A multitude of activities all year round
Located in the heart of the Aravis mountains, Le Grand Bornand is composed of two hearts: the village, at an altitude of 1000 meters and the Chinaillon, at 1300 meters. Renowned for hosting the Biathlon World Cup, the Festival du Bonheur des Mômes and the Tour de France, Le Grand Bornand has more than one trick up its sleeve. Nice hikes to do with your family, cultural visits, creative workshops, musical animations, local producers’ markets, farm visits and sport and taste escapes, you won’t be short of activities during your stay in Le Grand Bornand.
For more activity ideas, see our Le Grand-Bornand travel guide.
The Col de la Colombière: a mecca for international cycling
Le Grand Bornand is also well known from the sky thanks to the cameras of the Tour de France, filming the mythical ascent of the Col de la Colombière at 1613 meters of altitude. The Col de la Colombière is located between the Aravis massif and the Bargy range. It has been used by the climbers in the yellow jersey for 22 editions of the Tour de France, and will be used again for the 2021 edition. If you are a cycling fan and staying in Le Grand Bornand, this pass is a must. By road bike, it offers a tough climb of more than 8% over 7 kilometers from Le Reposoir and a breathtaking view of the Thônes valley and the Tournette massif. You can also climb the pass by mountain bike from the village of Chinaillon and come back down by the paths along the cliffs of the Jalouvre.
Natural wealth & outdoor sports
Summer or winter, by bike, on foot or on skis, wide open spaces are available to you. The ski area covers 360 hectares, with the highest point, Mount Lachat, at 2050 meters. As soon as the snow melts, the area expands, allowing you to reach new summits, such as the Aiguille Verte for hiking or biking, or the Pointe Percée for climbing or vertiginous hiking. Numerous climbing spots (La Culaz, Le Jalouvre, Le Col des Aravis,…) allow young and old, beginners and initiated, to overhang the valley to better admire the view. It is a great playground for outdoor sports enthusiasts and naturophiles. Gypaëtes, chamois, ibexes and marmots populate these massifs. Will you be able to find some of them?
Mountain bike & ATV routes
There are many mountain bike routes in Le Grand Bornand, including 4×4 trails, singletracks and forest trails. Be careful to choose your itinerary according to your level and not to overestimate your capacities, especially in Electric Bike. Electric, of course, but that doesn’t necessarily mean easier, either in terms of piloting or due to the weight of the bike.
Alex, instructor and co-founder of Arav'e-Bike
"By riding around, we have discovered tracks off the beaten track on which we have made loops with grandiose landscapes. Depending on your level, we will take you on our favorite itineraries to make you discover the best of the Aravis on an electrically assisted mountain bike.
Winter, under the snowflakes
Ride the trails until nightfall
From the heights, the sun offers us a marvelous spectacle. At bedtime, he plays hide and seek with the clouds and the mist at the end of the day. A breathtaking panorama, to see and see again without moderation. And after bedtime? It is even possible to ski at night a few evenings a year until 9:30 pm and to learn alternative sports such as paret or mountain biking on snow.
Read our article on alternative winter sports in Le Grand Bornand.
Ski well accompanied
When winter arrives, we can’t wait to put on our skis and head for the summits. With family or friends, skiing is a real pleasure for all ages and all levels. In order to promote safety and conviviality, there is nothing like learning and improving in good company and under the watchful eye of a ski instructor. The Starski ski school offers a wide range of ski and snowboard lessons, for young and old of all levels. Want something more extravagant? Try paragliding or speed riding.
