La Grande Odyssée dogsled competition © Allibert Trekking
10 stages, 11 days, 18 mushers: from January 13-24, ski resorts in the Savoie-Mont Blanc region of France will welcome back the 14th edition of La Grande Odyssée, the world’s most challenging dogsled race. Like a marathon, except with dogs and set against the beautiful backdrop of Savoie in the French Alps, La Grande Odyssée unites the world’s best mushers and several hundred dogs in a fierce competition. Primarily Siberian and Alaskan huskies, the dogs are swapped in and out strategically to allow the mushers the best chance at winning. A team of 8 vets will be on hand to ensure the health of the dogs.
Gruelling competition in Savoie ski region showcases professional mushers and cute dogs
There are two categories: long and mid. In the long race, the dogs will run 612km with an altitude difference of 22000m. The mid race is only 379km long, with an altitude difference of 13000m. The biggest single altitude gain will be 3140m, at La Plagne. The mushers come from all over the world: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland and Andorra and range in age from 26 to 61. Spectators can follow along with the mushers thanks to live GPS tracking or watch the race on TV screens in the participating villages. Plenty of fun activities are planned at the host villages. In addition to meetings with the dogs, there will be campfires, films, igloo-building workshops and even giant tartiflettes.
Racing in La Grande Odyssée © Vincent Piccerelle
Booties on and ready to go
© La Grande Odyssée
Cheering on the winners
La Grande Odyssée finish line © Vincent Piccerelle
Night stage of La Grande Odyssée
La Grande Odyssée at night © Vincent Piccerelle
Schedule
- January 13: Opening ceremony at Samoëns
- January 14: Morillon-Grand Massif-Montagnes du Giffre
- January 15: Les Gets
- January 16: Praz de Lys - Sommand
- January 16: Children’s Odyssey, featuring 20 young mushers on a 5km track
- January 17: Megève
- January 18: Pralognan la Vanoise
- January 19: La Plagne
- January 20: Val Cenis
- January 21: Val Cenis – Lac du Mont Cenis
- January 22: Aussois- Sardières- Aussois
- January 23: Savoie Grand Revard
- January 24: Bessans – Bonneval sur Arc
- January 24: Closing and final awards ceremony of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in Val Cenis Lanslebourg
Skiing in the Savoie Mont Blanc region
Known for its scrumptious cuisine, France’s Savoie Mont Blanc region also boasts some of the best skiing in the world. Apart from the 400km-strong Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area, represented here by Megève, there are 260km of pistes at Le Grand Massif, which includes ski resorts such as Samoëns and Morillon. And, of course, Les Gets is linked to Les Portes du Soleil, one of the world’s biggest ski areas with 600km of pistes. The Grande Odyssée is also the perfect excuse to visit smaller, lesser-known ski resorts, such as the charming Praz de Lys - Sommand with its views of Lake Geneva, or the family-friendly Savoie Grand Revard. Most ski resorts in Savoie are easily accessible from Geneva or Chambéry airports.
La Grande Odyssée dogsled competition © Allibert Trekking
10 stages, 11 days, 18 mushers: from January 13-24, ski resorts in the Savoie-Mont Blanc region of France will welcome back the 14th edition of La Grande Odyssée, the world’s most challenging dogsled race. Like a marathon, except with dogs and set against the beautiful backdrop of Savoie in the French Alps, La Grande Odyssée unites the world’s best mushers and several hundred dogs in a fierce competition. Primarily Siberian and Alaskan huskies, the dogs are swapped in and out strategically to allow the mushers the best chance at winning. A team of 8 vets will be on hand to ensure the health of the dogs.
Gruelling competition in Savoie ski region showcases professional mushers and cute dogs
There are two categories: long and mid. In the long race, the dogs will run 612km with an altitude difference of 22000m. The mid race is only 379km long, with an altitude difference of 13000m. The biggest single altitude gain will be 3140m, at La Plagne. The mushers come from all over the world: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland and Andorra and range in age from 26 to 61. Spectators can follow along with the mushers thanks to live GPS tracking or watch the race on TV screens in the participating villages. Plenty of fun activities are planned at the host villages. In addition to meetings with the dogs, there will be campfires, films, igloo-building workshops and even giant tartiflettes.
Racing in La Grande Odyssée © Vincent Piccerelle
Booties on and ready to go
© La Grande Odyssée
Cheering on the winners
La Grande Odyssée finish line © Vincent Piccerelle
Night stage of La Grande Odyssée
La Grande Odyssée at night © Vincent Piccerelle
Schedule
- January 13: Opening ceremony at Samoëns
- January 14: Morillon-Grand Massif-Montagnes du Giffre
- January 15: Les Gets
- January 16: Praz de Lys - Sommand
- January 16: Children’s Odyssey, featuring 20 young mushers on a 5km track
- January 17: Megève
- January 18: Pralognan la Vanoise
- January 19: La Plagne
- January 20: Val Cenis
- January 21: Val Cenis – Lac du Mont Cenis
- January 22: Aussois- Sardières- Aussois
- January 23: Savoie Grand Revard
- January 24: Bessans – Bonneval sur Arc
- January 24: Closing and final awards ceremony of La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc in Val Cenis Lanslebourg
Skiing in the Savoie Mont Blanc region
Known for its scrumptious cuisine, France’s Savoie Mont Blanc region also boasts some of the best skiing in the world. Apart from the 400km-strong Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area, represented here by Megève, there are 260km of pistes at Le Grand Massif, which includes ski resorts such as Samoëns and Morillon. And, of course, Les Gets is linked to Les Portes du Soleil, one of the world’s biggest ski areas with 600km of pistes. The Grande Odyssée is also the perfect excuse to visit smaller, lesser-known ski resorts, such as the charming Praz de Lys - Sommand with its views of Lake Geneva, or the family-friendly Savoie Grand Revard. Most ski resorts in Savoie are easily accessible from Geneva or Chambéry airports.