Oisans and Maurienne together form the Tour de France's most iconic mountain theatre. The Oisans valley, centred on Bourg d'Oisans, sits at the foot of Alpe d'Huez — 21 hairpin bends, 13.8 km at 7.9%, and arguably the most famous climb in cycling. The Maurienne valley to the north connects Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Modane and Valloire, and hosts the approaches to Col du Galibier and Col du Télégraphe. Between them these two valleys contain more legendary Alpine climbs per kilometre than anywhere else in France.
Region at a glance
All Routes in Oisans & Maurienne
4 curated road-cycling routes in Oisans & Maurienne.
Col du Galibier & Col du Télégraphe
Back-to-back HC climbs out of the Maurienne: the Télégraphe first, a quick drop into Valloire, then the long grind up the Galibier to 2642 m. 88.9 km, 2846 m of climbing, and one of the great high-alpine days in European cycling.
Col de la Madeleine
A 39.6 km loop over the Col de la Madeleine with 1,523 m of climbing — a hors catégorie Tour de France classic from the Maurienne floor at La Chambre up the D213 to 2,000 m, where the view across to Mont Blanc steals whatever breath the heat has left you.
Col de la Croix de Fer og Col du Glandon
Two bucket-list Tour de France cols linked in a single 79.1 km loop out of Bourg-d'Oisans, with 1,896 m of climbing that stacks the Glandon and the Croix de Fer back-to-back before dropping you past turquoise reservoirs to the valley floor.
Alpe d’Huez & Col de Sarenne
A 51.2 km loop out of Bourg d'Oisans with 1683 m of climbing that pairs the 21 lacets of Alpe d'Huez with the wild, quiet Col de Sarenne at 1999 m. A Tour de France pilgrimage that turns into a proper high-mountain loop.