Motorcycle road trip in Haute-Savoie: the most beautiful roads around Thorens Castle
The road to the Glières Plateau: winding roads just minutes from the castle
This is probably the first route to discover when staying at the Château de Thorens.
From Thorens-Glières, the RD55 gradually gains altitude towards the Plateau des Glières.
The road first crosses the Usillon valley before climbing through the forest. The bends follow one another gradually, revealing different viewpoints of the surrounding mountains.
The access from Thorens-Glières to the plateau is approximately 15 kilometers . The road was built from the Thorens side in the 1960s and is now one of the two main access routes to the site.
For a motorcyclist, it's an ideal ride to start the day: winding enough to enjoy the road, but above all surrounded by scenery that becomes more and more spectacular as you approach the plateau.
Once you reach the top, the mountain opens up onto vast alpine pastures surrounded by the peaks of the Bornes massif.
And it's hard to believe that we are only a few kilometers higher than Thorens.
A break at the National Monument to the Resistance
The Glières Plateau is not just a superb mountain setting.
It is also one of the major memorial sites of the French Resistance.
The National Monument to the Resistance , created by Émile Gilioli and inaugurated in 1973, pays tribute to the resistance fighters who gathered on the plateau during the winter of 1944.
A good opportunity to switch off the engine for a few moments, walk around the monument and enjoy the scenery before getting back on the road.
Be careful when crossing the entire plateau
For a road motorcycle, the easiest way is to go up from Thorens-Glières and then come back down the same side.
The route across the plateau towards Petit-Bornand includes an unpaved section. It is more suitable for certain trail or adventure motorcycles and riders accustomed to this type of surface.
Heading towards Thônes, La Clusaz and the Aravis pass
To extend the walk, head towards the Aravis mountain range.
From Thorens-Glières, head to Thônes before continuing towards La Clusaz.
The scenery gradually becomes more mountainous: chalets, pastures and rocky peaks accompany the ascent.
Continue on to the Col des Aravis , located at an altitude of 1,487 meters.
The pass is one of the great road panoramas of the Annecy Mountains destination and offers, in particular, when conditions are clear, views towards the Mont Blanc massif.
For motorcyclists, this route combines several particularly appealing ingredients: regular changes of pace, passages through forests, more open sections and above all, numerous places to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Once at the pass, park the motorcycle for a few minutes and enjoy the panorama before choosing: return leisurely towards Thorens-Glières or continue the ride towards La Giettaz and Flumet.
The Col de la Colombière: a great classic of the Alps
Fancy a day with more kilometers?
Head towards Le Grand-Bornand , then the Col de la Colombière.
Reaching an altitude of 1,618 meters, this iconic pass notably connects the Grand-Bornand valley to the Arve valley.
The climb initially crosses the typical landscapes of the Aravis before becoming much more mineral near the summit.
The pass is also well known to cycling enthusiasts: it has been used many times by the Tour de France.
But behind its sporting reputation lies above all a very beautiful mountain road , particularly pleasant to include in a motorcycle day around Thorens-Glières.
At the summit, the contrast between the cliffs, the alpine pastures and the road disappearing into the valley provides exactly the type of scenery one comes looking for during a road trip in the Alps.
The Forclaz Pass and Lake Annecy: the panoramic walk
For a change of scenery from the Aravis mountains, let's head to the lake.
From Thorens-Glières, head towards Annecy and then gradually follow the shores of the lake towards Talloires-Montmin.
From there begins the climb towards the Col de la Forclaz.
At an altitude of 1,157 meters, it overlooks Lake Annecy and offers one of its most famous panoramas. Annecy Mountains lists it among the viewpoints offering sweeping views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
For a motorcyclist, the benefit is twofold.
There is obviously the journey, but above all the arrival.
Turning off the engine for a few moments and observing almost the entire lake from the heights is one of those breaks that gives a day of driving its full meaning.
For a relaxing day, you can then head back down towards the lake, take a break in Talloires or Menthon-Saint-Bernard and then reach Thorens-Glières in the late afternoon.
Conquering the Aravis mountain passes for a full day
For those who want to ride more, the area makes it easy to build a day consisting almost entirely of mountain roads.
From Thônes, it is possible to reach Manigod , then the Col de la Croix-Fry before continuing to the Col des Aravis.
