The High Alps/Mont Blanc/Chablais/Aravis

Taking in Lake Annecy, Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, and Lake Geneva, this is a truly magnificent but very mountainous circuit.

Day 1 - Annecy/Hauteluce - Height gain: 1550 m - Distance: 100 km
Annecy’s beautiful greenway, along the shores of the lake, provides a gentle start to the day. Then, a long climb from Albertville through the picturesque Beaufortain Mountains leads to the day’s only pass, the Col du Joly. The ascent is long and demanding but the effort is rewarded by exceptional views of Mont Blanc. Descent to the village of Hauteluce.

Day 2 - Hauteluce Chamonix-Mont-Blanc - Height gain: 1250 m - Distance: 70 km
The sustained climb to the Col des Saisies is followed by much easier cycling below the foot of Mont Blanc to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

Day 3 - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc/Abondance - Height gain: 1550 m - Distance: 110 km
From Chamonix the route makes an incursion into Switzerland with a fabulous descent through the terraced vineyards below the Col de la Forclaz. The road back into France goes over the Pas de Morgins to Chatel and the Abondance Valley.

Day 4 - Abondance/Bellevaux - Height gain: 1400 m - Distance: 53 km
A stage that hops between the Dranse d’Abondance and Dranse de Morzine Valleys. A visit to the impressive Pont du Diable gorge is a must.

Day 5 - Bellevaux/Thonon-les-Bains - Height gain: 1250 m - Distance: 76 km
This traverse of the aptly named “Vallée Verte” provides an excellent harvest of cols - no fewer than six in one day - before descending to Lake Geneva.

Day 6 - Thonon-les-Bains/Onnion - Height gain: 1420 m - Distance: 47 km
Another traverse of the Vallée Verte and its picture-postcard villages. The descent from the Plaine-Joux plateau to Onnion is superb.

Day 7 -Onnion/Morzine - Height gain: 1150 m - Distance: 42 km
The stiff climb to the Col de la Ramaz leads to spectacular views of Mont Blanc from above the resort of Praz-de-Lys.

Day 8 - Morzine/Samoëns- Height gain: 1570 m - Distance: 50 km
A very alpine stage from the Portes du Soleil to the Col de Joux-Plane, included in the Tour de France 12 times.

Day 9 - Samoëns/Le Grand-Bornand - Height gain: 1200 m - Distance: 47 km
Although this stage includes only one long climb, the final section of the Col de la Colombière, one of the Tour de France’s most legendary passes, is always challenging.
From Samoens it is well worth making the round trip along the valley to see the Fer à Cheval cirque.

Day 10 Le Grand-Bornand/Annecy - Height gain: 1250 m - Distance: 90 km
A lovely quiet route through the meadows of the Aravis Mountains and a return leg to Annecy on the greenway beside the lake.