Alpe d'Huez is on every cyclist’s list. But the real question is not whether you ride those 21 hairpins once, but where you sleep if you want more than one climb and a selfie at bend 7. The answer lies in the region below those bends: Oisans. And once you leaf through the official cycling guide of Oisans Tourisme, you quickly understand why.
Oisans carries the label Territoire Vélo, awarded by the French cycle touring federation. That sounds like marketing, but in practice it means: 20 mapped cycling routes, labelled accommodation, bike-friendly shuttles, free charging points and repair tools at the tourist offices. This is a region that has fully geared itself to cyclists.
Le Bourg-d’Oisans – the logical starting point
Le Bourg-d’Oisans sits at 720 m in the Romanche valley, right at the crossroads of several valleys. The classic climb to Alpe d'Huez literally starts at the edge of the village. But from that same spot you also roll towards the Col du Galibier, the Croix de Fer, Les 2 Alpes and the dead-end road to La Bérarde in the heart of the Écrins.
Dat maakt Le Bourg-d’Oisans so strong as a base: you don’t have to touch the car. Every morning you choose a direction, and every direction offers something different.
Heerlijk fietsen
The legendary climb to Alpe d'Huez is of course the first you ride. 13.8 km at 7.9% average, 1,266 metres of climbing, numbered hairpins. Marco Pantani’s record (37’35”) still stands. But Oisans offers more after that.
Want to experience the same mountain in a completely different way? Then take the “wild” variant via the Col de Sarenne. That route (52 km, 1,705 m) first takes you through the Ferrand valley, where you meet more sheep than cars, and brings you to Alpe d’Huez via the back. A very different atmosphere, very different legs.
Col de Sarenne, Alpe d’Huez, Frankrijk
• Afstand: 2.9 km, Hoogteverschil: 255 m, Gemiddelde helling: 8.7 %
For the big day there is the Col de la Croix de Fer and Col du Glandon: 80 km, 2,086 metres of climbing, and a climb that takes you through the Eau d’Olle valley to the border of Savoie. At the Grand’Maison lake the rocky valley gives way to open alpine meadows. At the top you look out on the Aiguilles d’Arves.
And then there is the route to La Bérarde (66 km, 1,250 m), a dead-end road that ends at the foot of the Barre des Écrins at 4,102 m. Two tough stretches of 11% along the way, but the rest climbs gradually along the turquoise water of the Vénéon. This climb is not about records but about the natural surroundings.
Balkon routes en verborgen pareltjes
What sets Oisans apart from other cycling destinations in the Alps are its so-called balcony roads. Roads cut out of the rock face, high above the valley, with a view of everything below you. The Balcons de l’Oisans (93 km, 3,266 m) strings a whole series together: Auris-en-Oisans, Mont-de-Lans, Mizoën, Col de Sarenne, Villard-Reculas. If you love roads in the sky and panoramas, put this one at the top of your list.
The smaller routes deserve attention too. The climb to Oulles, the smallest village in the Isère, is only 7 km long but twists through hairpins on a south-facing slope full of pine trees. And the road to Villard-Notre-Dame is so narrow and adventurous, with three unlit tunnels, that you really shouldn’t set off without lights.
Infrastructuur en logistiek
A good destination has climbs. A good base camp has logistics. Both are in order here.
Of Voie Verte, a car-free route from Venosc to Allemond via Le Bourg-d’Oisans, links three valleys and takes you stress-free to the foot of the big cols. From late June to late August a free shuttle with a bike trailer runs on the same stretch, seven days a week.
Accomodaties en overnachten
Accommodation with the Accueil Cyclo Oisanslabel offer specific cycling facilities, from secure storage to laundry service, rated on a scale of one to three bikes. Handy to filter on when you book. In the village itself you’ll find bike shops for rental and repairs, and the tourist offices have repair tools ready for emergencies.
