La Marmotte Granfondo Alpes

La Marmotte Granfondo Alpes is a timed road cyclosportive that returns on Sunday 27 June 2027, starting in the centre of Le Bourg-d’Oisans in the Isère department of the French Alps and finishing on the Alpe d’Huez climb. Riders cover 177 km with about 5,000 m of elevation gain over four cols, starting in staggered pens from 6:30am. The organiser’s Q&A says the courses are not closed to traffic, although a 2026 closed-roads document lists closures for some sections, so riders must follow the highway code. It is the main event of a weekend that also includes a timed hill climb and a two-day ride.

Routes and distances

The Marmotte weekend offers three formats, all based around Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez.

The Marmotte Granfondo Alpes covers 177 km with about 5,000 m of climbing: Col du Glandon, the Maurienne valley, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier, the Col du Lautaret descent and finally Alpe d’Huez.

The Rando des Marmottes covers the same 177 km and 5,000 m split over 26 and 27 June (97 km and 80 km): Glandon and Télégraphe to Valloire on day one, Galibier, Lautaret and Alpe d’Huez on day two.

The Grimpée Alpe d’Huez is a 13.8 km timed climb of the 21 hairpins, with about 1,100 m of elevation gain, on Friday 25 June 2027 at 4pm.

The Granfondo starts at dawn in Bourg d’Oisans, and after a flat opening the first real test is the Col du Glandon, which the organiser describes as long and uneven, with its summit at km 36. Timing is paused for the neutralised descent, so the clock does not reward risk-taking on the way down.

The Télégraphe (1,570 m) and the Col du Galibier (2,645 m) together make roughly 2,000 m of climbing over 35 km, according to the organiser, with snow walls often lining the road near the top. After the Col du Lautaret descent the route returns to Bourg d’Oisans before the finale: Alpe d’Huez, with its 21 bends, the first two averaging 13%.

Explore the route on Cycling Friendly: La Marmotte Granfondo Alpes – Granfondo

Practical notes: green and yellow bibs start at 6:30am, blue at 6:50 and red at 7:10, with pens assigned at registration from past results or estimated finishing time. Bib pick-up on the morning is 5:30–6:30am at the roundabout (D211/D1091). Feed stations are at the Glandon summit (km 36), Valloire (km 98), the Galibier summit (km 115) and Bourg d’Oisans (km 162), with cut-offs at the Galibier summit at 3:30pm and the foot of Alpe d’Huez at 5:45pm. Personal lights are mandatory because several tunnels are poorly lit. The organiser publishes a GPX file for the Granfondo, and the map above uses the organiser’s 2025 GPX, so check the official website for any update.

Registration

Entry is online through the organiser’s registration platform, with price tiers by order of registration: €110 for the first 500 places, €120 for the next 1,000, €125 for the next 2,000 and €130 for the last. On-site registration costs an extra €5 the day before and €10 on the day, subject to availability. A medical certificate, licence and insurance are required, so check the organiser’s page for what is accepted.

Riders collect their own bib with ID and E-Ticket; a friend or group leader can collect it for a fully validated registration with the E-Ticket and a copy of the ID. The participant package includes a timing plate and chip, a route sticker, refreshment points, mechanical support and first aid, a finisher medal and the pasta party at the Palais des Sports from noon. We did not find a registration opening date or a sell-out history on the pages we read.

Full details are on the official website.

Why ride it

The route links the Glandon, Télégraphe, Galibier and Lautaret with the finish up Alpe d’Huez, so one day covers high-mountain terrain. Altitude is the defining feature: the Galibier summit sits at 2,645 m. The weekend format also lets riders choose between the single-day Granfondo, a split two-day ride with luggage transport, or a short timed ascent of Alpe d’Huez.

Where to stay

Riders typically base themselves in Bourg d’Oisans or on Alpe d’Huez, since the start and finish are there. The organiser has an accommodation page and a tour-operators page on its website, and the Rando des Marmottes requires riders to arrange their own night in Valloire. Arrive the day before, as the start pens open at 5:30am.

Book early, as places near the start fill quickly, and browse more cycling-friendly accommodation on our site.