Tour des Combins

ITALY - SWITZERLAND

HIGH POINT

2797 m

DIFFICULTY (1/10)

7,5

DISTANCE

113 Km

DAYS

3

% SINGLETRACK

33%

% UNPAVED

91%

TOTAL ASCENT

4171 m

% RIDEABLE TIME

85%

The Tour des Combins kicks off at Gran San Bernardo, a legendary mountain pass in the heart of the Pennine Alps, where the wind howls, history lingers, and the views stretch for miles. This three-day trans-Alpine loop takes you from lush valleys packed with marmots and glacial streams to rugged, rocky slopes where glaciers tower over the landscape.

Despite being one of the most scenic crossings in the Alps, the TdC remains a hidden gem. Tucked between the Mont Blanc Massif and the Matterhorn, this route circles the Combins Range (4.314m), starting at Gran San Bernardo Pass (2.473m) on the Italy-Switzerland border. The journey begins with panoramic singletrack through Gran San Bernardo Valley on the Italian side, briefly overlapping with the Via Francigena, an ancient 1.800km pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome. From there, it’s all about flowy singletrack and rugged doubletrack as you weave through Valle d’Aosta, Menouve, and Conca di By.

Heading counterclockwise, the TdC climbs through alpine meadows and conifer forests, with the snow-capped peaks of Mont Vèlan, Gelè, and Grand Combin dominating the skyline. The real challenge kicks in at Fenêtre de Durand (2.797m)—a grueling hike-a-bike to the highest point of the route, where you cross into Switzerland. But trust us, the struggle is worth it. Here, in the most remote section of the TdC, the landscape changes dramatically—think roaring waterfalls, icy rivers, and razor-sharp peaks. And the reward? A stunning singletrack descent down to the surreal, turquoise waters of Lac de Mauvoisin.

After rolling through Fionnay, the route climbs again, winding through classic Swiss alpine meadows before hitting another highlight: Col de Mille (2.472m). From here, get ready for an epic descent with the eastern face of Mont Blanc as your backdrop. The trail then flows down to the tiny village of Bourg Saint Pierre, before heading through Val d’Entremont and back toward the Italian border. And just before wrapping up, you’ll pass the Grand Saint Bernard Hospice, home to the legendary St. Bernard rescue dogs.

ROUTE DIFFICULTY: 7,5/10

With its massive elevation gain and a couple of seriously tough hike-a-bikes, the TdC gets a 7.5/10 difficulty rating. The first tough section hits above Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses—a brutally steep climb that forces you to either shoulder your bike or push it up step by step. Further in, the Conca di By throws two more technical challenges at you: a tight rock passage, where you’ll need to lift your bike upright to squeeze through, and a short via ferrata section, which requires steady footing—especially with a loaded bike.

!! WARNING !!

We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE anyone without the necessary skills and mindset for extreme environments—such as mountains, deserts, river crossings, and remote water and food resupply—to follow the routes on this site. These routes are designed primarily for EXPLORATION and are not intended for traditional bike touring. If your experience is solely in cycling, without a solid background in outdoor survival and self-sufficiency, you are STRONGLY ADVISED AGAINST attempting these routes. They demand an adventurous spirit, adaptability, and the ability to handle unforeseen challenges in the field. Proceed entirely at your own risk. While every effort has been made to provide accurate GPS tracks and route information, we cannot guarantee their reliability over time due to factors such as land access changes, property rights restrictions, and the closure of supply points. All the information provided on this site is more than sufficient to ride these routes. Please do not email us requesting additional info about the routes, as you will not receive a response - sorry for that. Further information for every route can be found in the comments on Bikepacking.com (click on “Check it on Bikepacking.com” button). The route creators are in no way responsible for personal injuries, damage to property, or any other incidents that may occur while riding or following these routes.