Top tips for watching Le Tour from Chamonix

Getting to see the mountain stages is often a bit tricky, as they’re usually held on remote cols with limited access or in small alpine villages that only have narrow roads and very little parking. To make sure you get to see the action you might have to think “out of the box” and consider one of the following options:

Hiking

One of the most spectacular finishes will be stage 17 on 20th July, up at the Emosson Dam a magnificent setting at 1960m. This stage starts at Bern in Switzerland and covers 185km to get to the finish line; the last 10km stretch is a gruelling climb along endless bends up to the dam. The remote location means that traffic will be ground to a halt and public transport is rather limited. If you’re a keen hiker you can get there under your own steam by taking the train to Vallorcine and following the steep trail up to Emosson via the Refuge de Loriaz. It is a challenging hike that takes around 7 hours, but the length of this stage means that the caravan isn’t due to arrive until after 3:30pm and then the riders will be about an hour or so later. Alternatively, you can also hike from Vallorcine across to Col de Forclaz, one of the big climbs of this stage and a beautiful place to stop for lunch. If this sounds like too much of a mission then you can take the funicular train from Le Chatelard up to Emosson, a breath taking ride on the world's steepest railway. We're guessing it might be a bit busy that day though, so get there early and enjoy the view while you wait for the riders to arrive. Once you're up there, there are plenty more hiking trails to explore including the famous dinosaur footprints.

Road Bike

Stage 18 starts in the nearby town of Sallanches on 21st July, an easy bike ride from Chamonix for those who don’t mind the odd short climb here and there. Starting from Chamonix you head south through Les Houches, past the Prarion lift station and follow the steep road that passes through Vaudagne. After you’ve come back down the other side a bridge takes you over the dual carriageway and into the small village of Servoz. Take the old road up through Passy and then drop down when you see Sallanches signposted. The stage will start from Place Charles Albert and there are plenty of stalls and entertainments planned for the newly developed Quai Curral. It’s just over 25km with around 165m of ascent and 635m of descent from Chamonix to Sallanches. Obviously this makes the return leg the harder one, so you can always cycle the flat 10km to Saint-Gervais and hop on the train back to Chamonix.

Mountain Bike

Take to your own two wheels and get to Saint Gervais for stage 19 on 22nd July via Les Houches on a mountain bike. You can take bikes on either the Bellevue cable car or the Prarion gondola and there are a number of routes that will take you across the meadows and through the pine forests of this idyllic part of the valley. Just pick up a trail map from the lift station and follow the signposts to Saint-Gervais. Leave early enough to catch the TDF and then cruise down the road to Le Fayet and pick up the train back to Chamonix. The Bettex lift in Saint-Gervais will be free of charge and open from 9am to 9pm, offering an exceptional viewpoint of the finish line. There are also free shuttle buses operating between Saint Gervais Le Fayet train station and the Telecabine de Saint Gervais.

Tramway du Mont Blanc

Saint Gervais can also be reached from Les Houches on the Tramway du Mont Blanc, included in your Mont Blanc Multipass. This charming little carriage trundles down from Col de Voza, meaning that you can ride up on either the Prarion gondola or the Bellevue cable car and enjoy a short but incredibly scenic hike before hopping on the tram down to Saint Gervais Le Fayet. From there you can take advantage of the free shuttle buses that are running up to the Saint Gervais lift system. Once you've seen the riders zoom over the finish line you can either return on the tram or take the train back to Chamonix.

Day Trip

Haute Pursuit are organising trips to each of the stages, they’ve taken care of all the route planning so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride! Each day will involve an early start to beat the traffic and once there you’ll have all day to enjoy the area. You can go on a hike, have lunch in a French café, you can even take your bike along and go for a ride. They’ve carefully planned their routes to ensure that you get the best race views and a great day out. Seats cost just 49€ per person (return), or 75€ including bike transport. They will be visiting the following stages:

• Wednesday 20th July: Stage 17, Col de Forclaz
• Thursday 21st July: Stage 18, Megeve
• Friday 22nd July: Stage 19, Saint Gervais
• Saturday 23rd July: Stage 20, Samoëns/Morzine

Cycling in Chamonix

If watching the Tour de France has inspired you to don the padded pants, then check out our guide to cycling in Chamonix for advice on routes, bike rental, equipment, local transport, etc.