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Little St Bernard Pass from Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Bourg-Saint-Maurice, FranceRoad

Routed from the map This classic road was traced on OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

24 km
Distance
1,381 m
Elevation gain
Moderate
Difficulty
Paved
Surface
Download GPXMap
Panoramic sight of the RD 1090 road leading to the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass and passing by the statue and the hospice, in Savoie, France.
Photo: Florian Pépellin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,381 m
Distance
24 km
Elevation (m)05001,0001,5002,0002,5000 km5 km10 km15 km20 km24 kmHighest point2,190 m at 24.3 kmStart0 kmFinish24 km

Route overview

This ride suits cyclists prepared for a long 24 km climb with substantial elevation gain of 1381 m.

Little St Bernard Pass from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, France to Italy, 24 km with 1381 m climbing.

The route starts in Bourg-Saint-Maurice around 809 m and climbs 24.3 km to reach 2190 m at the Little St Bernard Pass on the France-Italy border. The initial 2.4 km climb after 1.3 km gains 94 m at an average of 4%, then the main climb of 19.9 km averages 6.5% gradient with a maximum of 24% steepness. Climbing dominates 92% of the route, with only 2% descending and 6% flat sections. About 67% of the elevation gain occurs in the first half of the ride. The surface is mostly paved (94%) with some gravel or unpaved sections (5%) and a small unmapped part (2%). The road types include 53% main roads, 30% minor roads, 9% quiet streets, and 7% paths. The longest named roads are D 1090 for 12.5 km and D 84 for 3.1 km. The entire 12.8 km on main roads lack cycle lanes. There are some places to get food and drink early and late on the ride: bakeries and cafés at the start in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, a restaurant at 10.8 km, and a restaurant at 23.8 km near the finish. Shops, water points, toilets, bike shops and petrol stations are mostly near the start or mid-ride with a longest stretch without food or water of 6.7 km from 17.1 to 23.8 km. Bourg-Saint-Maurice station is available as a bailout near the start.

Highlights

  • Little St Bernard Pass at 2190 m
  • Steep climb section up to 24% gradient
  • Viewpoint at Virage des Arcades (18 km)
  • Archaeological site Cromlech du Petit-Saint-Bernard (24 km)

Along the route

Measured from the recorded track and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed· crosses into Italy

    Climbs

    ClimbStarts atLengthGainAverageMaxTop
    —1.3 km2.4 km94 m4 %6.7 %910 m
    St Bernard4.1 km19.9 km1280 m6.5 %24 %2190 m

    High point 2190 m at 24 km; low point 809 m.

    St Bernard · starts at 4.1 km

    19.8 km at 6.5% · 1280 m
    100012001400160018002000ELEVATION (M)3.2%8.6%9.3%9.6%8.8%9.5%5.5%7.4%5.0%4.4%4.4%4.2%4.3%4.1%4.7%5.5%4.4%0 km12345678910111213141516171819.6 kmDISTANCE (KM)St Bernard · 2,190 mSTEEPEST 17.9%
    < 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

    What this ride is like

    Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

    Roads
    53% main road · 30% minor road · 9% quiet street · 7% path
    Main roads
    12.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
    Main roads used
    D 1090 (13 km), D 84 (3 km)
    Surface
    Paved throughout
    Gradient
    92% climbing · 2% descending · 6% flat
    Steep sections
    11.1 km over 5% · 6.5 km over 8% · 1.5 km over 10%

    Along the way

    Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

    Food, water and shops

    1. 0 kmToilets · on the route
    2. 0 kmAllez! Café Vélo · bike shop · 120 m off route
    3. 0.1 km3G · bakery · on the route
    4. 1 kmIntermarché · supermarket · 50 m off route
    5. 1 kmStation U · petrol station · 60 m off route
    6. 2.7 kmPharmacie du Saint-Bernard · pharmacy · on the route
    7. 2.8 kmBachal · drinking water · 50 m off route
    8. 10.7 kmDrinking water · 30 m off route
    9. 10.7 kmToilets · on the route
    10. 10.8 kmLe Remonte Pente · restaurant · 50 m off route
    11. 15.3 kmLa Rosiere · drinking water · on the route
    12. 15.5 kmToilette · toilets · on the route
    13. 15.6 kmElan · petrol station · on the route
    14. 16 kmLes 4 Épis · bakery · on the route
    15. 16 kmCarrefour · supermarket · on the route
    16. 16 kmPharmacie Principale · pharmacy · on the route
    17. 23.8 kmBar Restaurant du Lancebranlette · restaurant · on the route

    Need to bail out?

    • 0.2 km — Bourg-Saint-Maurice (station), 120 m off route

    Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

    Worth a stop

    • 18 km — Virage des Arcades (viewpoint)
    • 24 km — Cromlech du Petit-Saint-Bernard (archaeological site)

    At the start

    • 3G · bakery · 50 m
    • Aux Délices de Tarentaise · bakery · 20 m
    • Café Fiore · café · 40 m
    • Café de la Gare · café · 100 m
    • Bourg-Saint-Maurice · station · 170 m

    At the finish

    • Bar Restaurant du Lancebranlette · restaurant · 180 m
    • Bar S. Bernardo · restaurant · 330 m

    Practical information

    Surface
    Paved
    Route shape
    Point to point
    Riding time
    1 h 44 min
    Best months
    May to Oct — daily highs of 17–25 °C in those months

    Know before you go

    • 12.8 km on main roads without cycle lanes
    • Longest stretch without café, shop or water: 6.7 km (km 17.1 to 23.8)
    • Steep gradient section up to 24%

    Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

    2 photographs from the road

    Photo: Florian Pépellin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Ylliab Photo from Grenoble, France · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Rémih · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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