Cycling up the Col du Galibier from Valloire

Cycling up the Col du Galibier from Valloire

The Tour de France first passed over the Galibier on July 10, 1911, and on that day Émile Georget, the only rider to do so without setting foot on the ground, exclaimed to witnesses: "That'll put you in a corner", while calling the organizers "bandits" who dared to take the riders over this pass. Since then, it has become one of the most prestigious stages and has seen some of the biggest names take part. From the summit, you have a magnificent view of the Grand Galibier, the Pic Blanc du Galibier, the Glaciers de la Meije, Mont Viso and, on a clear day, Mont Blanc. The Col du Galibier is a crossroads between two major Alpine valleys on the route des grandes alpes.