La Garde-en-Oisans

A historic village cited from the Early Middle Ages, La Garde-en-Oisans is now an outstanding European site for all cycling enthusiasts... Indeed, the village has 10 of the 21 hairpin bends leading up to Alpe d'Huez within its boundaries. After a few kilometres of unequalled gradient, the part after Saint Peter's church (the former priory of the Massif des Grandes Rousses) is slightly less steep. The charming hamlet of Maronne takes you directly to the Alpe d'Huez skiing area and the rest of the mountain range.
Strange but true... with its 11 hamlets at altitudes of between 720 and 1450 metres, La Garde-en-Oisans is one of the most vertical villages in France!