Mountain Biking and Cycling around La Giettaz
Whether you ride a mountain bike, an e-bike or a road bike, La Giettaz is a great base: marked trails start in the village, the Torraz chairlift carries bikes in summer, and the famous Col des Aravis climb starts at the door.
The Val d’Arly has more than 230 km of marked mountain-bike routes for all levels, between the Col des Saisies and the Col des Aravis. Source: Val d’Arly tourist office.
Marked routes from La Giettaz
| Route | Distance | Level | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Les Chalets de Pétetruy (no. 49) | 21 km | Hard | Open 1 June to 30 September |
| Tour of the Tête du Torraz (no. 50) | 23.8 km, 1,115 m of climbing | Hard | Includes enduro descents |
| La Route des Chalets (no. 66) | 18 km out and back | E-bike route | Starts at the Col des Aravis |
Let the lift take you up
On the days the La Giettaz chairlifts run in summer, they carry walkers and bikes up to the Tête du Torraz (1,930 m). From the top, two marked descents lead back down:
- La Tréfléannaise: blue, 6.7 km, 780 m of descent.
- Descente du Torraz: red enduro, 5.6 km, 730 m of descent.
In 2026 the chairlifts ran on Wednesdays and Sundays from mid-July to late August, weather permitting. Check this year’s dates with the Val d’Arly tourist office or the Portes du Mont-Blanc.
La Clusaz bike park
Over the Col des Aravis, 15 minutes from the chalet, the La Clusaz bike park uses three lifts and has six downhill trails, from green to black, and six enduro trails. In 2026 it was open every day from 1 July to 30 August, and at weekends in June and September.
Bike hire
There is no bike hire in La Giettaz itself. The nearest shops are down the valley in Flumet, where mountain bikes, e-bikes and downhill bikes can be hired. Guided e-fatbike rides also start from the Col des Aravis. The chalet’s garage has plenty of room to store your bikes.
Road cycling: the Col des Aravis
The Col des Aravis (1,486 m) is one of the classic climbs of the French Alps. The Tour de France first crossed it in 1911 and has been back about forty times, most recently in 2023. In June 2026 the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné) passed through La Giettaz and over the col.
- From La Giettaz: about 7 km to the top, the steepest part of the climb, with marker posts giving the gradient.
- From Flumet: 11.7 km at an average of 4.9%.
- From Thônes, on the La Clusaz side: 18.9 km at 4.6%.
Sources: Val d’Arly tourist office, Wikipedia.