On 6 September, Haute Tarentaise will launch the first edition of «La Bernardette», a new cycling climb linking Séez to the Petit Saint-Bernard pass. There are mythical passes that you climb for the clock. And then there are those you climb for the sheer joy of the journey. With «La Bernardette», Haute Tarentaise has chosen the second option. On Sunday 6 September 2026, cyclists will set off from Séez to reach the Petit Saint-Bernard pass, at an altitude of 2,188 metres, on a road that will be exceptionally closed to car traffic. At...
Author: Romain Boisaubert
Between road cycling and mountain biking, gravel is establishing itself as one of the most dynamic disciplines around. On August 9th, Haute Tarentaise will host the first edition of Alpine Gravel, a new event designed to showcase the region's landscapes in a different way. The start will be given from Séez, at the gateway to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. That morning, several hundred cyclists will set off on paths usually traversed by foot or mountain bike. For its first edition, Alpine Gravel will offer three formats. A timed race of 86 kilometres and almost 3,000 metres of positive elevation gain for the most...
Long associated with winter, Les Saisies is now focusing on cycling to boost its summer season. With a growing bike park, cross-country trails, gravel riding, e-MTBs and rising lift usage, the Beaufortain resort confirms that summer has become a real economic driver. In Les Saisies, summer is no longer just a stopgap between seasons. It now makes a significant contribution to the bottom line. In 2010, the summer season generated around €50,000 in turnover. Today, it exceeds €1 million. The same trend is evident with the ski lifts, where summer ridership has risen by 31% over five years…
Skiing, concerts, waterslides, freestyle and DJ sets at an altitude of 2,250 metres: Serre Chevalier will host the first edition of the OutdoorMix Winter Festival from 2 to 4 April 2027. A new event aiming to recreate the spirit of the great «spring sessions» of skiing from the 2000s. In Serre Chevalier, the end of the season should no longer resemble a simple gradual closure of the slopes. For the 2026-2027 winter, the resort in the Hautes-Alpes is partnering with OutdoorMix, a leader in festivals combining outdoor sports and contemporary music, to launch a brand-new XXL event in early April. For three days, riders, holidaymakers, enthusiasts…
Between Les Échelles and Entre-Deux-Guiers, in the heart of the Chartreuse, the Rivièr’Alp leisure base is preparing for its 2026 summer season. Opening from 6 June, it will offer natural swimming, a gourmet snack bar, entertainment, a cycle route, games, fishing, an educational apiary, and outdoor activities in a preserved setting. At Rivièr’Alp, summer begins with a big clean-up. In recent days, technical teams from Les Échelles and Entre-Deux-Guiers have been carrying out the refurbishment of the pools before they are refilled. The site, known for its ecological swimming, is thus getting ready to welcome families into water filtered by natural systems,…
In Les Gets, a new nighttime experience invites visitors to look up at the sky. From Mont Caly, perched at 1500 metres altitude, the Kaus-Australis association is offering guided planetary walks along the Sentier des Planètes (Planets Trail) this summer. A three-hour outing, accessible from age 12, combining walking, astronomy, and disconnecting. As dusk falls, Mont Caly takes on a different atmosphere. The last walkers descend, the paths empty, silence descends on the pastures. High up in Les Gets, in the Portes du Soleil area, stargazing then takes on another dimension. The air gets colder...
Val d’Isère (Savoie) – A cool retreat perched at an altitude of 1,850 metres, Val d’Isère aims to reaffirm its status as a major four-season Alpine destination once again this summer. An XXL bike park, high-mountain trails, high-altitude lakes, legendary mountain passes, camping in the Vanoise National Park, sporting events, village festivals and opportunities for contemplation… Summer 2026 promises to be particularly packed with events in the Savoyard resort. New for this year: a 100% e-MTB day at Bellevarde. This is one of the new summer events in Val d’Isère. On 29 August 2026, the resort will launch the first edition of the «Bellevarde Uphill Flow», a…
Verbier (Switzerland) – Bike park, festivals perched facing the peaks, Alpine excursions, local gastronomy, high-altitude yoga or even famous mountain passes for cyclists… Summer 2026 is set to be particularly action-packed in Verbier and the Val de Bagnes. Between authentic villages, glaciers, mountain pastures and international events, the Swiss destination aims to solidify its status as a four-season Alpine benchmark. The new feature: the Verbier Express now runs in summer. This is one of the major new developments for the season. After several successful winters, the Verbier Express will also operate in its summer version from 27 June to 19 September 2026. This direct link will connect Geneva Airport to…
Serre Chevalier (Hautes-Alpes) – Summer 2026 is set to be particularly busy in the Serre Chevalier Briançon valley. A bike park, legendary mountain passes reserved for cyclists, major festivals, new high-altitude activities, fun trails for families, and international sporting events... The alpine destination wants to confirm its growing status as a must-visit summer resort in the Southern Alps. The new addition: a large, fun high-altitude trail. This is one of the main new features for summer 2026. From August, Serre Chevalier will open a new fun trail in the Chantemerle sector, accessible from the high-altitude domain. The programme includes: a family loop...
The slopes will be coming back to life earlier than expected at Les Gets. As of May 22nd, the Haute-Savoie resort will be launching several weekends of pre-opening for its bike park, to allow riders to get back to the dirt, berms and singletracks before the full summer season opens. In the Portes du Soleil, this event has become a must for downhill and enduro mountain biking enthusiasts. This year, the Chavannes sector will open progressively over four successive weekends, from May 22nd to 25th, then from May 29th to 31st, from June 5th to 7th, and finally from June 12th to 14th...
