The stunning hairpin climb of the Lacets de Montvernier was featured in the Tour de France for the first time in the 2015 edition of the race on stage . The hairpinned roads of the ascent look as if they are literally clinging to the rock face by their metaphorical fingertips. The 17, although some say 18, hairpins appear around every 150m on the ascent to the summit. The road itself took 14 years to complete.
Located near the summit of the climb is the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Balme. The chapel was built in 1863 and renovated in 1981. In 2015 the climb was also used in the Critérium du Dauphine race.
On stage 18 of the Tour de France in 2015, the Lacets de Montvernier made their debut. Ag2r La Mondiale's star rider, Romain Bardet, broke away and entered the lacets de montevernier and summited the climb on his own. Bardet then made an amazing descent down towards the finish line in Saint-Jean de Maurienne pursued by fellow Frenchman, Pierre Rolland. Bardet held on for a fantastic and well deserved stage victory.
Country: FRANCE
Mountain range location: French Haute Alpes
Distance: 3.24km
Elev Gain: 277m
Avg Grade: 8.5%
Max Grade: 12.6%
Climb cat: 3
Suggested airport: Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc
Suggested train station: Gare de Chambéry - Challes-les-Eaux
