Haute Route Alpes

Haute Route Alpes is a multi-day amateur stage race through the French Alps, organised by France Vélo Événements, a partnership between Hopscotch groupe and the Fédération Française de Cyclisme. According to the organiser’s website, the 2027 edition runs from Tuesday 17 to Monday 23 August 2027 and goes from Megève to Chambéry. It is offered in 3-, 5- and 7-day formats, with a general classification on timed sections.

Routes and distances

The organiser’s route page for 2027 still says that the new route is coming soon and shows the 2026 stage details, so the figures below are those of the 2026 edition, which totalled 808 km and 19,255 m of climbing over seven stages.

Stage 1 was the longest day at 182 km with 4,020 m of climbing in 2026, over La Colmiane and the Col de la Lombarde. Stage 2 covered 141 km with 3,610 m, over the Col d’Agnel (2,744 m, the highest point in the programme) and the Col d’Izoard.

Stage 3 was 81 km with 2,375 m of climbing in 2026, over the Col du Lautaret and the Col de Sarenne to a finish at Alpe d’Huez. Stage 4 was a 16 km individual time trial with 1,125 m of climbing on a climb listed as “21 virages / 1838 m”.

Stage 5 covered 169 km with 3,525 m of climbing in 2026, over the Col du Glandon, the Signal de Bisanne and the Col des Saisies. Stage 6 was 100 km with 2,560 m, over the Col des Aravis and the Col de la Colombière to a finish at Côte 2000, Megève. Stage 7 was 119 km with 2,040 m, over the Col de Joux-Plane and then down towards Lake Geneva.

The FAQ gives an average speed of between 14 and 18 km/h, generally about 16 km/h, depending on the stage. Some passes have a time check; riders who finish within the limit receive an official finisher ranking, while those who miss a check lose their place in the general classification but can continue. There are between 3 and 5 feed stations per stage, including the finish line, and one or two on time trial stages. The evening safety briefing before each stage is mandatory. Final GPX files are shared by newsletter and on the website a few weeks before each event.

Registration

Entry is through the organiser’s registration platform, with 3-, 5- and 7-day formats. The tariff page shows no prices or opening date, so check it for current details. According to the organiser’s FAQ and tariff page, entry includes an official jersey, a backpack, a roadbook, escort and sweep vehicles, medical and mechanical assistance, a massage after each stage, a finisher medal and a finisher T-shirt. Riders must provide a competition cycling medical certificate, a valid FFC or UCI licence, or a completed FFC health module certificate.

Full details are on the official website.

Why ride it

The 2026 programme linked the Col d’Agnel, the Col d’Izoard and Alpe d’Huez in a single week, with 19,255 m of climbing in total. Riders carry only what they need on the bike: the backpack is moved between the start and finish of each stage and a travel bag moves from village to village. Entry includes marshals, motorbike escorts, a sweep vehicle and medical and mechanical assistance. The 2027 edition goes from Megève to Chambéry.

Where to stay

The organiser’s FAQ says riders can book hotels through Haute Route as 6-night blocks (for 2026, 22 to 30 August), in which case the travel bag is left at reception and collected at the next hotel. Because the race moves from village to village, you stay in a different place each night; check the organiser’s FAQ for the current options. Once the 2027 route is published, you can also browse more cycling-friendly accommodation near the start and finish towns, and it is wise to book early.