25.5
PDI
8.7 mi
DISTANCE
3,679 ft
GAINED
8 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Freydières par Revel climbs 14.1 km (8.7 mi) and gains 1,121 m (3,679 ft) at an 8.0% average grade, rising from the Isère valley at Domène into the heart of the Belledonne massif east of Grenoble.
The road runs through Saint-Jean-le-Vieux and the village of Revel on the D280, part of the "Balcon de Belledonne" route, before finishing at Freydières - the highest hamlet in Revel and one of the main trailheads into Belledonne, with routes on to Lac du Crozet, Grand Colon, and the well-known Croix de Belledonne hike that's become something of an annual pilgrimage for Grenoble locals.
It's a genuinely popular local training climb - close enough to Grenoble for an after-work ride - and plenty of riders treat the small lake at Freydières as the practical finish line, skipping the steeper, narrower final kilometer above it.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. The climb's 8.0% average is fairly consistent across most of its 14.1 km (8.7 mi), without long flat stretches to recover on. The steepest kilometer averages 11.5%, and the steepest 500 meters reaches 12.4% - both found in the final kilometer above the lake at Freydières, which is noticeably harder than everything below it and is exactly the section many local riders choose to skip.
Roadway: The D280 is paved the entire way from Domène to Freydières. It's a narrow mountain road for most of its length - two lanes but tight in places - and the final kilometer above the small lake at Freydières narrows and steepens further; local riders often treat the lake as their turnaround rather than pushing on. We found no reports of closures or significant damage as of 2026.
Traffic: Light to moderate on the lower kilometers through Saint-Jean-le-Vieux and Revel, which see some local and residential traffic; above Revel, cars thin out fast, since Freydières is a small hamlet and trailhead rather than a through route.
Parking: There's informal roadside parking in Revel village and again at Freydières itself, near the lake and the trailheads into Belledonne - nothing formal or paid, but space is generally easy to find outside of peak summer hiking weekends.
A compact crank is a sensible choice - the climb holds a fairly steady 8% for most of its length, with the final kilometer above the Freydières lake kicking up into double digits right when legs are most tired.
There's nothing in the way of shops once you leave Domène, so fill bottles before you start; the small refreshment stop at the Freydières lake, when open in season, is the first realistic option along the way.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Freydières is the highest hamlet in the commune of Revel and one of the main gateways into the Belledonne massif from the Grenoble side - come summer, it's a popular starting point for hikes to Lac du Crozet, Grand Colon, and Refuge de la Pra, and for the Croix de Belledonne, a summit hike that's become something of an annual tradition for Grenoble locals.
The small lake at Freydières itself is ecologically notable - one of the more important common toad breeding sites in the region - worth a quiet look if you're pausing there.
Domène and Revel are both modest, workaday villages rather than tourist towns, so don't expect much in the way of dedicated cyclist services - Grenoble, about 20 minutes away, is the practical base for lodging and dining. Check the Routes in the Area tool for other climbs starting around the Belledonne massif and the Grenoble area.
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