French Alps · HC climb
Conquer Alpe d'Huez: The Ultimate Cycling Guide to the 21 Hairpins
Twenty-one numbered hairpins, Dutch Corner, and a finish that feels like Hollywood. Alpe d'Huez is the climb every road cyclist wants on the résumé.
Quick facts
- Distance
- 13.8 km
- Average grade
- 8.1%
- Max grade
- 13%
- Elevation gain
- 1,120 m
- Summit
- 1,850 m
The experience
Alpe d'Huez is the Tour de France's most theatrical mountain stage finish — steep enough to hurt, short enough to dream about, and lined with history on every bend.
From Bourg-d'Oisans the road rises immediately. The first kilometres set the tone: double-digit pitches, switchbacks stacked above the valley, and a rhythm of left–right that never really lets you settle.
Each hairpin is numbered (from 21 at the bottom to 1 near the top). Dutch Corner — typically around bend 7 — is the social heart of race day, but even on a quiet morning it is a landmark that tells you the summit is getting close.
The upper third opens onto the resort. Crowds thin, the gradient eases in places, and the final ramps deliver you onto the plateau at 1,850 m with the classic photo-op finish.
Pro tips
- Pace the bottom. The early hairpins feel heroic; blowing up before bend 15 makes the middle a long, lonely grind.
- Ride early. Cooler air, fewer cars, and cleaner photo light on the yellow-lined switchbacks.
- Use the numbers. Treat every few bends as a mini-goal instead of staring only at the summit.
- Dutch Corner is worth a glance — but keep pedalling. The climb is not over.
- Bring a light jacket for the descent back to Bourg-d'Oisans; valley air can feel cold after the effort.
- Stop for the summit photo, then recover properly before you turn downhill.
