The area around Bourg St Maurice has the largest number of cols in the Tarentaise Valley.
Col du Petit Saint Bernard
With <1,400m of climbing, it has an average gradient of less than 5%. One of the most popular routes, it's ideal for riders looking for a steady, long climb without a brutal gradient.
A beautiful alpine climb, it links Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Thuile in Italy via gentle gradients, sweeping bends and panoramic views.
From Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Distance: ~26.5 km
Elevation gain: ~1,955m
Average gradient: ~5% (but steeper in sections)
Key features:
- starting from Bourg-St-Maurice, the climb follows the D1090, beginning gently and winding through alpine pastures and forests
- the route goes through numerous small hamlets and ski resorts, including La Rosière, a great stop off spot
- after La Rosière the route has long, sweeping switchbacks and views of Mont Blanc and the Tarentaise Valley
- at the summit you'll find a large stone column, a food truck or café in summer months
