High place of the Tour de France, Alpe d'Huez and its 21 bends are among the essential stages of the Grande Boucle. 21 panels mark the runner's effort in a 14 km countdown over 1 m of elevation gain.
On average, nearly 300 cyclists climb the legendary climb every day. More than 7 cycle tourists take part in the event every year. the marmot (early July) and 2000 receive a diploma formalizing their climbing time. Alpe d'Huez, in the heart of Oisans, is truly the Mecca of cycling and above all it is THE race to do at least once in your life!
History of a road
Up to 1881, the climb of Alpe d'Huez is only passable for men and mules.
De 2 to 3 meters wide only, with excessive slopes and sudden changes of direction, this journey was anything but pleasant and touristy. Little by little, portion by portion, this mule track is developed from Bourg d'Oisans to La Garde, then a little beyond, to arrive in 1905 at the northern exit of the village of Huez.
This one is starting to attract travelers, mainly in the summer: the main communication route newly built allows a easy access during the nice days. The huizat Joseph Collomb, ensures a small transportation service people and goods between the valley and the village of Huez. 2h30 are then enough to make the journey by horse-drawn carriage.
The beginnings of tourism
With the democratization of the car, tourism is slowly developing... And efforts are continuing to extend the road from the village to Alpe d'Huez, the mountain pasture of the Huizats.
Birth of a legendary road
Thanks to the support of Mr. Léon Perrier, President of the General Council, The connection was made in 1926, thanks to a 4-metre wide road.. This is a real economic revolution for Huez: the transport of hay from the mountain pastures as well as that of coal extracted from the Herpie mine, located at an altitude of 2 m, are greatly facilitated, and theThe Alpe d'Huez plateau is really opening up to tourism.
In fact, from 1911, Alpe d'Huez gets noticed thanks to the potential that its environment offers for the practice of winter sports. It was not until the end of the 20s and the 30s that a year-round coach transport service was developed. More and more people are attracted to snow and the great peaks.
1935, a road on the scale of a ski resort
1935 is a pivotal year for the climb of Alpe d'Huez, since, thanks to the interventions of Joseph Paganon, then Minister of Public Works, the road will be extended from 4 to 7 meters and regular snow removal will be insured for access the joys of winter sports without hindrance.
To do it as quickly as possible, the climb is divided into 14 lots, one per kilometer, which are entrusted to as many different companies to carry out the work. Thanks to this trick, the road is finished in one year, a record time!
2 machines are purchased to ensure snow removal: a Lahl tractor, sufficient for the moderate snowfall at the bottom of the hill, and an American Caterpillar tractor, powerful enough to deal with the impressive snowfalls at the heights.
All these developments benefit the Alpe d'Huez resort, which has increased the number of ski lifts, hotels and sports facilities.…to better accommodate an increasingly large tourist population.
The Olympic Games and the birth of the 21 bends…
En 1964, the president of the Alpe d'Huez Sports Club, Georges Rajon climbs the 53 numbered bends of the Vršič pass, in Slovenia.
He immediately decided to export the concept to Oisans, for “to count the curves leading to the Alps” et “to indicate to tourists the approach to the station". It is on the occasion of the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics, another strategic event in the development of the climb of Alpe d'Huez, which 21 numbered panels are created.
They are modeled on those of the historical monuments of the time, and located at each bend of the climb. Little by little, the old names of use are replaced by these 21 numbers in the collective memory, to the point of constituting today one of the markers of the station's identity.
Alpe d'Huez road further widened for Grenoble Olympics
For the Grenoble Olympic Games, the resort is hosting the bobsleigh event and to anticipate traffic, the road is once again widened, passing from 7 to 9 meters ! A new 3 km section is also created on the mountainside, from the crow's foot north of Huez village to the east of Alpe d'Huez. The advantage? This allows for double service to the station. and offers the possibility of a roundabout. Nearly 14 million francs were needed to carry out all of this work. A real investment, worthy of the event.
How can we talk about climbing the Alpe without talking about cycling?
The climb of Alpe d'Huez is also synonymous with “road cycling”: almost 300 cyclists on average, professionals or amateurs, climb the 21 bends every day.
Alpe d'Huez, in the heart of Oisans, is truly the Mecca of cycling and above all it is the race to do at least once in your life!
Over 7500 cycle tourists participate each year in the event of the marmot (early July) and 2000 receive a diploma formalizing their climb time.
The climb of Alpe d'Huez in figures
- Number of turns: 21
- Departure from Bourg d'Oisans: 717 m
- Arrival Alpe d'Huez: 1860 m
- Elevation: 1120 m
- Distance: 13,8 km
- Average slope: 7,9%
- Maximum slope: 14%
- Record of the climb: 37'35 '', average speed of 23,08 km/h (Marco Pantani in 1997)
Le Tour de France
La inseparable cycling race from the Alpe d'Huez road!
Every 2 to 3 years or so, this legendary race invites you to climb the famous hill. Who could have predicted this future success in 1952?, when the mayor of the time replied to the shopkeepers and hoteliers that if they wanted the Tour de France to come to their country, they would have to pay out of their own pockets, as the town hall could not pay...
It is therefore thanks to the mobilization of the station's vital forces, Joseph Barbaglia, Georges Rajon and André Quintin, that The Tour de France takes up residence at Alpe d'Huez for the finish of the 10th step, after 266 kilometers of effort from Lausanne. The peloton remains more or less grouped until Bourg d'Oisans, So it is the climb of Alpe d'Huez which will be decisive to decide the winner.
At the end ofa duel against the French Jean Robic, the first winner of the climb is none other than the Italian Fausto Coppi. He will arrive at 45'22'' while Jean Robic, second, will arrive... 1'20'' later. In 1999, the Tour de France comes for the 21th times in Alpe d'Huez. For the occasion, In addition to the numbers of the 21 bends, there are the names of the 21 winners of this already unmissable stage.