21 Hairpins Wine Challenge - Tour de France legend

Alpe d'Huez is cycling's most iconic climb - 21 numbered hairpin bends. Each July, the Tour de France creates a million-person party. Winter brings skiing and La Folie Douce, where cyclists and skiers unite in worship of the mountain that made both sports legendary.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find Hairpin 21: Fausto Coppi's Ghost History · Free

   Start at the bottom of the climb in Bourg d'Oisans. Hairpin 21 is the first bend you'll encounter - named for Fausto Coppi, the Italian champion who first conquered this mountain in 1952. Every hairpin is named after a Tour winner. Coppi started it all. Pull over at the sign, touch the hairpin marker, and look up: 14km and 1,120m of climbing await. Whether you're cycling, driving, or ski-ing down in winter, this is where legends begin. The original 1952 road surface is still visible in places.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Count Down Through Legends Adventure · Free · Optional

   As you climb (by bike, car, or on foot), count down the hairpins. Each displays its number and its champion: Fausto Coppi (21), Lance Armstrong (controversial, still there), Bernard Hinault, Marco Pantani. Look for hairpin 8 - named for Pantani, who set the unbroken record in 1997. The hairpin names tell the history of cycling. Stop at three that interest you and photograph the signs. This mountain is a museum that you climb through.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Understand Why Pantani's Record Still Stands History · Free · Optional

   At any hairpin, stop and consider this: Marco Pantani climbed Alpe d'Huez in 37 minutes 35 seconds in 1997. Nobody has broken it in over 25 years. Pantani was later caught doping and died alone in a hotel room in 2004. His record stands because modern riders are tested more heavily. The mountain holds both glory and tragedy. Ask any local cyclist about 'il Pirata' (The Pirate, Pantani's nickname) - they'll have opinions.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Toast at the Summit Like a Million Fans Wine · Price: moderate

   Reach the top and find La Folie Douce or a village bar. Order a glass of wine and toast the mountain. Each July, over a million people line these 21 hairpins for the Tour de France, drinking and cheering for hours as riders suffer past. The wine culture of Alpe d'Huez was born from cycling fans who needed something to do while waiting. You've now joined 70 years of tradition. Budget €8-12 for a glass of local Isère wine.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Each hairpin is named after a Tour champion - learn the history

• The summer "Montée de Légende" event offers wine at each hairpin

• Best sunset views in the Alps from the Signal de l'Homme