Cycling circuit: Tour du Mont Veyrier

A steep climb at the beginning. Be careful not to miss the right turn during the descent from the Col de Bluffy… …or the superb view of the Château de Menthon!

Direction: clockwise
Landmarks and connections: Plaine d'Alex cycle path (junction for Tour de la Tournette no. 3, Tour des Glières no. 45 and Croix Fry circuit no. 46).
Description: Shorter but considerably more eventful than the Tour du lac d'Annecy, this circuit can be a first step on your way to the red routes. It includes a small pass: the Col de Bluffy. If you're in good form, you can add another to your list of achievements, with a round trip to the tough Col des Contrebandiers (1054 m) at the end of the climb from Annecy-le-Vieux! But let's get back to the start of this climb: you need to follow the signs from the Petit-Port roundabout, as the uphill crossing of Annecy-le-Vieux requires a little attention. The subsequent descent of the Aravis road, on the other hand, is very smooth. Once you're on the flat, take a look at the Pont St-Clair and the Roman road on the other side of the Fier, before turning right just before the Plaine d'Alex cycle path, to set off on the gentle ascent of the Col de Bluffy (only 100 m ascent).
But be careful! After just 3 km downhill, look out for the Route de la Corniche on your right. It will save you from the always tricky stretch of the RD909 between Veyrier and Chavoire. Finally, at the end of the return journey, look back at Mont Veyrier and note that you could still reach its summit by a cable car inaugurated in 1934, which departed from Veyrier-du-Lac, and which lifted over 40,000 people a year to the summit in the 1960s. It ceased operating in 1984 and was demolished in 2001.