Cycling

Orcières, Cycling country

Between Provence and the Ecrins, come and ride the roads of Champsaur in the footsteps of Ocaña, Merckx, Hinault, Lemond… and its new “Cyclosport” area featuring 11 circuits approved by the FFC (Fédération Française de Cyclisme). The routes criss-cross the valley between charming landscapes and wild nature, with a wide range of difficulties from the peaceful bocage to the Col du Noyer…

Famous in the history of the Tour de France on several occasions (1971, 1972, 1982 and 1989), the climb up to Orcières-Merlette was just as surprising as it was decisive in ’71, when Spaniard Luis Ocaña broke away on the Col du Noyer, climbing to win the stage on his own. At the end of a 134km mountain stage between Grenoble and the Champsaurine resort, Ocaña left his mark on the Tour on 8 July 1971 by relegating Eddy Merckx, the “Cannibal”, to almost 9 minutes.

But the Belgian didn’t give up and made up ground the next day between Orcières and Marseille (251km). Unfortunately, Ocaña’s crash on the Col de Manse put an end to this fantastic duel. Wearing yellow on the Champs Élysées, Merckx admitted: “Whatever happens, there’s still one doubt: I lost the Tour at Orcières…”.

Orcières is one of the legendary climbs in the history of the Tour, and as part of the Hautes-Alpes department’s policy of planning and developing cycling, you’ll find departmental cycling signs giving you directions up the Col between Pont-du-Fossé and Orcières Merlette 1850. The Orcières climb can also be fully appreciated during the “Cols Réservés” days organised each summer.

In 2020, Orcières-Merlette hosted the finish of the 4th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday 1 September.

GFNY in Orcières since 2024

In 2024, the resort hosted a stage of the GFNY, the world’s biggest amateur cyclosportive race, for the first time. Between 400 and 800 cyclists were expected to take to the roads of Orcières and the Hautes-Alpes on 24 and 25 August 2024. This event represents a real adventure and a major challenge for the participants. The route: 158 km and 4400 metres of ascent, through the Champsaur valley and the Hautes-Alpes department, renowned for its breathtaking scenery. 2 routes were proposed: the “sportive” and the “discovery”. The event was supported by the Orcières Cycling Team, a local organisation dedicated to developing cycle tourism through events and training courses.

©GFNY at Orcières Merlette 1850|Gilles Baron

Orcières Cycling Team

Created in 2022, the Orcières Cycling Team is involved in road cycling as well as cyclocross and MTB.

The team, which wears the Orcières colours, includes riders from all over the PACA region. The Orcières Cycling Team also aims to help everyone enjoy and discover cycling! In addition to the competition programme, the club organises fun outings for all its members, whether competitors or not, with children’s days out supervised by qualified instructors.