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Col du Chaussy
The Col du Chaussy tops out at 1,533 m, but its fame comes from the Lacets de Montvernier below. Seventeen or eighteen hairpins, depending which source you read.
Florian Pépellin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is Col du Chaussy
The Col du Chaussy tops out at 1,533 m above the Arc valley, but its fame does not come from the pass: it comes from the Lacets de Montvernier, the lower section stacked against the cliff in a run of hairpins.
Their number — precisely what makes them famous — is not stable: Maurienne Tourisme writes "18 spectacular hairpins", a cycling source counts 17. Their length differs too, between 4 km including the approach and 1.9 km for the hairpins alone.
The two places need separating. The Tour de France has ridden the hairpins three times — 2015, 2018, 2022 — but the pass itself only once, in 2015. The full climb is 14 km at 7.5% average.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Altitude
1,533 m
Coordinates
45.279449° N, 6.346613° E — the "Montée au Col du Chaussy" row in the DATAtourisme queue, not necessarily the pass itself
Lacets de Montvernier
"18 spectacular hairpins" (Maurienne Tourisme) against 17 (cycling source). Length given as 4 km or 1.9 km depending on the segment counted.
Full climb
14 km at 7.5% average. Upper part 6 to 9.5%, with a 12% ramp.
Hairpins built
Six years of work between 1928 and 1934, nearly 400 m of height gain (secondary sources)
Tour de France
Col du Chaussy once (2015); Lacets de Montvernier three times (2015, 2018, 2022)
At the pass
Small plateau, chapel and inn reported by a secondary source, without hours or season. Cross-country skiing in winter.
Opening
Price
Free, open access
Parking
Dogs
Accessibility
Access
How to get there
By car
From the Arc valley, via the Lacets de Montvernier. No source consulted gives a road number or an opening period.
Open in MapsBy bike
The full climb is 14 km at 7.5% average to the pass. The hairpin section is given as 4 km with 3.8 km at 7 to 9% by Maurienne Tourisme, and as 1.9 km at 8.7% by a cycling source: the two do not describe the same segment. Upper part 6 to 9.5%, with a 12% ramp.
Open in MapsWhen to visit
When to visit
No source consulted publishes an opening period for the road. One source reports cross-country skiing at the pass in winter, which implies snow cover: check road conditions before going up out of season.
Winter
Winter season
Winter access window
Partial access — Live status: savoie-route.fr
Winter infrastructure
Cross-country skiing · Snowshoeing · Sledging
Snow panorama
Alpine panorama
Equipment mandated
Loi Montagne II — winter tyres or chains required (1 Nov – 31 Mar)
Nearby
Where to eat, drink, stay
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Gallery
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many hairpins are there at Montvernier?
The sources contradict each other: "18 spectacular hairpins" per Maurienne Tourisme, 17 per a cycling source. It is the number the place is famous for, and it is not stable.
Are the Lacets de Montvernier and the Col du Chaussy the same place?
No. The hairpins are the lower section against the cliff; the pass is the high point at 1,533 m, 14 km further on. The Tour has ridden the hairpins three times and the pass only once.
How high is the Col du Chaussy?
1,533 m, a figure the sources consulted agree on.
How hard is the climb?
14 km at 7.5% average, the upper part running 6 to 9.5% with a 12% ramp.
Is the road open all year?
No source consulted publishes an opening period. One source reports cross-country skiing at the pass in winter, which implies conditions that are not documented: check before setting off.
Sources
Sources & verification
- Vélo Maurienne — lacets de Montvernier et col du Chaussy
- Maurienne Tourisme — lacets de Montvernier et col du Chaussy
- Cols-cyclisme — col de Chaussy depuis Pontamafrey
- PJAMM Cycling — Col du Chaussy from Lacets de Montvernier
- OpenRunner — La Tour-en-Maurienne, lacets de Montvernier, cols du Chaussy et Madeleine
- Elles font du vélo — les lacets du Montvernier en Maurienne
- Bosses21 — Maurienne, lacets de Montvernier, cols du Ventour et du Chaussy
- Seb76velo — les lacets de Montvernier + col du Chaussy
- explore-maurienne.com
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
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