Val d'Isère and the Col de l'Iseran: a must-see for a successful road trip on the Route des Grandes Alpes
The Route des Grandes Alpes is undoubtedly one of the most popular itineraries for bikers, with its 720 kilometres of road in the middle of the French Alps, its 17 passes, including 6 at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, and its mountainous curves and breathtaking scenery. Conceived by the Touring-Club de France at the end of the 19th century, this route was to become one “that would skirt the glaciers and precipices, wind along the snowfields and surprise the torrents at their source”. Today, you can ride your motorbike through the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions and five départements, including Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
If you dream of high mountains and your bike’s brakes are in good condition, we advise you to ride your motorbike through the Beaufortain, Tarentaise and Vanoise massifs on the legendary stage from the Col des Aravis to the Col de l’Iseran. As soon as you cross the Col des Aravis at 1,500 metres, you reach the Col des Saisie at an altitude of 1,633 metres. Once you’ve crossed the Beaufortain and Val d’Arly valleys, you pass through Bourg Saint Maurice and enter the Vanoise National Park to begin a fabulous ascent to the Col de l’Iseran. This final ascent is an opportunity to put some angle on things through some mountain switchbacks, and then you can admire the titanic dam of Tignes before reaching the town of Val d’Isère. If you still haven’t gained enough height by now, we recommend you take the Val d’Isère Olympic cable car, which lifts you to the Rocher de Bellevarde at an altitude of 2,689 metres! Once you’ve recovered from your emotions, a few last bends are in front of you, so you can grab the rope and admire the panorama.
If you’re looking for something to eat, pamper your bike and relax before continuing your journey the next day, we can offer you a complete package that has already been put to the test by many bikers: the evening stage. In the evening, from 7pm, our chef Olivier Nuret will be serving fresh local produce, gourmet cuisine, home-made starters, carefully selected meats, a variety of fondues and, of course, the famous ‘Raclette à l’ancienne’ that has made the house’s reputation. You can also relax in our outdoor sauna, jacuzzi or hammam while admiring the view of Bellevarde. We also have a motorbike wash and a secure car park beneath the hotel.
Testimonials:
“We stayed one night at the Avancher hotel taking advantage of their ” Evening stage ” offer, including in addition to the night: access to the spa area, two drinks, two dinners as well as breakfasts. Everything was perfect. The hotel is particularly well-decorated. It’s modern, but the wood is very present, adding a touch of authenticity. It has a cosy, warm mountain atmosphere, even in summer! We also really enjoyed the restaurant. The evening menu of starters, main courses and desserts were copious and delicious. What’s more, they were able to accommodate our vegetarian diet by offering us another dish. As for the buffet breakfast, it’s made up of fresh, local produce, so we had a real treat… Finally, all the staff are smiling and very friendly. The value for money for this offer is excellent, I highly recommend it!”
Valentin C.