The region Savoie-Mont Blanc houses many beautiful climbs with a tour-like past. Not only the Col de Joux-Plane Is there such a one? The Galibier It is allowed to be included. Climbing is often used as the penultimate challenge in a stage. Also the Mont-Salève There may be one that is affectionately called the Geneve mountain hut. It is beautiful, so it must be. But is there still room for a newcomer? For a hobby (or sport) where N+1 is the motto, it doesn’t matter. The more steep trails, the better. In Samoëns, at the foot of the Joux-Plane, you can also visit the south side of the village. There is the sign ‘Samoëns 1600’. Climbing to Plateau des Saix. According to the insiders, this is the new arrival up the mountain. We went up and one thing is for sure: what a climb this is!
Text and photos: Sander Kolsloot
Climb to Samoëns 1600: Plateau des Saix
On an early Monday morning, with just a few more hours left in the day, in the beautiful Savoie-Mont Blanc region, I’m driving through Samoëns. It’s early September. The temperature is still a little chilly in the morning. Sleeveless tops are a must, but they’re nice in the shorts. So it’s perfect for spending the autumn. I’m not at all afraid of getting cold today. Not only does the weather report look very positive (and warm), but the climb to Plateau des Saix is my goal and I’m already getting quite warm about it.
Normally, I find climbs between five and seven percent average to be the most enjoyable. Often, these are nice runs. You can find a nice rhythm and pedal uphill while also enjoying the view in the meantime. The Col de la Joux Verte from Morzine is such a climb. The climb to Plateau des Saix is of a different category. For ten kilometers, it is downhill. It is comparable to the Passo Giau. A climb that I and many others with me will remember forever. Pure pain.
Steep forward
The first two kilometers of this killer trail are something to cherish. You drive among the trees and nothing gives away that you’re about to be laid down on the bench. The percentages are between six and eight percent, and you can still get into a good rhythm. The road turns towards a few clustered houses and that’s when the real misery begins. You see it in front of you and think: ‘do I really have to go up there?’ The answer is: ‘yes’. The difference from the first two kilometers is quite abrupt and therefore really painful. Twelve percent and more alternate on my Wahoo. It really hurts and my leg speed and pace quickly drop to a walking pace. What keeps me going: the view of the beautiful Joux-Plane on the other side of the valley.
Steep forward
The closer you get to the top, the more you think: how long is it going to take? When you ride the bike up to the plateau of Saix, be sure to use good resistance so you can keep pedaling up the hill. In my case, I had a good one on the rental bike, a Giant. Combined with the 32(!) mm tires, it was comfortable to ride up the hill. That didn’t make much of a difference to the gradient, unfortunately. The climb has only a few nice hairpin bends, but given the incline, I’m a bit less attentive to them.
Club Med
One of the reasons why the tourism agency is busy with this climb is the presence of a Club Med. I was told this in advance and when I saw the sign referring to this ‘Club’, I thought: I’m here! But that’s not true at all. The top of the climb is a bit higher, in the middle of the plateau, where in winter it’s probably very crowded. On a late summer Monday, there’s not much going on. Not even a cup of coffee. Here, they’ve finished dealing with tourists for a while and are preparing for the (hopefully) long winter, with lots of snow. Just before you reach the plateau, you drive through a tunnel. Just before that, there’s a spacious parking lot. It seems that a possible finish of the tour will be here. The view is certainly spectacular.
Route to Samoëns 1600 – Plateau des Saix
Here is the route to the Plateau des Saix. A beautiful but challenging climb in the Savoie-Mont Blanc region. If you want to know more about that region, check out the website of the tourism bureau. We have already done a few nice routes ourselves, such as the Joux Plane and the Classic Galibier!
Also included is the elevation profile of the climb to Plateau des Saix – Samoëns 1600
Plateau des Saix Samoens 1600, Samoëns, France
• Distance: 9.3 km, Elevation: 896 m, Average grade: 9.5 %
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Questions & tips
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