Welcome to Geneve, your entry point to Route des Grands Alps 🇨🇭.

After your arrival by train, bus, car or plane, we meet at Hotel Eden, where we stay the first night.

At the hotel we make a welcome meeting, where we introduce the program, the routes, the group and all practicalities for this challenging week of cycling.

We make the bikes and equipment ready, so you can resemble your private bike after travel and we set-up the bikes for you, who rent a bike.

In the evening we have dinner and some mingling time to get to know eachother before a good night rest.

Your Route des Grandes Alpes journey has begun!

After a delicious breakfast, we get ready for the first ride of the week in to the Alps.

We start off at a relatively easy pace with a head start of the first fine climb: the Col de la Colombière.

This climb is manageable although it gets steeper towards the end. We pass through the famous Tour de France location of Le Grand Bornand before arriving at the hotel.

Distance: 85 km

Altitude gain: 1800 m

Col: Col de la Colombière

Today, two Tour de France classics are on the agenda: the Col des Aravis and the Col des Saisies.

These lead us towards the foot of the truly massive Alpine giants.

Hopefully, it still feels relatively easy at this stage as we have many more climbs to go!

Distance: 90 km

Altitude gain: 1650 m

Col: Col des Aravis (1487 m) & Col des Sasiers (1650 m)

Speaking of classics! Lace up the cycling shoes, because today we challenge the queen stage with some epic climbs.

The historic Col de la Madeleine is on the menu today — approached from what many consider its most beautiful side.

We continue with the Col du Glandon, a magnificent and challenging climb before finishing off with reaching the Oz station, where we can look forward to a good dinner and restday.

Distance: 110 km

Altitude gain: 3550 m

Col: Col de la Madelaine (2000 m) & Col du Glandon (1924 m), Oz station

After conquering essentials étapes in the Route Les Grands Alpes, we deserve a rest-day to last throughout to Nice with smiles on our faces.

We stay at the Chalet Beyond where you can enjoy the sauna and jacuzzi. Eat, drink, and get plenty of rest. Perhaps go for a short walk and recharge for the second part of the Route des Grandes Alpes!

Also a great day to get some laundry done and enjoy a beer.

We start the day with a descent.

Then, we wind our way up towards L'Alpe d'Huez via the Pas de la Confession. You emerge 4 km below the summit—will you tackle the top as well?

We then take the 'balcony route' to join the road to the Col du Lautaret.

After some good climbing we head to Briancon, where we stay the night close to the town.

Distance: 88 km

Altitude gain: 2500 m

Col: Pas de la Confession via l'Alpe d'Huez (1542 m) and Col du Lautaret (2057 m)

We have two grand Cols to conquer today and more beautiful mountain roads.

We start by climbing to the highest top at Col d'Izoard from which we get a nice long descend.

Next we reach Col de Vars before we come to our cozy mountain hotel in Jausiers.

Distance: 92 km

Altitude gain: 1550 m

Col: Col d'Izoard (2360 m) and Col de Vars (2108 m)

Today will be a day to remember as we cycle the highest paved road in the Alps while crossing the magnificent Col de la Bonette.

We start heading towards the lower coastal Alps so you get some nice descent before reaching Col de la Colmiane and our final resting place in the mountains.

Distance: 103 km

Altitude gain: 2680 m

Col: Col de la Bonette (2712 m) and Col de Colmiane (1503 m)

Your final day of this great journey of Route Des Grands Alps takes you over the iconic Col de Turini, which gives you a final challenge in the coastal Alps before you reach the coast!

The last stretch you get to enjoy the magnificent view to the turquoise Mediterranean.

One last mountain top is Col d'Eze from which you cruise down to Nice 😀

Congratulations! You have deserved a dip in the sea and the delicious food at our farewell dinner party.

Distance: 121 km

Altitude gain: 2490 m

Col: Col de Turini (1607 m) and Col d'Eze (507 m)

You can prolong your stay if you would like to spend some more days in Nice after the cycling. On Monday 21st there is a yearly national music festival and Nice will be full of free music.

Please get in touch when booking if you wish to stay longer.

Lifesparkz Bike Tours:

tinabaltzer@lifesparkz.com

+45 50 39 56 20 or

+33 (0)6 40 52 94 39 (whatsapp)

RideUp Cycling Tours:

jeroen@rideup.cc

+31 (0)6112 52 969 (whatsapp)