Bourg Saint Maurice is located in the Tarentaise valley in the northern Alps, close to the Italian border. My pitch is campsite Huttopia, located just outside the centre on the main road towards Tignes. The base of many a pro team during altitude training in the mountains. I am on the road for a fortnight and will take you through this region's most beautiful routes in a series. Starting point Bourg Saint Maurice, from there you will want to cycle! Robbert explains in three parts which routes are really for you.
Staying at a campsite - Huttopia Bourg Saint Maurice
Huttopia campsite is a small, friendly campsite with chalets, rental tents, motorhome sites and pitches. The campsite mainly attracts mountain & outdoor people plus cyclists, as it is a perfect location to explore the mountains. And there are quite a few of them. From the campsite you can climb illustrious cols such as Cormet de Roselend, Peisey Nancroix and the Petite Saint Bernard. In addition, there is a large supermarket 100 metres away, the centre of Bourg Saint Maurice (BSM) within walking distance and you are at the funicular (little train) in a heartbeat. This train transports hikers and mountain bikers for free (bikes for a fee) to the mountain sports village of Les Arcs. In short; a perfect stay for a short cycling trip or a longer holiday in beautiful surroundings.
Superior bike of service
I have a Superior Road GF at my disposal during my stay in Bourg Saint Maurice. A wonderful all-round bike equipped with SRAM Rival and Fast Forward Tyro wheels with a rim height of 45 millimetres. A perfect bike for conquering the mountains. Want to know more about this cool bike? Then read the review of this beautiful thoroughbred.
Tarentaise Valley
To get a bit accustomed to cycling in the mountains and get my climber's legs going, my first trip starts off mostly flat. I cycle out of the village and take the 'voie verte' (cycle path) along the Tarentaise. A fast-flowing river mainly used for kayaking and rafting. After 12 flat kilometres, there is a play pond along the little river. It's still too early to stop there for a coffee, so I might do that on the way back. In La Plagne (you know, Boogerd's win there in 2002), I turn right into the mountains, towards the village of La Côte d'Aime. The first serious climb of the day. A tough climb of just over 4 kilometers with an average gradient of 7.3%. As it's also quite warm, the climb feels even a bit harder. At the top, I grab a coke at a little bar, before riding over the ridge back to Bourg Saint Maurice.
Peisey Nancroix
From BSM, I once again cycle into the Tarentaise Valley. Where earlier I followed the cycle path along the river, I now take the larger road next to the cycle path. This goes up slightly until the village of Landry, from where the serious work begins. The stretch to Peisey is 5.6 kilometres and winds through a forest and up a number of hairpin bends. It is also pretty tough climbing with an average gradient of 7.7%. After the village of Peisey, a vast mountain landscape unfolds. It is another 4 kilometres or so to the end of the road in Rosuel. A road that ends at a car park where mountain hikers take over the trails. This is truly magisterial cycling; constant views of massive mountains with snow on top. It's not really steep either, so you can actually enjoy the scenery around you non-stop. A mountain meadow to the left, a waterfall to the right, snow-capped peaks in front of you and, in the clear blue sky, large birds of prey circling in search of food. One of those climbs where it really is a shame that the road ends. After a short break and enjoying the view some more, I grab my Superior again and the great enjoyment of descending can begin. Eleven kilometres downhill. The cycling no longer takes effort, only the focus has to be full on the road, traffic, turning corners and accelerating again.
Cycling routes Bourg Saint Maurice
Below are the routes Robbert rode around Bourg Saint Maurice
