Category: Europe

France is, without a doubt, the ultimate destination that cyclists like to visit during their riding journey. It is, after all, the country that hosts the biggest event in all of cycling with the Tour de France along with a slew of other events. And it is the undisputed epicenter of European cycling.

As cyclists, the chance to experience even a small slice of Le Tour that the pros do during the race would be a dream come true. If you sign up for the Marmotte Granfondo Alpes, you can ride four of the climbs often used in the race in one day.

About The Marmotte Granfondo Alpes

This event is held in June, a couple weeks before the start of the Tour de France. It’s a one day event but probably one of the hardest rides you’ll ever do as it traverses four mountain passes that are used frequently during the race: the Col du Glandon, the Col do Telegraphe, the Col du Galiber, and, finally, Alpe d’Huez.

A “col,” if you’re not familiar with that nomenclature, is French for the valley that connects mountain passes. In other words, the more flat part of a ride such as this one. The ride is 177 kilometers in length (about 110 miles) with 5,000 meters of elevation gain. In other words, it is an extreme test of your cycling meddle. The ride starts in the Village of Bourg d’Oisans, which is at the foot of Alpe d’Huez.

Registration Price and Package for Participants

Registration for the Marmotte Granfondo Alpes is not open yet for the 2025 version of this ride. Just as with any other event of this caliber, it pays to get registered early.

• First 500 registrations € 110.00
• Next 1000 registrations​ € 120.00
• Next 2500 registrations​ € 125.00
• Last registrations € 130.00

That said, it seems all participants, no matter when they register be it early or the day of the event, get the same registration package.

• A frame identification and timing plate to be fixed to the front of your handlebars
• A route description sticker
• A souvenir gift
• Timing with the help of a chip at the back of your frame plate
• Access to refreshment points adapted to each distance of the course
• Mechanical support and first aid service
• The scratch and category rankings for the Granfondo
• Finisher diploma on our website
• A finisher medal
• A Pasta Party after the finish

Rules for the Marmotte Granfondo Alpes

With a large-scale event such as the Marmotte, the organizers ask cyclists to respect the course and to leave no trace of trash. They also ask that riders respect other riders participating in the event.

Cyclists should also have a medical certificate or a competitive cycling license. These items are mandatory, but cyclists only need to have one of these items and not both. If a cyclist chooses the medical certificate, it needs to be no older than a year out from the event.

And while not mandatory, the organizers suggest that riders have some form of insurance “for personal injury and material damage…” Since this ride crosses over several mountain passes, the organizers supply a GPS tracker through Dotvision that cyclists can download to their phones to track their rides.

Last Thoughts

The Marmotte Granfondo Alpes certainly looks like a cool event but ultra tough. If you’re not used to taking on mountain passes or aren’t sufficiently trained, you may want to take a pass on this ride.

It turns out that the organizers have two other events that occur before this one. The La Rando Marmottes has the same elevation gain as the granfondo, but it is spread out over two days of cycling, 98 kilometers on the first day and 79 kilometers on the second day. Cyclists can also ride the Grimpée Alpe D’Huez, which is only 13 kilometers in length and has 1,110 of elevation gain.

I’d say, if you have the time and resources, make a week of it and do all three events. These two events will definitely get you ready and trained to take on the granfondo. So, check back at the website soon and register early.