There is a road stuck to a cliff face above the Maurienne Valley that most cyclists drive straight past on the A43 without ever seeing it. 17 hairpins, stacked one on top of the other, in barely 2 and a half kilometres.
This is a full POV ride up the Lacets de Montvernier, filmed at the end of September on the way back from a day supporting riders over the Croix de Fer.
Why watch this one
Most footage of the Lacets is shot from a helicopter. That is the problem. From the air it looks like a toy. From the saddle it is a different climb entirely: narrow, exposed, relentless through the bends, and over before you have really settled into it. If you are planning a trip to the Maurienne and trying to work out whether this one is worth the detour, or where it fits alongside the Glandon, the Croix de Fer, the Madeleine and the Galibier, this ride answers it.
I have lived and worked on these roads since 2008. This is what the Lacets actually feel like, bend by bend, with no drone and no soundtrack.
The numbers
Length: 3.5 km
Height gain: 270 m
Start altitude: 535 m
Average gradient: around 8 per cent
Hairpins: 17
Nearest town: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
Continues to: Col du Chaussy, 13 km from the bottom
Tour de France appearances: 2015, 2018, 2022
Best season: spring, summer, autumn
Over to you
If you have ridden them, tell me in the comments what year you first climbed them, and whether you knew they were there before the Tour turned up. I did not, and I had cycled past the bottom of them more times than I can count.
Videos referenced in this film
Col d’Albanne – https://youtu.be/KgSeyqsH_SM
September Alpe d’Huez 2025 Tour – https://youtu.be/pzgsdPfsJU0
Honest picks — I actually own and use all of these. These are affiliate links, so I get a small commission if you buy through them (at no extra cost to you). It helps keep the channel going.
Camera — Insta360 Ace Pro 2
My main camera for cycling videos. 8K, flips up for vlogging, sharp in low light. Replaced my old action cam and I haven’t looked back.
https://amzn.to/4qMBP7I
360° camera — Insta360 X-series
For the wide shots and the moving footage where you want to reframe later. Worth it if you’re filming rides solo.
https://amzn.to/3OocaVg
Microphone — Hollyland Lark A1
Clip-on wireless mic. Clean audio even in wind. Single biggest upgrade to video quality I’ve made — a good mic matters more than a better camera.
https://amzn.to/3ZJ3oUf
Bike computer — iGPSPORT
What I use for route recording and navigation. Solid alternative to Garmin at half the price.
https://amzn.to/4r1Mg7D
Tripod
Large, stable, survives being left out in the Alps.
https://amzn.to/4aCpcGd
#MoreThan21Bends #CyclingFrance #LacetsDeMontvernier #FrenchAlps #TourDeFrance
Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com
Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends
4 Comments
Have you cycled the Lacets de Montvernier ? Let me know in the comments below
Stayed near the top in an Air bnb and did this climb on a Dahon D9 it was a lovely and lets face pretty quick climb. Coix de Fer is a different kettle of fish, and the Galibier is frightening.
I'm not a fan of hairpin climbs, they usually don't offers much view and attract too many jerks on motorcycles
I did it last year. Is a properly insane piece of road, well worth it. I gave some Gendarmes driving up it a scare on the way back down for sure, but even if they wanted a word turning anything around there is impossible. Had so much fun switchbacking down I remember overcooking it a bit & nearly lost it entirely!!