The Col des Aravis is a mountain pass in the French Alps that sits at the border of France’s Haute-Savoie and Savoie regions. It connects the ski town of La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie) to the north and La Giettaz (Savoie) to the south.
The Col des Aravis is popular with cyclists and tourists for its scenic views and challenging climbs. The pass is typically open from late May to early October, depending on weather conditions.
Other nearby climbs include Col de la Colombière and Col de Joux Plane.
There are two ways up to the Col des Aravis.
- From La Clusaz (north)
- From Flumet (south), via La Giettaz
Starting point : La Clusaz
La Clusaz is located north of the Col des Aravis. The climb from this side is harder but the shortest way up the Col des Aravis. Many cyclists prefer to refuel at Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, which is 3km away from La Clusaz, before starting the climb.
It’s 7km long and averages 6%.
La Clusaz is also at the bottom of another popular climb, the Col de la Croix Fry.
| Col de la Croix Fry from La Clusaz | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 7.0km |
| Climb category | 2 |
| Elevation gain | 415m |
| Minimum elevation | 1,043m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,458m |
| Average gradient | 6.0% |
| Maximum gradient | 12.0% |
| Strava segment | Col des Aravis from La Clusaz |
Starting point : Flumet
The climb from Flumet is longer but with a gentler gradient. The road goes up for the first 2km, followed by 2km of false flats. The final 7km has a consistent gradient between 4% to 6%.
The entire climb from Flumet is 11.3km long and averages 4.8%
| Col de la Croix Fry from Flumet | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 11.3km |
| Climb category | 2 |
| Elevation gain | 600m |
| Minimum elevation | 924m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,472m |
| Average gradient | 4.8% |
| Maximum gradient | 10.1% |
| Strava segment | Col des Aravis from Flumet |
Col des Aravis in the Tour de France
The Col des Aravis is a Category 2 climb featured 18 times in the Tour de France.
In 2020 Stage 18, Col des Aravis was the third last climb where the peloton climbed from Flumet and descended into La Clusaz. Richard Carapaz won the stage that finished at La Roche-sur-Foron.
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | First to summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 18 | 2 | Méribel | La Roche-sur-Foron | Richard Carapaz |
| 2016 | 20 | 2 | Megève | Morzine | Thomas De Gendt |
| 2010 | 9 | 2 | Morzine-Avoriaz | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne | Jérôme Pineau |
| 2006 | 17 | 2 | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne | Morzine | Patrice Halgand |
| 2002 | 17 | 2 | Aime | Cluses | Mario Aerts |
| 2000 | 16 | 2 | Courchevel | Morzine | Marco Pantani |
| 1991 | 18 | 1 | Bourg-d’Oisans | Morzine | Thierry Claveyrolat |
| 1990 | 10 | 2 | Genève | Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc | Thierry Claveyrolat |
| 1987 | 22 | 2 | La Plagne | Morzine | Eduardo Chozas |
| 1984 | 19 | 2 | La Plagne | Morzine | Robert Millar |
| 1983 | 18 | 2 | Bourg-d’Oisans | Morzine | Jacques Michaud |
| 1982 | 17 | 2 | Bourg-d’Oisans | Morzine | Marino Lejarreta |
| 1980 | 18 | 2 | Morzine | Prapoutel Les sept Laux | Ludo Loos |
| 1975 | 17 | 3 | Valloire | Morzine-Avoriaz | Lucien van Impe |
| 1968 | 19 | 2 | Grenoble | Sallanches Cordon | Barry Hoban |
| 1960 | 18 | 2 | Aix-les-Bains | Thonon-les-Bains | Fernando Manzanèque |
| 1955 | 8 | 2 | Thonon-les-Bains | Briançon | Charly Gaul |
| 1948 | 15 | 2 | Aix-les-Bains | Lausanne | Gino Bartali |