Breath Taking Climbs & Stunning Views
Luxury Cycling Break Packages
Cols to Climb
On our breaks we cycle on spectacular cols to take your senses to the limit including the brutal Col de Joux Plane which starts on our doorstep. Learn about the history of these climbs in the pro peloton and how some of the best have faired.
The col de Joux plane is our local climb and is a tough climb from either side, but is significantly harder from Samoëns, which is almost 300m lower in altitude than Morzine. Its a stunning climb with views of the Mont blanc but can be unforgiving and difficult to get into a rhythm due to the constantly changing gradients.The whole slope faces south with little tree cover from the sun so this one can be hard on hot sunny days so start off early.
The climb is 11.1km long with a gain in altitude of 989m with an
average gradient of 8.9% but with 2 sections over 11% the first at 1km and the second at 6km.
Guide Comment: “According to Lucien Van Impe (5 times winner of the Tour de France mountain jersey) this is one of the toughest climbs in France” Last on Tour de France in 2016.
This is the climb that Lance Armstrong claims "it was the worst I have ever felt on a bike" Marco Pantani skipped away from Jan Ullrich in 1997 to set the record time for the climb – a scarcely believable 33 minutes
Circuit De Joux-Plane:
74km with a vertical climb of 1620m check? 1760 stunning views and mountain lakes, tough climbs and long descents. this route is usually covered in snow from December to April.