Between La Clusaz and the Beaufortain, Col des Aravis offers a steady, spectacular ascent, dominated by the famous rocky teeth that give the massif its name.
A steady climb from La Clusaz
From La Clusaz, it’s about 11 km for 600 m of elevation gain, averaging 5.5%, with steeper sections around 8-9%. The summit tops out at 1,487 m, straddling Haute-Savoie and Savoie.
A historic crossroads into the Beaufortain
Col des Aravis links the Thônes valley to the Val d’Arly and the Beaufortain, not far from Col de la Croix Fry and Col de Romme. A chapel, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, sits at the summit alongside alpine pastures and views over the Aravis range, making it as contemplative as it is sporting — and a regular fixture of the Tour de France.
How to approach the ride
The gradient stays reasonable for almost the whole climb, allowing a sustained pace from the bottom, as long as you keep something in reserve for the steeper final ramps.
When to climb it
May to October, ideally June to September when the alpine pastures are greenest and the road quietest outside of Tour de France stages.
Good to know
The pass combines easily with a descent toward Flumet and the Val d’Arly, or with a link to Col de la Croix Fry to extend the ride within the Aravis massif.