In the Alpine valleys, the cowbells are ringing once more. With the first departures for the mountain pastures, the traditional transhumances mark the return of an ancestral ritual that still dictates the rhythm of life in certain Savoyard mountains. In the Belleville valley, the Combes mountain pasture will kick off the season on 30 May. Approximately 180 Tarine and Abondance cows will leave the valley to join the high-altitude pastures, guided by the Collin and Poccard families, among the last producers of Beaufort «alpage chalet» in the area. The departure always takes place to the rhythm of the cowbells. At the front of the herds, shepherds Sylvain and Jean-Luc will lead the ascent to...
In Haute Tarentaise Vanoise, summer 2026 will be largely focused on cycling. Whether it's gravel, e-mountain biking, road cycling or family outings, the Savoyard region is multiplying new offerings and events to broaden its summer customer base. With new routes, road climbs and a mountain biking festival, the valley aims to establish itself as a playground accessible to all practitioners. A new loop between Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Tignes Among the season's new additions, «La Fario» is becoming one of the territory's key new routes. This e-mountain bike and gravel route connects Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Tignes over 40 kilometres. View this post on Instagram A post…
From 30 July to 2 August 2026, the Belleville Valley will host the first edition of the Grand Raid KipRun 3 Vallées – Moûtiers. An alpine trail running event that caters for all abilities, from amateur runners to ultra specialists, with starts reaching 3200 metres and a common finish in Moûtiers. The concept is simple: offer various formats to attract a wider audience. In total, seven races are scheduled, ranging from 10 kilometres to 170 kilometres. The most demanding event, the Ultra des 3 Vallées, covers 170 km with 12,000 metres of positive elevation gain.
Faced with rising coastal prices, several resorts are looking to reposition the mountains as an affordable option. In Vaujany, Flaine, Orcières, Valloire and in the areas operated by Altiservice, the summer of 2026 is being organised around the same objective. Offering free activities, multi-activity passes and combined deals to attract families and holidaymakers with controlled budgets. In some resorts, free access is becoming a central lever. In Vaujany, over fifty activities are offered each week at no cost. The programme alternates between sporting activities, cultural visits and festive events. Muscle wake-up sessions, tournaments, concerts or workshops for children punctuate the...
At Les 2 Alpes, the 2026 season is starting earlier than expected. From the weekends in May, the bike park will reopen partially, with a simple promise: to ride from an altitude of 3,200 metres down to Venosc at 960 metres. On slopes still marked by winter, the first riders will be back on the downhill trails come spring. The weekends in May and the early June bank holidays will serve as a relaunch phase. The Venosc and Jandri sectors will be the first to be accessible, with routes already familiar to regular visitors. For the most experienced, two trails directly connecting to the valley remain...
In Valloire, Savoie, the 2026 summer season is shaping up to be packed and lively. From June to the end of August, the resort will be hosting a string of sporting events, festivals, and cultural happenings. Between the opening of the Galibier, the passage of the Tour de France, high-altitude trail running, concerts, and artistic installations, the village is focusing on a continuous programme to attract holidaymakers and regulars alike. The Galibier opens the season for cyclists On 6 and 7 June, the Galibier Challenge marks the start of summer. The Col du Galibier, still bordered by walls of snow, reopens to cyclists in rare conditions. The road is closed to cars. Two routes are...
In the Hautes-Alpes, the Pays des Écrins is launching its season from the May bank holidays in 2026. With the reopening of high-altitude access routes, the first refuges becoming operational and the return of whitewater sports, the region is offering a gradual transition to summer, in a still unspoilt natural setting at the heart of the Écrins National Park. At this time of year, the mountains change their appearance. Paths are cleared, torrents swell with snowmelt and the valleys come alive again. Far from the summer crowds, the conditions offer ideal terrain for initial excursions. First treks towards high mountain country The progressive reopening of...
A Hautes-Alpes resort perched at an altitude of 1,850 metres, Orcières-Merlette is placing cycling at the heart of its 2026 summer season. With new infrastructure, major events and the arrival of the Tour de France on 23 July, the destination is asserting its position as a playground for all cyclists, from beginners to seasoned riders. In Orcières, the two-wheeled vehicle now forms the backbone of the summer offering. Both on the roads of the Champsaur and the trails of the bike park, cycling is available in all its forms. The recent awarding of the Accueil Vélo label to the leisure centre confirms this focus and is accompanied by a ramp-up of the…
Perched at an altitude of 2,188 metres between France and Italy, the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass stands out as one of the sites to rediscover this summer 2026 in Haute Tarentaise. Once merely a transit point, this high-altitude plateau is transforming into a destination in its own right, blending heritage, nature, and immersive experiences, accessible from June to September. As you arrive at the pass, the landscape opens up suddenly. The gentle lines of the alpine pastures contrast with the stone vestiges that recount centuries of crossings. On these peaks, people no longer just pass through. They stop, sometimes for several days, to explore a territory that...
A Savoyard resort located in the heart of the Tarentaise valley, La Plagne is launching its 2026 summer season from late June to early September with an expanded offering. Between new outdoor activities, major sporting events and well-being-focused proposals, the destination confirms its ambition to establish itself as a comprehensive playground in the summer. When the snow disappears, the resort changes its pace without losing its identity. The ski lifts open up to the alpine pastures, and hiking trails and mountain bike routes take over. Summer now represents a growing part of its activity, with over 737,000 overnight stays...
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