Summer
The Col du Mollard by bike: three climbs and the Arvan-Villards loop
1,638 m high and used by the Tour de France in 2006 and 2011: the timed climb from Saint-Jean, the panoramic loop, the Albiez-le-Jeune variant and the three-col circuit.
The Col du Mollard tops out at 1,638 metres, in the commune of Albiez-Montrond. The Tour de France crossed it in 2006 and 2011. And for anyone staying in the Mollard, the climb has a rare advantage: the summit is home.
What is at the top
The col is the gateway to the Mollard hamlet, the upper part of the village. The panorama takes in the Arvan-Villards massif and Les Sybelles: the lower village, the high pastures, Albiez-le-Jeune, the Mont Emy, the Aiguilles d'Arves, the Étendard glacier, the Genin combe, hamlets of Saint-Jean-d'Arves and the resorts of Le Corbier and La Toussuire.
On site:
- A fountain of fresh spring water for refilling bottles — the argument that counts after 17 km of climbing.
- A riding centre with an arena, open in summer.
- A leisure area across the road: a supervised lake and paddling pool, toilets, a pétanque pitch, a playground and a picnic area.
Restaurants, a grocery and accommodation are nearby, in the Mollard hamlet and in the village centre.
Three ways up
The Albiez-Montrond climb — timed
From Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne up to the Col du Mollard: around 17 km. This is the reference ascent, and it is timed.
The Mollard panoramic loop
Same start from Saint-Jean, same climb to the col, but you drop down the far side (untimed beyond the col): the hamlet of La Villette, La Saussaz, past the village of Montrond, then the Belleville hamlet and its dam. You then follow signs for Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and descend on the D926.
The Albiez-le-Jeune variant
Start from Villargondran, climb to Albiez-le-Jeune on the D80, then head for Albiez-Montrond and the col. A different flank, a different rhythm.
The Arvan-Villards tour: three legendary cols
This is the ride that on its own justifies a cycling trip to Albiez. The route links the Glandon, the Croix de Fer and the Mollard, with views of the finest summits in the Maurienne — the Aiguilles d'Arves, the Pic de l'Étendard and its glacier.
Along the way:
- Near the Col du Glandon, the Grand-Maison reservoir.
- Coming down the Croix de Fer, the beautiful natural Lac de Laitelet.
- After Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves: the hamlets of Les Chambons, La Villette and Entraigues, then Montrond and the Col du Mollard.
- Final descent to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne through the Combe des Moulins.
The route carries kilometre markers between Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines and the Col du Glandon and — if you ride the circuit in reverse — between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and the Col du Mollard, and between the Pont des Bellevilles and the Col de la Croix de Fer.
Staying at the summit
Staying in the Mollard reverses the logic of a cycling trip: you descend first, and the last climb of the day is the one that takes you home. The balcony, for its part, dries a jersey in an hour.
One thing to plan for: the ski locker is not sized for a bike. Expect to carry it up into the apartment or leave it at the car park — with around fifty steps between the two.
For mountain bikes and e-scooters, see our article on BMX, mountain biking and e-scooters in Albiez.
Read next
- The Mollard lake: supervised swimming, inflatables and a leisure areaPaddling pool, inflatable play structure, pétanque, volleyball and picnic tables — all three minutes' walk away.
- The Rival forest, from 1,300 m up to the Col du Mollard700 metres of forest, mushrooms, waterfalls — and deer you can hear rutting in the autumn.
- Le Chalet d'la Croë, a refuge at 2,076 m below the Aiguilles d'ArvesA crêpe or a raclette mid-hike, and geodesic domes to sleep under the alpine night sky.