Bourg d'Oisans is the most popular base for cyclists in the high mountains. And not without reason. This place has everything: a cozy villag center, endless accommodation, the possibility of short and long loops and countless known and unknown climbs. Bourg is a destination for the whole family, and for cyclists of all levels.
Bourg d'Oisans lies at the foot of Alpe d'Huez. At about halfway through the 12 km climb a ski elevator starts, and if you take it you are in the middle of the ski area that bears the same name as the climb: Alpe d'Huez. This is a vast and snow sure area for every level with 250 km of slopes. The villages Vaujany and Oz-en-Station also belong to this area. But you do not necessarily choose Alpe d'Huez, because Les 2 Alpes (200 km of slopes) is also within a half hour drive. In short: also in winter, Bourg d'Oisans is a perfect destination.
In Bourg d'Oisans you will find dozens of eateries where you can spoil yourself. Since it is teeming with cyclists, the local chefs know exactly what is needed. Pizza and pasta is in abundance. But also the authentic French mountain cuisine, with its famous tartiflette, for example, is present. And of course we are in France, so terraces can be found on every street corner. In Bourg you don't have to be bored in the culinary field - cosiness is never far away.
In Bourg d'Oisans and its surroundings there are, of course, many hotels where cyclists are especially welcome. It is also packed with campsites. Accommodation not difficult to find, even in high season.
Bourg-d'Oisans is located in the French department of Isère, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The village is an hour's drive from Grenoble. The mountains around Bourg belong to the Écrins Massif, which is part of Écrins National Park. This is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the French Alps. And certainly not only on the road bike or MTB. The hiking possibilities are also excellent.
In Bourg d'Oisans you can find a bicycle store on every street corner, so to speak. Road, MTB, kids's bikes: everything is possible.
Although Bourg d'Oisans is mostly known among road cyclists, it certainly pays to bring your MTB as well. Both Alpe d'Huez and Oz have their own bike park and have a network of mapped routes. 250 km total, 36 routes (13 DH, 13 XC and 10 enduro). More info can be found here. The official MTB guide of the region you can download for free here (PDF).
As always the Alps, the routes are advanced - you're in the high mountains, of course. For the gravel bike there are not many options, although there is a beautiful gravel path up the Alpe d'Huez. This route we have of course included in our collection. You can also do this route on your MTB, of course.
More in our calendar!
The Dutch Mountain. Who doesn't know it? Known from the Tour de France, where the Dutch fans can always be found in corner 7. Peter Winnen, Steven Rooks, Joop Zoetemelk, Henny Kuiper and Gertjan Theunissen won one or more Tour stages here. And of course we also know climb from La Marmotte and Alpe d'HuZes. The legendary climb with its 21 switchbacks is one that is not missing on any palmares. Besides the classic climb you can also climb from the south side (Col de Sarenne) and north side (Pas de la Confession). Success assured.
There a many things to do around Bourg d'Oisans. Some examples
Visit the site of the local tourist office or TripAdvisor for more inspiration.
Because Grenoble is larger than Bozen and Innsbruck, the city is also called the capital of the Alps. Even though it is not even in the "real" Alps.. Grenoble is surrounded by mountains: in the north the Chartreuse, in the west the plateau of the Vercors and in the east the massif of Belledonne. It is a nice city to spend a day in, that's only an hour away. You'll find everything you'd expect from a big city. The Bastille, a historic series of fortifications, is the most famous landmark. You can take a gondola up cliff to visit.
No shortage of adventurous mountain sports activities! Hiking, rock climbing, paragliding, rafting, ziplining. Everything is possible. Even if you're not a daredevil, you'll get your money's worth. There are plenty of sporting outings for the whole family.
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