{"id":26369,"date":"2026-03-10T16:49:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T15:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=26369"},"modified":"2026-03-10T16:49:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T15:49:07","slug":"fietsen-oisans-alpe-dhuez-bourg-doisans-gids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/frankrijk\/franse-alpen\/fietsen-oisans-alpe-dhuez-bourg-doisans-gids","title":{"rendered":"Oisans is the base for Alpe d'Huez and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alpe d'Huez<\/strong> is on every cyclist's list. But the question is really not whether you do those 21 turns once, but where you go to sleep if you want to get more out of it than one climb and a selfie at turn 7. The answer is in the region that lies below those turns: Oisans<\/strong>. And if you peruse Oisans Tourisme's official cycling guide, you'll quickly understand why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oisans carries the label Territoire V\u00e9lo<\/strong>, awarded by the French Cycling Tourism Federation. That sounds like marketing, but in practice it means: 20 elaborate cycling routes, labelled accommodation, bicycle-friendly shuttles, free charging points and repair tools at tourist offices. This is a region fully geared to cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le Bourg-d'Oisans - the logical starting point<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Le Bourg-d'Oisans<\/strong> lies at 720m altitude in the Romanche plain, right at the intersection of several valleys. The classic climb to Alpe d'Huez<\/strong> literally starts at the edge of the village. But from that same spot you also roll towards the Col du Galibier<\/strong>, the Croix de Fer<\/strong>, Les 2 Alpes<\/strong> and the cul-de-sac to La B\u00e9rarde<\/strong> in the heart of the \u00c9crins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Up the Alpe d'Huez \u00a9NilsLouna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That makes Le Bourg-d'Oisans<\/strong> as a base so strong: you don't need to touch the car. Each morning you choose a direction, and each direction offers something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lovely cycling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The legendary climb to Alpe d'Huez<\/strong> is obviously the first<\/a> which you do. 13.8km at 7.9% average, 1,266 altimeters, numbered turns. Marco Pantani's record (37\u201935\u201d) still stands. But Oisans offers more after that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to experience the same mountain in a totally different way? Then take the \u201cwild\u201d variant via the Col de Sarenne<\/strong>. That route (52km, 1,705hm) first takes you through the Ferrand valley, where you'll encounter more sheep than cars, and takes you through the back to Alpe d'Huez. Very different atmosphere, very different legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col de Sarenne<\/a>, Alpe d'Huez, France<\/p>- Distance: 2.9 km, Height difference: 255 m, Average slope: 8.7 %<\/blockquote>