Travel
Where to today? Col de la Colombière in Haute Savoie, France
If you are a cycling fan, you will probably want to climb the Col de la Colombière at least once in your lifetime. But there are other reasons why you should go there – for the numerous hiking trails and for enjoying the amazing view while eating on a restaurant terrace.
Tour de France
If you have been in the Haute-Savoy before but have never been through this pass, you may have heard of it while watching the Tour de France. For the last 49 years, the bicycle race has often been routed over this mountain pass. The 106-year-old race is known to have passed there 19 times since 1960, with the most recent time in 2009. Amateur or professional bikers love it and come back for more, even if some admit to having “being scared to death” there.
Restaurant d’altitude La Colombière, France
The Road to Col de la Colombière
Taking the Pass from the North is more challenging than from the South. The slope is steeper and longer, 10 miles instead of seven.
The Col de La Colombière is only opened during the summer months from the end of May until October. The road, the D4 is tiny; having driven it from both Le Grand Bornand to Cluses and the other way around, I would say that if taken from Le Grand Bornand, pick a day with no rain or fog!
When I drove there, I happened to be staying in the Grand Bornand. After seven miles of driving, I reached the top (5292 feet/1613 meters). Parking at the top during the months of July and August can be difficult. The best thing to do is to arrive before lunchtime, otherwise you may have to park almost a mile down on your way to Le Grand Bornand. It is a steep climb.
Rocky panorama, Col de la Colombière
Stopping at the Colombière
At the top, enjoy the panorama. Animal lovers and children will be happy: herds of sheep are often seen there. I saw some donkeys and mountain goats. On the way going back to the village you will see numerous cows in the mountain pastures. Open your window to hear the gentle ringing sound of the cowbells as they swing back and forth.
The only place to stop, but an excellent choice, is the Bar Restaurant – Col de la Colombière. The food is delicious, served quickly and the price is reasonable. I had a large plate of mountain ham, dry sausage with a half Reblochon cheese and for dessert some homemade blueberry pie. Many hikers, bicycle and motorcycle riders stop there before or after their effort. You can also reserve in advance.
More info
To know if the Col de la Colombière is opened, check out this site
Where to eat at the Col de la Colombière:
Bar Restaurant d’altitude La Colombière
Col de la Colombière
Le Grand-Bornand Chinaillon
Tel: 0033 (0)4 50 90 94 27
Opened in the summer only
How to get to the Col de la Colombière:
- From Geneva, take A40-Bonneville, then follow station les Aravis. In Le Grand Bornand, look for Col de la Colombière D4.
- From Cluses
Take the D 4, direction Le Grand Bornand; you will pass Le Reposoir. - From Le Grand Bornand, it is 7.5 miles on the D4
