Chamrousse doesn’t carry the fame of Alpe d’Huez or the Galibier, but this Isère ski resort has written two memorable pages of Tour de France history, and its ascent from Saint-Martin-d’Uriage remains one of the most complete climbs in the Belledonne range.
An hors catégorie climb with brutal irregularity
From Saint-Martin-d’Uriage, the road climbs 19.2 km for 1,383 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.2%. The profile is far from linear: after a fairly rolling start through the forest, the gradient kicks up sharply around Bachat-Bouloud, where some stretches average over 15% for nearly a kilometre, before easing off toward the final plateau. This irregularity, combined with the sheer length of the climb, makes it a demanding hors catégorie ascent, comparable in profile to more famous passes.
A history tied to cycling’s biggest names
On 18 July 2001, Chamrousse hosted the Tour de France’s mountain time trial, won by Lance Armstrong, who used it to cement his dominance of the race. The resort wasn’t revisited by the Tour for another thirteen years, until 18 July 2014, when Vincenzo Nibali soloed to victory on stage 13, on his way to overall glory in Paris.
Getting the ride right
A compact or triple crankset is strongly recommended to get through the steepest ramps around Bachat-Bouloud without blowing up too early. The road, fairly wide and well surfaced throughout, crosses a fir forest before opening onto alpine pastures with clear views over the Belledonne range and, on a clear day, the Vercors massif in the distance.
When to go
May to October, as the road is generally clear of snow from late spring onward. June and September remain the most pleasant months, with moderate traffic compared to the bigger neighbouring Alpine passes, letting riders enjoy the climb without the peak-summer car traffic.
Good to know
Saint-Martin-d’Uriage and Grenoble, just twenty kilometres away, offer a wide choice of accommodation and convenient access to other classics of the range like the Col de Porte or the Col du Luitel, for extending a col-hunting trip around the capital of the Alps.
