The Col de Chaussy is one of the lesser-known climbs in France but the road is like no other in the Alps.

The climb starts in Pontamafrey-Montpascal and effectively climbs sharply via 17 hairpins tightly stacked one on top of another in just 3km. The Lacets de Montvernier – or Hairpins of Montvernier – are an astonishing piece of mountain road engineering.

After the hairpins the climb continues for another 9km, winding through Alpine fields. A total altitude gain of more than 1,000m and average gradient of 8% mean it’s not only the hairpins that will take your breath away.

Vital statistics

Length: 12.1m
Average gradient: eight per cent
Start elevation: 516m
End elevation: 1,519m