Col de la Colombiere (South side)

Col de la Colombiere (South side)

The Col de la Colombière is a mountain pass in the Haute-Savoie region, forming a natural passage between the Arve Valley and the Borne Valley. The landscape is defined by the sharp limestone peaks of the Bornes and Aravis massifs. To the southeast, the Pointe Percée marks the highest point of the Aravis range, while the Bargy range and the Pic de Jallouvre frame the horizon to the northwest. The pass sits in a rugged basin shaped by centuries of alpine erosion, creating a high-altitude link between the local valleys.

The current layout serves as a paved transit link between Cluses and Le Grand-Bornand, with the northern approach from Scionzier transitioning from dense forest to a rocky alpine environment above Le Reposoir. Since its 1960 debut, won by Fernando Manzaneque, the Tour de France has crossed the summit over 20 times. It has served as a primary launchpad for riders like Luis Ocaña in 1973 and Marco Pantani in 1994 to consolidate leads in the mountains. Recent editions have utilized the pass as the final categorized climb, where Dylan Teuns in 2021 and Julian Alaphilippe in 2018 crossed the summit first to secure stage wins. The route is often categorized as Hors Categorie or Category 1, reflecting its strategic role in the Northern Alps.