Leman Mountains Explore____What’s on next!____Main events____La Grande Odyssée in La Chapelle d’Abondance and Bernex
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At the moment the event is maintained, the teams are studying the options to adapt the routes and a possible retreat. A communication will be made to inform the public during the week.
The team of your Tourist Office, 01/02/2023
The Pays d’Évian-Vallée d’Abondance is very proud to host La Grande Odyssée on two of our iconic sites: La Chapelle d’Abondance and Bernex!
La Grande Odyssée, – an international sled-dog race spanning 900 kilometres in the French Alps – will be racing in La Chapelle d’Abondance landscapes on Monday 9th January and in Bernex’s on Tuesday 10th January2023. The passage through our two mountain villages will immediately follow the opening stage, which will be in Megève!
For the 1st time in over 10 years, La Grande Odyssée will be calling in at the Abondance Valley for the 2nd stage of 11 in total. La Chapelle d’Abondance stage’s race-route will set off from the Nordic domain and take the mushers on a 38km and 720 metre elevation climb through the forest and the northern reaches of the mountain village.
With the first expected to arrive around 6:30 pm, the evening promises to be very entertaining!
From Bernex, the mushers will experience a whole new format as they set off on an immediate 5km steep climb with 650 metres elevation gain. This is the only straight-up climb on the 2023 race route and the first ever in the history of La Grande Odyssée VVF. Therefore, it will be a demanding and technical stage forcing the mushers to change their strategies, at times to even run alongside their dogs.
The Bernex resort will be closed in the afternoon in order to host La Grande Odyssée. To get a good view of the event, visitors can stand at the base of the resort for the start, and at the top of the Pré-Richard chairlift (the half-way mark). Access will be for pedestrians only.
Bernex is the 3rd stage of La Grande Odyssée, the competitors will then be heading to Savoie to La Toussuire – Le Corbier.
An additional event is the Children’s Odyssée, which is a sled dog race especially children. It’s a real educational and societal project that takes place every year on one of the stages of this legendary race in partnership with the schools of the selected destination.
This year, the Abondance Valley schools will be involved. This autumn, several children will be selected and trained by professional mushers. They will be introduced to the necessary preparation for a sporting event such as this and also the environmental responsibilities connected to doing outdoor activities.
On race day, the children will set off on a 4 km race course mushing their very own sled drawn by their team of 3-4 dogs. A unique, unifying, and exhilarating event that will no doubt awaken a new vocation for some of them!
| Dates | Stages | Resorts |
| Saturday 7th January | Opening and Time Trial | Megève |
| Sunday 8th January | Stage 1 | Megève |
| Monday 9th January | Stage 2 | La Chapelle d’Abondance |
| Tuesday 10th January | Stage 3 | Bernex |
| Wednesday 11th January | Stage 4 | La Toussuire – Le Corbier |
| Thursday 12th January | Stage 5 | Les Karellis |
| Friday 13th January | Stage 6 | Aussois |
| Saturday 14th January | Stage 7A | Bessans – Val Cenis Base Polaire |
| Sunday 15th January | Stage 7B | Val Cenis – Lac du Mont-Cenis |
| Monday 16th January | Stage 8 | Pralognan-la-Vanois |
| Tuesday 17th January | Stage 9 | Valmorel |
| Wednesday 18th January | Stage 10 | Col de Porte |
| Thursday 19th January | Stage 11 | Villard de Lans |