Col du Corbier (West Side)

Col du Corbier (West Side)

Perched at 1,237 meters in the rugged Massif du Chablais, the Col du Corbier serves as a vital geographic bridge between the Aulps and Abondance valleys in Haute-Savoie. Historically known as the "Pathway of the Monks," this pass was a spiritual artery for pilgrims traveling between local abbeys long before it was paved for modern travel in 1917. Today, the summit is marked by the "ghost" of the Drouzin-le-Mont ski resort, which closed in 2012, transforming the area into a tranquil "soft mountain" destination where alpine meadows and 19th-century chapels offer a quiet contrast to the bustling resorts nearby.

The Col du Corbier is a formidable "Category 2" test, especially when tackled from the western side at Le Biot, where the road relentlessly averages 8.6% over six kilometers. Its professional pedigree is cemented by seven appearances in the Tour de France between 1975 and 1988, often serving as a strategic transition climb. Most recently, it returned to the global spotlight during the final stage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, proving that while it may not have the towering altitude of the Galibier, its steep, punchy gradients still have the power to break the peloton and define a race.