Les Clefs: Hiking, Cycling and Savoyard Cuisine

In Les Clefs, you can plan your trip around hikes on Sulens, cycling routes and regional specialities. Col de Plan Bois lies at an altitude of 1,299 m within the municipality of Les Clefs, at the foot of Sulens. In summer, the pass is the starting point for numerous hikes. Trails on Sulens pass through forests and alpine pastures; they lead to the summit and its orientation table. The Chalet de Sulens is also located in the Espace Naturel Sensible du Sulens. This gives you a choice of different focuses for your stay, including scenery, outdoor activities and seasonal experiences.

Hiking on Sulens

The round trip from Col de Plan Bois to the summit of Sulens is 8.7 km long, involves 540 m of elevation gain and takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Another hiking option is the Chalets du Sulens route. It starts at Col de Plan Bois in Les Clefs and follows the same path back. The summit loop therefore gives you an approximate indication of the time and elevation gain involved; for the route to the chalets, the return along the same trail is a key part of planning.

Cycling routes and distances

The “Aller cyclo: Col de Plan Bois” cycling route is 6 km long and has 600 m of elevation gain. The cycling climb to Col de Plan Bois via Le Veuillet from Les Clefs is 9 km long and has 672 m of elevation gain. Compared with the 6 km route, the climb via Le Veuillet is 3 km longer and has 72 m more elevation gain. Mountain bikers and e-bike riders can also cycle around Sulens.

Seasons and nature experiences

If your visit is planned around a particular nature experience, the seasonal highlights differ: in autumn, you can hear the roar of stags during the rut at Belchamp; on Sulens, snowshoe hikes and ski tours are possible from the first snowfall. There is a stretch of the Champfroid stream where you can fly-fish for trout. Before winter outings, check the latest conditions and safety advice.

Historic landmarks

The Pont dit Romain dates from the 15th century, crosses the Fier and is listed as a historic monument in France. The church in Les Clefs is Baroque in style and was inaugurated in 1833.

Regional specialities

At Ferme Lait’able des Frangins, you can sample ice cream on site with views of La Tournette. The seasonal flavours are made with milk from their own cows, herbs from their own garden, and fruit sourced directly from producers or foraged in the wild. The selection of ice cream flavours may vary by season. Auberge de Plan Bois serves potato fritters and other Savoyard specialities; the Pavé de Sulens is also available there at the pass. For a sweet tasting featuring seasonal ingredients, choose the farm; for potato fritters and other Savoyard specialities, choose the inn.

Discover more destinations: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Mont-Saxonnex, Mûres, Nernier, Ayse, Moussy, Meillerie, Montmin

For the regional travel overview: Haute-Savoie.