The Col de la Croix-Fry reaches an altitude of 1,477 meters, while the Col des Aravis reaches 1,487 meters. This chain of passes traverses one of the most characteristic landscapes of the massif.
This is probably the route we would recommend to those who come to spend a motorcycle weekend in Haute-Savoie and want to dedicate a whole day to the curves and the landscapes.
No need to try to accumulate kilometers.
Here, the main attraction is the variety: forest, villages, alpine pastures, mountain passes and views of the great alpine ranges follow one another throughout the day.
Why stay in Thorens-Glières during a motorcycle road trip?
When traveling by motorcycle, the location of the accommodation matters almost as much as the accommodation itself.
Thorens-Glières has the advantage of being close enough to Annecy while also providing quick access to the mountains.
On one side are Lake Annecy and the Col de la Forclaz.
On the other side, the Plateau des Glières, Thônes, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand and the Aravis passes.
The following morning, a few kilometers are all it takes to get back to the mountain roads.
Park your motorcycle inside the castle
For a motorcyclist who travels with their own machine, the question of parking is rarely a minor detail.
At Château de Thorens, motorcycles can be parked within the property grounds , which means they do not have to be left directly on the public road overnight.
Once the motorcycle is parked, the keys can remain in the room until the following morning.
And after several hours in the saddle, all that's left to do is enjoy the peace and quiet of the estate.
The Château is protected in the heart of a 30-hectare park and is defined above all as a historic family residence, with nearly a thousand years of history and more than five centuries of presence of the de Sales family.
The contrast with the daytime is quite pleasant: the noise of the engine and the mountain passes for a few hours, then the silence of a castle once the motorcycle is stopped.
A setting that's a change from a typical stopover hotel
A motorcycle road trip is not necessarily just about the roads traveled.
The place where you stop is also part of the journey.
The Château de Thorens is not a hotel built around a simple parking lot and a room for the night.
Medieval towers, a courtyard, ancient paintings and ceilings, historical furniture and parkland combine to create an environment deeply connected to the history of Savoy. The original fort on which the castle is built dates back to 1060.
For lovers of fine machinery, it is also an opportunity to create some different memories: arriving at the Château after a day in the Alps and finding your motorcycle in front of a residence steeped in history inevitably gives a different feel to the trip.
Our idea for a motorcycle weekend around Annecy
For a two-night stay , the program can remain very simple.
Day 1: Arrival in Thorens-Glières
Settling into the castle, parking the motorcycle on the premises and exploring the surrounding area.
Day 2: Grand loop in the Aravis
Thorens-Glières → Thônes → La Clusaz → Col de la Croix-Fry → Col des Aravis → return to Thorens-Glières.
Day 3: Glières Plateau before departure
One last climb via the RD55, a break at the summit then back towards Thorens-Glières before hitting the road again.
For those with an extra day, Lake Annecy and the Col de la Forclaz perfectly complement the itinerary.
What is the best time to come by motorcycle?
To enjoy the mountain passes, the warmer months are generally the most suitable time.
In late spring and during the summer, access to mountain roads is easier and the days allow you to link several sectors without rushing.
The beginning of autumn also has a lot of charm: often milder temperatures, landscapes that gradually change color and a different atmosphere in the mountains.
However, the opening of mountain passes depends on weather conditions and snow cover. Some high-altitude roads are seasonal. On the Glières Plateau, for example, motorized traffic is prohibited during the winter months.
Before each departure, it is therefore best to check the weather, road conditions and the opening of mountain passes.
Haute-Savoie, the ideal playground for a motorcycle holiday
There are regions that we pass through.
And there are others where you want to hit the road just for the pleasure of driving.
Haute-Savoie clearly belongs to the second category.
From Thorens-Glières, a few dozen kilometers are enough to go from a small forest road to the Glières alpine pastures, then to the great Aravis passes or the panoramas of Lake Annecy.
The Château de Thorens can then become the fixed point of your road trip: you put down your luggage, park your motorcycle within the property and set off each morning to discover a new route.
Then, when the engine stops at the end of the day, the mountains give way to the calm of an almost thousand-year-old house.
Planning a motorcycle trip in Haute-Savoie? Stay at the Château de Thorens and set off each day to discover the most beautiful roads in the Alps.