Road Biking & The Tour De France in Morzine
Road Biking in and Around Morzine
Cyclists love the French Alps for road biking, mainly due to the dramatic scenery and challenging climbs. You can expect to ride lots and lots of mountains in and around Morzine, there is very little flat riding to be done. The months of July and August signify the peak season for biking and is generally when Morzine town will be at its busiest in the Summer so the atmosphere is great fun for all you Velo enthusiasts!
In Morzine, you should expect the road biking to involve either climbing or descending with the odd valley road thrown in to ease the burden. The Col du Joux Plane was made famous by the exploits of the Tour de France riders which is literally on the door step and rises up within minutes of leaving the centre of town. There are many other famous climbs in the area; Col de la Ramaz, Col de la Joux Verte and the Col de la Colombiere, as well as many less well known but equally demanding ascents.
Check Out this new Road Biking Guide to Morzine published by the Tourist Office here in Morzine. It offers a selection of well trodden routes and shows you exactly where to go, what altitude you will climb to and how long it will take. Feel free to print it off. We also have a number of copies in our apartments and chalets.
June and September are great times to visit for road biking enthusiasts, particularly with respect to the weather as things are sometimes a little bit cooler. The only downside to this time of year is that Morzine itself will be quieter than the peak months and has a reduced number of restaurants and bars to frequent. Not a problem if you go down the self catering route.
More Mountain can be flexible in terms of providing accommodation out of season should you wish to visit in non peak times so just contact us. Apartment Central is always available when we are here.
You can often expect to see the Tour De France in Morzine in July. It tends to run through Morzine every 3 to 4 years and usually provides an overnight rest stop. Last year, the 97th Tour de France ran through the village and covered a total distance of 3,600 kilometres. Morzine Avoriaz played a big part in the route for 3 days last summer.
For the exact route that came into Morzine last year click here and zoom in
History speaks for itself…Morzine Avoriaz and the Tour have enjoyed a solid alliance since 1975. The stage leading up to arrival into Morzine Avoriaz runs from the Jura Mountains into to the Alps…it will be the first real contact with high mountain peaks where the cyclists then descend to arrive in Morzine Avoriaz. Rarely climbed – twice only – the Ramaz pass sits at an alt. of 1615m, 40km from the high 1800 altitude finish in Avoriaz, which was last visited by the Tour sixteen years ago.With four climbs on the programme, Morzine Avoriaz is always a major alpine stage, and generally follows with an overnight stop or first rest day in Morzine village.
- So whatever your preference, if you want to make a week of it? long weekend? arrive earlier? stay longer? No problem – contact us for a price. We will also give you a free kit wash in our catered chalets as we know you get sweaty!