Col de la Madeleine

One of our favourite climbs from our European travels. Not quite as renowned as some of the other household-name Tour de France big-hitters, but trust us, it's an absolute treat to cycle up if you're away on a short break. Not an easy mountain either by any means, plenty of spicy little kickers on the way up, especially at the very start and very end of the climb.

There's a portion in the middle where it goes flat - even onto a gentle descent - for a couple of kms, so make use of that to flush out the legs and savour the spectacular views, and then don't miss your opportunity to fill your water bottles at the roadside water fountain in the tiny village of La Thuile soon after. You may even have the pleasure of meeting our own canine friend who we met during our drinks break halfway up!

From that point on, it continues to ramp up for most of the remainder of the climb, with a handful of kms averaging 8-9%. Keep on pushing though, and you'll be rewarded not only with a breathtaking panoramic view, but also a top-tier café at the peak serving apple pie you don't want to miss out on. Block out a day in your next Alpine trip for this climb, you won't regret it.