The Beaufortain doesn't get the coverage it deserves. Mention Savoie cycling and most riders picture the Tarentaise — Alpe d'Huez, Col de l'Iseran, Col du Galibier, the tourist machinery of the Grand Massif. The Beaufortain sits just west, quieter, lower-profile, connected to the Arly valley and the Cormet de Roselend loop and accessible from Albertville in thirty minutes by car. It is where the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes sends its race today.
Stage 6 finishes at Crest-Voland, a ski station on the Beaufortain plateau at 1,216 metres, reached by a 5.9-kilometre ramp at 7.7 percent — steeper in the upper third, where the gradient pushes toward double figures. Below it, the Col des Saisies connects the Arly valley to the Beaufort basin. Below that, Beaufort village sits at the foot of the Cormet de Roselend, where the cheese bearing the valley's name matures in cellars that the cycling season floods with passing tourists every June.
This is the terrain. Here's how to ride it.
The Crest-Voland Finish Climb
The race approaches Crest-Voland from the northwest, via the Héry-sur-Ugine approach — but the more natural tourist access is from the Arly valley to the northeast, beginning in Flumet or Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe.
From Flumet: 8.5km at an average of 6.5%, gaining roughly 560 metres to the resort plateau. The lower slopes are tight, tree-lined, passing through Cohennoz before opening to ski-country terrain at the top. The final 2 kilometres tighten to the race-profile gradient. This is the road from the bottom; it rewards those who pace the lower half.
From Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe: A shorter option, approximately 4km at 7% from the valley floor — more direct, less scenic, useful as a repeatable training interval if you're basing near the Col des Aravis.
The plateau at Crest-Voland is open, with views across the Beaufortain toward the Mont Blanc massif on clear days. The ski resort infrastructure is functional year-round; the hotels here are uncrowded in June, which makes the village a good night's stop for anyone doing a multi-day loop.
Col des Saisies (1,633m)
The Saisies pass sits 9km west of Crest-Voland and connects the Arly valley (Flumet side) to the Beaufort basin. It is one of the more interesting mid-altitude passes in Savoie: long on approach from either side, never brutally steep, but consistently engaging at 5–6% for stretches that separate riders who trained in the spring from those who didn't.
From Beaufort (west approach): 14km at an average of 5.8%, starting from the valley floor at roughly 750m. The road follows the Doron de Beaufort river upstream through mature forest before emerging onto the Saisies plateau. The summit is broadly flat, with a small resort (Espace Diamant) and the road junction to Crest-Voland. This is the climb that Stage 6's peloton would traverse on the lower slopes before the final Crest-Voland ramp.
From Flumet (east approach): 13.5km at approximately 4.5%, a gentler gradient with wider road and more traffic in summer. Good climbing lane on the ascent; the descent to Flumet is fast and technical on the upper hairpins.
The Saisies–Crest-Voland loop is the plateau's signature ride: climb one side of the Saisies, traverse the plateau at 1,600m, descend to Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, loop back via the Arly valley. Around 60km, 1,200m of climbing, doable in a morning.
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Join ZealZagFollow us on InstagramThe Cormet de Roselend (1,967m)
If the Saisies is the Beaufortain's introduction, the Cormet de Roselend is the exam. The 20-kilometre climb from Beaufort ascends past the Lac de Roselend (a reservoir with mirror-like reflections when the air is still), past the barrage, and onto the upper road that crosses the pass at 1,967 metres before descending into the Tarentaise toward Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
The Cormet has a Tour de France history — it was included in stages through the 1990s and 2000s and the infrastructure remains popular with serious climbers. The upper section above the lake is bleak, exposed, and occasionally grazed by cattle with right-of-way. Traffic thins above 1,500 metres on most days.
Statistics: 20km from Beaufort to the pass at 1,967m. Average gradient 5.4%, with steeper sections in the lower 8km. Fully paved, but the descent to Bourg-Saint-Maurice has hairpins that reward attention.
Loop option: Beaufort → Cormet de Roselend → Bourg-Saint-Maurice → Tarentaise valley → Moûtiers → Albertville → Beaufort. Approximately 120km, 2,200m of climbing. A full day's work.
Where to Base
Beaufort village is the most practical base for riding the Roselend and the western Saisies approach. The village has hotels, a chambres d'hôte scene, and a cooperative fromagerie where the Beaufort d'alpage cheese is sold directly. In June, the summer cattle are already on the high alpage, the roads are clear, and the main street is quiet enough to find a table for lunch without booking.
Crest-Voland and Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe sit on the plateau and give direct access to the Saisies loop and the plateau trails. Both function as ski villages in winter; in summer they're navigable by bike and have accommodation at moderate prices. The plateau gets some wind exposure — pack a layer for the descents.
Flumet is in the Arly valley at the intersection of the routes from Annecy, Albertville, and the Aravis. It is not a destination village but is a useful transit point and a practical base if you also want access to the Col des Aravis to the west.
Getting There
Train to Albertville from Paris Lyon via TGV, then onward connections by regional TER or taxi/rental car toward Beaufort or Flumet. No direct rail into the Beaufortain valley; a car is required for the final leg from Albertville (30 minutes to Beaufort, 40 to Crest-Voland).
Drive from Geneva: Approximately 1.5 hours via A41 south to Albertville, then east into the valley.
Drive from Chamonix: 1 hour via the Arly gorge.
Bike hire: Available in Beaufort and Flumet. Electric bike rental is widespread on the plateau, with local agencies targeting the Espace Diamant ski resort's summer-activity clientele.
When to Ride
June through September is the season. June is optimal: roads freshly cleaned after snowmelt, little tourist traffic, temperatures between 12°C and 22°C at altitude, the alpine flowers just opening above 1,500 metres. The Cormet is typically clear of snow from late May onward, though the pass can close briefly in late-May hailstorms. September brings stable cold-weather days with excellent visibility and near-empty roads.
Avoid July and early August peak weeks when the Mont Blanc approach roads fill with tourist cars and campervan traffic backs up through the Arly gorge. The Beaufortain itself stays quieter than the Tarentaise resorts, but the access routes from Albertville slow down.
Frequently Asked
Is the Beaufortain suitable for a first Alpine cycling trip? Yes, more so than the Tarentaise. The climbs are long but not brutally steep; traffic is lighter than Alpe d'Huez or the Galibier approaches. The Saisies loop is a good entry point. The Cormet requires a full day and basic Alpine climbing fitness.
How do I handle the altitude? The highest point in the practical circuit is the Cormet at 1,967m — below the altitude threshold where acclimatisation becomes a significant factor for most cyclists. Carry extra layers; the plateau loses heat fast after 4 PM.
Where can I find cycling partners for the Beaufortain climbs? Connect with riders already training in Savoie via Find Athletes in Beaufort or Crest-Voland on ZealZag.
For Stage 6's race coverage and GC analysis, see our Stage 6 field report. For previous stage coverage, see our Stage 5 sprint report.