And then the Oisans Col Series: every Tuesday morning in July and August one col or route is closed to motor traffic. Then you have the road all to yourself. Alpe d’Huez, Croix de Fer, Sarenne: they all feature. You can’t do that in such an organised way anywhere else. Check the current programme on oisans-col-series.com, as dates and routes can change per season. Please note: in 2026 the Oisans Col Series take a year off; they return in 2027.
When to go and what to watch out for
The higher cols (Galibier, Croix de Fer, Sarenne) are seasonal. Opening dates vary per year and depend on snowfall. Always check bike-oisans.com for up-to-date information on col openings, lift operations and shuttle times.
Also: bring lights. Several routes include tunnels, some of them unlit. The descents after a pass deserve attention: narrow roads, sharp bends, and now and then an oncoming car on a road that is really only just wide enough for one vehicle.
After day one in Oisans the question soon becomes which climb is up tomorrow, not whether there is anything left to ride. Alpe d'Huez is the lure. Oisans is the reason you stay.
Cycling in the Isère: Alpe d’Huez and more
If you say "bicycle" in France, you say Isère. That equates to Bourg d’Oisans and once you’re in Bourg d’Oisans, you can only think of the Alpe: Alpe d’Huez. With its 21 turns, rich history for both pros, beginners and everyone in between, you’re here in the beating heart of cycling tourism. Yet the experts agree: ‘The Alp’ is certainly not the most beautiful climb there is and it’s certainly not the hardest climb either. In fact, there might be 100 mountains that are more interesting than the Alpe d’Huez. There’s even one entire website Dedicated to them. We are closing our case. That is why we are now offering some alternatives for cycling the Isère, which may be more fun, more difficult or more beautiful than the ’21 virages d’Alpe D’Huez’.
Collet de Vaujany
This little giant is hardly mentioned at all when it comes to the Isere. You can find it in the two Vaujany events: GFNY But otherwise, it seems that people are ignoring this climb. It could be because this climb (also) leads to nowhere, so it’s not really suitable for a nice round trip. But with 9.4 kilometers and a steep climb that rivals the Passo Giau, you’ll be rewarded with a sweet feeling after this.
Alpe d’Huez from the other side:
When you talk about Alpe d’Huez, there’s only one side. The one with those 21 turns. It’s always about the Dutch turn, turn 7. About the world of the late Marco Pantani. But there’s another side too. It’s less spectacular and less steeped in cycling history. But if you’re in the area anyway. The route is much friendlier in terms of slope percentage and you end up riding the final stretch on the same route as the more famous climb. This pass is also known as the Pas de la Confession. You start in the village of Allemond, not in Bourg d’Oisans.
Once you reach the top, you have three choices:
- Directly back via the same road
- Back through the famous 21 turns
- Driving on to the Col de Sarenne
We would choose the latter, then descend to the dam lake and then take a nice walk around the area. Not bad, if it's up to us.
Col du Sabot
A little north of Alpe d’Huez you’ll find this beautiful climb. It’s a ‘one-way’ so you’ll unfortunately have to ride the same route up as you descend down. But let’s be clear: this climb is a definite must-do. The top is much higher than that of its neighbor, because in total 14.5 kilometers, with a percentage of 8.9, this road takes you to 2,100 meters elevation. But it’s much quieter there and the views are much better than those of its famous brother. Moreover, the number of hairpin bends is certainly not to be missed.
Col du Parquetout
We have already seen this climb before, namely in our overview of cols where you can climb. probably have never heard of it before. A beautiful climb, which doesn't necessarily have a high point, so that also offers opportunities for longer days in the year. However, this one will hurt! With only 1382 meters of elevation, it's not a high climb, but in 7.1 kilometers you climb up an average of 9.7% meters. At least, if you take the steep part.
More info
The area has much more to offer than the tips above. Take a look at the Website of Oisans, There you will find a lot of fun routes and alternatives.
The site of Isere Tourism Provides a world of information about the area. Enjoy cycling!
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Chantal Gosewehr – Wolf