0%
Final Rue de la Pesse0.27 mi115 ft7.8%
Rampe de L'IUT0.32 mi135 ft7.8%
Sprint de la Carrière0.23 mi20 ft1.2%
Sprint mobalpa0.22 mi33 ft2.9%
Rond points -*31.14 mi85 ft1.4%
Déviation Thônes0.67 mi56 ft1.5%
Les Villards -> St Jean2.50 mi581 ft4.2%
Total to Bélier1.46 mi236 ft2.9%
Entre deux rond points0.21 mi59 ft5.1%
Col Aravis 12.36 mi748 ft6.0%
Aravis final par La Clusaz1.80 mi604 ft5.9%
Aravis - Dernière ligne droite0.25 mi36 ft2.8%
Le Metan - Nant Parreux0.89 mi-305 ft-5.6%
L'Arrondine Flyer0.65 mi128 ft3.7%
ça monte et ça descend0.95 mi-259 ft-2.5%
Contournement de Flumet0.22 mi-46 ft-2.0%
Coup de cul Héry0.20 mi92 ft8.5%
D109 Climb1.67 mi702 ft7.9%
Ecole de Banges - Ugine3.16 mi-617 ft-3.7%
S de l'école de Banges - Descente0.24 mi-89 ft-6.2%
remonté château0.47 mi-125 ft-4.3%
Descente du Château1.79 mi-463 ft-4.9%
Descente Golliet0.33 mi-85 ft-4.8%
Descente "Maillet"0.73 mi-190 ft-4.9%
Traversée Ugine descente0.22 mi-69 ft-5.8%
grimpée cons variante 0.44 mi197 ft8.4%
Hawkes 1k0.68 mi171 ft4.8%
Montmin first part1.90 mi991 ft9.9%
Col de la Forclaz5.06 mi2,054 ft7.7%
Bogon Bins MAP test0.56 mi295 ft9.9%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 20.61 mi338 ft10.4%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 30.61 mi315 ft9.8%
⬅️⚡️0.59 mi266 ft8.5%
L'enfer de la Forclaz0.82 mi417 ft9.6%
Forclaz - Passage du champ0.40 mi233 ft10.9%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 60.61 mi312 ft9.6%
relance col de la forclaz1.49 mi312 ft3.4%
Relance0.36 mi207 ft10.8%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 70.66 mi141 ft3.3%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 80.57 mi105 ft2.9%
Col de la Forclaz via Montmin - Km 90.61 mi338 ft10.3%
Last terrible 400M Forclaz0.25 mi115 ft8.1%
Descente Forclaz - Partie raide1.68 mi-968 ft-10.9%
Montée de l’Église0.19 mi56 ft2.3%
Veyrier-du-Lac0.13 mi30 ft4.1%
Sprint Sortie Veyrier0.61 mi-43 ft-1.2%
Rond Point Veyrier - Pensières0.44 mi30 ft0.1%
Bosse de Chavoires0.21 mi-30 ft-2.7%
[DRSegments] Sprint de l'Amandier - (Amandier -> Petit-Port)0.52 mi-20 ft-0.3%