It’s been a few years since we climbed the Col de Chaussy. Who could have guessed that I would end up riding these crazy, iconic switchbacks twice in a single day—both up and down?
After brutal previous day tackling 2,000-meter giants Col d’Izoard and Col du Galibier, I viewed today’s Tour de France stage as a relaxed, wine-sipping recovery ride. I set off solo.
My plan was simple: ride the famous Lacets de Montvernier switchbacks early in the morning (while the road was still open to cyclists), push up to Col de Chaussy, and then descend back into the village of Montvernier to watch the Tour de France race pass through in the afternoon.
🧗♂️ Col de Chaussy: Cliff Terraces, Silence, and a Thirst
The climb up to Col de Chaussy (1,533 m) via the Montvernier switchbacks is an experience in itself. The road is a narrow, incredibly photogenic one-way strip carved directly into the cliffside. It winds past breathtaking rock terraces and dramatic viewpoints, leading to a quiet summit marked only by a small chapel, a few gravel paths, and a fierce, sun-baked thirst.
I turn my bike around and head back down. The plan is to meet up with our Slovak crew in the village of Montvernier and wait for the peloton.
🍷 French Hospitality and the Caravan of Swag
In the village square of Montvernier, a true cycling festival is in full swing. A giant screen is set up, and tables and chairs are overflowing with local cheeses and pitchers of wine. After all, we are in France!
“D’où venez-vous? Where are you from?” the locals ask. Everyone warmly invites us to take a seat. In fact, everyone is offering food and wine to everyone else. That is the most beautiful thing about the Tour de France: an indescribable feeling of camaraderie where thousands of strangers operate as a single, friendly organism.
And then comes the highlight: The Publicity Caravan!
Within minutes, my hands are full—two bidons, a promotional t-shirt, bags of gummy candies, a cycling cap, and all sorts of swag thrown from the parade vehicles. In the end, I gift it all to a young French kid standing by the roadside. Descending mountain roads with pockets stuffed like that would have been a disaster anyway.
⚡ The Peloton Approaches & A Split-Second Decision
Finally, the peloton arrives. No, this isn’t L’Alpe d’Huez with a million screaming fans lining the slopes, but the energy here is electric. We squeeze into the front row right against the barriers. The clapping, cheering, photo-taking, and shouting for stars and domestiques alike—the atmosphere along the tarmac is pure voltage!
Half an hour after the last broom wagon and escort motorcycle pass, the marshals finally open the closed road to the public. Time to ride! I can finally enjoy the legendary descent down the 18 tight hairpin turns of Lacets de Montvernier, packed into just 3.4 kilometers of road. Pure magic!
Lacets de Montvernier second climb
At the base of the climb, where the switchbacks spill out into the main valley road, I pull over. A massive queue of hundreds of amateur cyclists is waiting at the bottom, eager to ride the climb in the opposite direction—heading up.
I think about it for about half a second. And I flip my bike around!
I just have to experience this one more time! The entire queue of waiting cyclists lets out an appreciative laugh as they watch me immediately turn back into the climb. So, I tackle Lacets de Montvernier with a huge grin all over again. Up and down.
🚴♂️ Flies in My Teeth & TdF Euphoria
The rest of the day is a relaxed spin back to base. In the evening, I roll up to our hotel in Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. The rest of the guys are already sitting down for dinner with glasses of wine.
I don’t even have to say a word for them to know what kind of day I had. A ear-to-ear grin, road dust on my face, a couple of tiny flies stuck between my teeth, and a surge of euphoria as if I had won the Tour de France stage myself say it all.
And tomorrow? Back to the mythical Galibier, this time with an appetizer climb over Col du Télégraphe!
🟡 TdF Spotlight: What are the Lacets de Montvernier?
The Lacets de Montvernier are among the most visually iconic micro-sections in Tour de France history.
- What “Lacets” Means: In French, lacets translates to “shoelaces”.
- Stats: Over a distance of just 3.4 km, the road gains 277 meters of elevation across an astonishing 18 tight hairpin bends.
- Density: The turns are stacked barely 150 meters apart, making the cliffside look like a zig-zag sculpture carved into solid rock.
- TdF Debut: They were first featured in the Tour de France in 2015 (Stage 18) and instantly became a global visual icon favored by helicopter camera crews.
