{"id":26648,"date":"2026-10-09T12:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T10:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.camping-eden-savoie.com\/?p=26648"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:36:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T10:36:19","slug":"route-des-grandes-alpes-motorbike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.camping-eden-savoie.com\/en\/travel-guide\/route-des-grandes-alpes-motorbike\/","title":{"rendered":"Route des Grandes Alpes by motorbike: the 3 Savoie passes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Route des Grandes Alpes by motorbike<\/strong> covers nearly 720 km of tarmac between Thonon-les-Bains and Menton, punctuated by 17 legendary passes<\/strong>. Three of them cross Savoie and provide the finest stages of the route: the Cormet de Roselend, the Col de l\u2019Iseran, the highest paved pass in the Alps, and the Little St Bernard Pass between France and Italy.<\/p>\n

The team at our Eden de la Vanoise campsite<\/a>, a biker-friendly campsite in Landry<\/strong>, shares the itinerary, the best stops and practical tips for a stress-free ride.<\/p>\n

A legendary route from the north to the south of the Alps<\/h2>\n

The Route des Grandes Alpes<\/strong> links Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, crossing the Chablais, Beaufortain, Vanoise, Queyras and Mercantour massifs. It takes in 17 Alpine passes and climbs as high as 2,764 m at the Col de l\u2019Iseran<\/strong>. From Thonon-les-Bains, the route heads down to Cluses, Beaufort, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re, Bonneval-sur-Arc and then Brian\u00e7on before reaching Menton.<\/p>\n

In Savoie, the central section concentrates three major passes that make the Route des Grandes Alpes by motorbike<\/strong> unforgettable. Each section has its own signature: hairpin bends in the Beaufortain, long climbs in Haute-Maurienne, a border crossing into the Aosta Valley. Camping L\u2019Eden de la Vanoise, in Landry, is less than 40 minutes from the start of all three passes, an ideal base to ride them over several days.<\/p>\n

Our team\u2019s tip: set off early in the morning to ride before the tourist rush and enjoy the views in softer light.<\/em><\/p>\n

The 3 Savoie passes not to be missed<\/h2>\n

On the official route, three Savoie passes form the Alpine heart of the itinerary. Each one deserves a stop for a photo, a coffee or a short walk at the top.<\/p>\n

The Cormet de Roselend, 1,968 m<\/h3>\n

The Cormet de Roselend pass<\/a> climbs to 1,968 m in the Beaufortain massif. From Beaufort, the ascent stretches over 20.3 km at an average gradient of 6%. The pass overlooks Lake Roselend, whose turquoise waters closed over an old chapel in 1960. The descent towards Bourg-Saint-Maurice strings together hairpins over 19.3 km: a treat for bikers. The pass is usually open from late May to mid-October, depending on snowfall.<\/p>\n

The Col de l\u2019Iseran, 2,764 m<\/h3>\n

The Col de l\u2019Iseran<\/a> is the highest paved pass in the Alps<\/strong>, at 2,764 m. The road links Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Bonneval-sur-Arc via Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re. It crosses the Vanoise National Park, with mineral landscapes, glaciers visible in the distance and a true high-mountain atmosphere. The Iseran rarely opens before early June and closes again with the first autumn snow. Bring thermal layers: the temperature drops quickly above 2,500 m.<\/p>\n

The Little St Bernard Pass, 2,188 m<\/h3>\n

The Little St Bernard Pass<\/a> peaks at 2,188 m and marks the border between France and the Aosta Valley. From Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the climb winds through 30 km of gentle bends, with views of the Mont Blanc massif. At the top, an old hospice and a Celtic stone circle recall the thousand-year history of the crossing. The Italian descent runs down to La Thuile, then Aosta: a perfect round trip for a change-of-scene day on the bike.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Practical tips for a stress-free ride<\/h2>\n

Riding the Route des Grandes Alpes by motorbike<\/strong> successfully takes a little preparation. Conditions change quickly at altitude and the Savoie passes are not to be improvised.<\/p>\n

Use a simple checklist before each stage:<\/p>\n