Professional road cyclist on training trip in the french alps

Alps - France

French Alps Traverse: Legendary Climbs Cycling Tour

Guided 8 days

Cross the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Côte d’Azur on this fantastic 8 day French Alps Cycling Holiday. Pedal the Northern Alps and the Mont Blanc range all the way to the crystal clear waters of the Med.

Style
Road cycling
Gain
17,000 m
Distance
770 km
Level
Difficult

Tour overview

ROAD CYCLING DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS

This guided French Alps road cycling holiday takes you from the high altitudes of the Northern Alps down to the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Ride the world-renowned cols and legendary routes that snake between our start and finish line.

During this fantastic eight-day tour through the heart of the Alps, you’ll make long-lasting memories and face unprecedented challenges as we take on some of the most famous Le Tour des Grandes Alpes routes.

Try your hand at riding pro-level cols on this French Alps guided cycling tour. Test your fitness and skills with moderate to high altitude climbs, diverse terrain and demanding daily distances!

Start point
Thonon-les-Bains
End point
Menton
See program for full itinerary
Flying in
Geneva
Flying out
Geneva/Nice

Flights not included. Direct flights available at lastminute.com

Highlights of your cycling trip

Tour de France - hairpin - France

Tour de France Routes

This incredible trip features legendary Tour de France cols and bucket-list rides. With full technical support and luggage transport, all you need to do is focus on pedalling.

Diverse Terrain

Delight in a huge variety of landscapes, from panoramic alpine vistas to the glistening coastline. Each day offers two routes with varying distances and profiles.

Hotel room key

Comfortable Hotels

Enjoy a good night’s rest after each full day in the saddle, as well as the chance to meet non-riders and catch up with the rest of the group at the end of the day.

Tour destination

French Alps

With thundering gorges, rolling valleys, and cloud-topped mountain peaks, the western French Alps are a paradise for cyclists and explorers, and the varied terrain offers some challenging routes for more technical riders who want to see how far they can push their climbing skills. Rich blue skies create a backdrop for awe-inspiring views of the Alps and Mediterranean coastline, whilst we soak up French culture and discover the history of these ancient roads and towns.

Discover More
  • Weather

    Spring and autumn offer the best weather conditions for mountain riding. Coastal regions can get blustery as winds come off the ocean, and winter is challenging with snow higher up, so choose your season and prepare well.

  • Terrain

    France offers an incredibly diverse range of terrain suitable for riders of any level. However, this tour through the Alps is challenging with some intense climbs. Be prepared to tackle up to 3000 m altitude gains in one day and ride a daily average of 100 km.

  • Culture

    French cycling culture doesn’t get much better than in the Alps, riding on the same superb roads as the pros in the Tour de France. Touring is a popular way to explore the country and drivers are used to sharing the road with cyclists.

Accommodation during your tour

Comfortable 2-3* Hotels and Guesthouses

Each night we’ll sleep in a different 2 or 3 star hotel or guesthouse along our route, all of which offer a very pleasant stay after a full day of riding. We choose the accommodation based on its location and proximity to the start and end of each route. Each location includes secure bike storage facilities so you can focus on some well-deserved R&R. A support vehicle will be assisting us throughout the trip to move your bags and belongings safely between each location.

Meals Included

This eight-day tour includes all breakfasts, picnic lunches, and dinners from a 3 to 4 course menu, so all you need to worry about is what you want to drink with each meal. But we do recommend you bring your favourite gels and energy bars in case you need a mid-ride boost.

Tour itinerary

Your guide to a perfect cycling tour

La Clusaz - Bourg Saint Maurice
  • Distance
    90 km
  • Altitude gain
    2600 m

After warming up on day 1, we continue our route on day 2 in true alpine fashion with epic views and a taste of the local culture and gastronomy as we explore Beaufortain and try its famous cheese, the Beaufort (with the possibility to visit the cheese cooperative).

Highlights

  • Discover the Aravis mountain range with stunning views of the Mont Blanc
  • See the Olympic resort of Les Saisies
  • Views of turquoise waters of Lake Roseland, surrounded by beautiful alpine scenery

Getting there

Information to help you book your flights and get around.

Any questions about flights and transfers? The Epico team is here for you. Ping us via the chatbot in the corner of your page or send an email to [email protected]

Flying in

Fly in airport options: Geneva.

When best to arrive: in the evening the day before the tour starts.

Where the tour starts: we meet at 9:00 at the central railway station of the French town Thonon les Bains.

Transfers: we highly recommend you book optional airport transfers that we offer, this way we can guarantee a seamless and hassle-free travel experience.

Extra nights: we recommend you book an optional extra night in Geneva that we offer; the tour starts in the morning and you’ll want to be fresh!

Flying out

Fly out airport options: Geneva or Nice.

When best to depart: in the morning the day after the tour ends.

Where the tour ends: in the afternoon in the town of Menton.

Transfers: we highly recommend you book optional airport transfers that we offer, this way we can guarantee a seamless and hassle-free travel experience.

Extra nights: we recommend you book an optional extra night near the airport that we offer; the tour ends in the afternoon, packing up and transferring takes time.

Tour essentials

What’s included in your cycling trip.

  • 7 Nights Accommodation

    7 nights in 2-3* hotels, double room with en-suite facilities (single room available as an extra)

  • All Meals

    7 breakfasts, 7 picnic lunches, 7 dinners (3 to 4 course menu)

  • Guide and Support

    Trip leader in support vehicle, luggage transfers, and tech support throughout the tour

  • GPS Tracks

    Comprehensive navigation app for smartphones, a detailed digital road book with routes, and GPS tracks

Cycling bottle

What’s not included in your cycling trip.

  • Flights

    Flights are not included in the tour package. Please follow our advice about which flights will be best suited for this tour. Reach out to us if you have any questions about flights.

  • Health insurance

    We strongly recommend that you obtain a dedicated health insurance that covers your sport activities. Reach out to us if you have questions about the insurance.

Extra
Bike rental
From only €275 for the entire trip

It’s not always easy travelling with a bike but fear not, high quality carbon bikes are available for rental for the duration of the tour. To make sure you get the maximum from your bike for your trip, we’ve partnered with some of the best brands in cycling to give you the latest choice of equipment.

With a variety of sizes available, we can ensure your bike fits you perfectly.  All rental bikes are mechanically checked and adjusted before each and every hire so you can have peace of mind that your bike will be running smoothly from start to finish!

An Electric Road Bike is also available to rent.

You can select this option when you proceed to checkout. 

CARBON ROAD BIKE

Fitted to you and in perfect condition

More things to maximise your cycling trip

  • EXTRA
    Single accommodation
    €140 per person for entire trip

    If you’d like a whole room to yourself, that’s no problem. For an extra €140 for the trip duration, you can enjoy the comfort of your own room. Just select this option when you proceed to book your tour.

  • EXTRA
    Airport transfers
    From €140 per person

    Transportation for you and your bike from the nearest airport to the start point and back is available to book for €140 (round trip). You can select this option when you proceed to checkout. Contact us if you have any questions.

  • EXTRA
    Extra nights before and after the tour
    From €190 per person

    The tour starts in the morning and ends in the evening, plus airport transfers take time. We recommend that you fly in the day before and fly out the day after to maximise your trip. You can book these two additional nights for €190 when you proceed to checkout.

Booking options

Choose when you want to travel

Don't see the travel dates you want or have a special request, such as adding a non-rider, please contact us.

  • Guarantee a spot during busy periods
  • Only 30% down payment to secure your place
  • Fair & Transparent Cancellation Policy
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Booking options