Granfondo Suisse lets you discover the Alpes Vaudoises, a cycling paradise that is home of the headquarters of the UCI and regularly hosts the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse. It’s a real challenge with courses in the high mountains.
General
Villars is located in the heart of the Alpes Vaudoises, at an altitude of 1,300 meters, on a south-facing natural terrace. For over 150 years, the resort has offered a wide range of sports and leisure activities to families and visitors of all ages, away from the urban hustle and bustle. All the pleasures of a holiday are there to enjoy in an idyllic setting, with spectacular views stretching from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc. The urban center of Geneva and Montreux are within easy reach at 120 kilometers and 30 kilometers respectively.
Villars has managed to retain its village feel despite significant tourism development due to a construction policy dedicated to maintaining architectural uniformity. Old ancestral chalets sit alongside new wood and stone constructions, with the aim of retaining a harmony that blends perfectly with the natural setting. The presence of many protected areas also helps preserving the natural environment, so visitors can enjoy a typical mountain ambiance, ideal for getting away from it all and relaxing, along with stunning views. Villars has an 18-hole golf course at 1,600 m, in a unique and beautiful setting, popular with professionals and amateurs alike.
The mountains are ideal for recharging your batteries. The Bains de Villars wellness center offers a haven of peace dedicated to physical and mental well-being in a brand new complex. Taking your time, relaxing, escaping from everyday life for a while, surrounded by panoramic alpine views, is the recipe for a great stay in Villars.
Villars has a long tradition of cycling. The resort has organized many stage arrivals of the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse. It has also hosted several cyclosportives criss-crossing the roads of the region. Villars offers its visitors numerous routes for road, mountain and electric bikes.
Road race
Starting from the UCI headquarters in Aigle, the course of the Granfondo Suisse will have a flat start making two 25km loops towards Lac Leman for a totally flat and fast first half of the race. After the two loops, the race then heads south to the city of Bex, crossing the Rhone River to Monthey where the first climb of the day starts. The 22.9km climb has an average gradient of 3.4% with a peak of 12% and goes in three steps from an elevation of 407m in Monthey to the top at 1234m.
After the downhill back through Monthey and Bex, a second climb towards Villars-sur-Ollon halfway the Col de la Croix will decide who is the best climber at the finish line. The final climb is 12.1km with an average gradient of 6.5% and parts up to 15% bringing riders from the valley at an elevation of 405m to the finish at 1242m.
