The Col du Sabot descent
Description
Magnificent from start to finish! A real bicycle tour, thanks to the fabulous landscape and the fun sections featured throughout the ride, including pastureland for fast riding, paths winding their way between old farms in the Vaujany hamlets and forest sections.
Route in the “MTB in Oisans” guide (Oisans Tourisme)
Departure: Col du Sabot, 2 100 m
Arrival: Allemond, 730 m
Time: 1 1/2 hours
Distance: 12.3 km
Highest point: 2 100 m
Lowest point: 7 30 m
Total ascent: 51 m
Total descent: - 1430 m
Technique : 2/4
Endurance : 2/4
Map: Top 25 Bourg d'Oisans et l'Alpe d'Huez 3335 ET
ROUTE
> From the Col du Sabot, go down the road and immediately take the path to the right down to the chalets in Col d’En Bas (signposted red and white). This section through pastureland is quite bumpy until the road. Cross the Col du Sabot road a first time, onto quite a large, fast track, leading off opposite. Watch out for livestock.
> On this fast section, keep an eye down to the left so that you don’t miss the best part of this route.
> After a fine series of switchbacks, cross over the road several times down to La Villette. The last section before La Villette can be very fast - watch out for hikers and local residents when you get close to the village.
> The path carries on just above La Villette and the road to Le Rochas.
> Take the old village road across Vaujany towards the church. 50 m after the cemetery, take the path off to the left (paved at the beginning) to Le Perrier on the Chemin du Reposoir, passing under the road.
> Once in Le Perrier, after the hairpin bend, take the small lane on the left (at La Maitreya) and ride down to Pourchery.
> Carry on past the hairpin bend, take the small lane on the left and follow the road until it turns into a small path. Watch out for local residents, as this steep lane passes very close to the houses. This fast, technical path takes you «straight» to a quarry next to the Flumet.
> Back on the road, turn left back to Allemond, along the Lac du Verney.
As you are leaving Vaujany, you can extend this route by the descent known as the "Cheminées d'Equilibre de Vaujany". But you need to ride up 5 good kilometres, with a height gain of 520 m, to do this.
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Steps
Col du Sabot
Starting at the Col du Sabot, go down the road and take the red and white signposted path that leads down to the chalets at Le Col d’en Bas and then crosses the road before descending via a series of switchbacks to La Villette.
Route du Col du Sabot
Prendre en face par une piste assez large qui file très vite. Attention aux troupeaux. Le chemin coupe plusieurs fois la route jusqu'à la Villette.
Les Orgières
Bien surveiller les bas côté gauche pour ne pas rater la meilleurs section de ce parcours en alpages.
Direction la Vilette
Ne pas rater le sentier à droite qui descend vers la Villette. Cette portion est très rapide, faites attention aux promeneurs et au riverains en arrivant aux abords de la Villette.
La Villette
The path passes over La Villette and continues over the road to Le Rochas.
Le Rochas
Through the village of Vaujany until the church.
Reposoir path
50 m after the cemetery, take the path that goes left (tarmac at the start) until Perrier by the reposoir path. The route passes under the road.
Le Perrier
In Le Perrier, after hairpin turn, take the small street on the left (at the Maitreya) and go down until Pourchery.
Pourchery
Once in Pourchery, after the hairpin bend, take the first small road off to the left and carry on downhill until the road becomes a track, which will take you down to a quarry and then to the Lac du Verney.
Allemont
Follow the road until Allemont.
Allemont
Points of interest
Village d'Allemond
The history of Allemond has been marked by the mining industry and Alpine agriculture. Vieux Allemond, around the church and along the road leading to the Mairie, still has the traditional characteristics of Oisans villages.Allemond was known for its mining under Louis XIII and XIV, housing royal foundries (behind the tourist office), in which minerals mined around the village, mainly silver, lead and copper, were melted. For many years, the Hotel des Tilleuls (now closed) occupied some of the buildings of the former royal foundry. This hotel, featuring a superb walnut staircase, was bought in the 1920s by a former mayor of the village. His two daughters, Raymonde and Margarete, were well-known local characters who ran the hotel for many years. It was even rumoured that Napoleon III stayed there. Until the 1960s and 1970s, people lived very simple lives, nearly all as farmers. Then at the end of the 1970s, the Grand-Maison dam project was launched, providing a huge economic boost for the village and the region as a whole. The project lasted 10 years and brought many thousands of workers to the area. These days, the village lives mainly from tourism, both in summer and winter.
Village de Vaujany
Date and time
- From 01/06/2024 to 31/10/2024
- From 01/06/2025 to 31/10/2025
Additional information
Tips
In July and August, a free shuttle bus operates between Bourg d'Oisans and Vaujany. Ask the tourist office for the timetable.
Environments
Lake 5 km away
Mountain location
Mountain view
Updated by
Oisans Tourisme - 08/04/2024
www.oisans.com
Report a problem
Open period
From 01/06 to 31/10.
Topo guides and map references
Topo guides references :
Route in the “MTB in Oisans” guide (Oisans Tourisme)
Map references :
Top 25 Bourg d'Oisans et l'Alpe d'Huez 3335 ET
Contact
Phone : 04 76 80 72 37
Email : info@oisans.com
Website : www.bike-oisans.com
Location complements
From Allemond, ride up to Vaujany and carry on up the road to the Col (a 3-hour ride). If you have two cars, you need 35 minutes to get from Allemond to the Col du Sabot.
Data author
