Hotels in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is a small cathedral town buried deep in the Maurienne valley, better known to cyclists than to holidaymakers proper. It sits at the foot of four major Alpine climbs — the Col de la Croix de Fer, the Col du Glandon, the Col du Chaumont and the Galibier approach via the Col du Télégraphe — which makes it a genuine pilgrimage stop for road bikers and a regular Tour de France staging town.

The old centre has a real, workaday French character, with a Baroque cathedral and narrow streets rather than any polished resort veneer. Be honest: there isn't much to do here beyond the cycling and the valley scenery, and the town itself is a modest, faded industrial base rather than a destination in its own right. It works best as a springboard for the surrounding ski resorts (La Toussuire, Les Sybelles) and summer climbs rather than a place to linger.