Tour de France Grand Alps Trips

The 2017 Tour de France Grand Alps trips are full of high altitude cycling adventures, both on and off the bike.

Tuesday 18th July – Arrival Day in the French Alps
*Ride option:
Distance 90km Ascent 1870m route Col de la Croix de Fer (2067m)
Distance 60km Ascent 1150m route Col du Chaussy (1533m)
Distance 40km Ascent 500m route Lacets de Montvernier (782m)
Includes: Airport Transfer, Welcome Drinks & Dinner
Non cycling guests: Share the spectacular tour day in the French Alps
Welcome to the French Alps with one of our Tour de France trips and your high octane high altitude adventure on top of the world.  Arrival day at Geneva Airport and with precious time of an essence, your private transfer will have you in Valloire, your mountain retreat to ‘Unpack Once & Ride each day’ by lunch time. Relax and unwind from your travels with your first taste of high mountain air or get straight in the saddle with our first ride together, a choice of some of our favourite ride routes from previous Tour de France editions.

This evening we officially welcome you to Valloire in the French Alps with an Aperitif and Alpine Dinner ready for our challenging rides together!

Wednesday 19th July – Tour de France Stage 17 – La Mure / Serre-Chevalier (High Alps)
*Ride option:
Distance 65km Ascent 2100m route Col du Galibier (2642m
Distance 36km Ascent 1200m route Pantani Monument (2642m)
Distance 30km Ascent 900m route Col du Telegraphe (1566m)
Includes: Breakfast, TDF Restaurant Lunch
Non cycling guests: Share all the Tour day & spectacular TDF action in the High Alps!
This is it the Tour de France 2017 in the high French Alps, with multiple ascents over 2000m.  These next two days are going to push the yellow jersey and podium contenders to their absolute limits! Our own challenge comes early in the day with the unique opportunity of riding to 2642m, the air is thin, the effort immense and with views that will stay in your memory forever.
With a superb choice of ride options available all magnificent in their own right, you decide how much climbing to enjoy on this year’s route of the critical Alps stage of the Tour de France. With your own challenge met for the day freewheel back to your premium viewing spot where the atmosphere will be building at the greatest sporting show on earth.
Tour de France trips in the grand Alps are not only for bike riding.  It’s now time to relax over a hearty French restaurant lunch and lose yourself at the 2017 Tour de France live from the roadside in the French Alps with Practice Bicycle Bike Tours.

Thursday 20th July – Tour de France Stage 18 – Briançon / Izoard (Stage Start)
*Ride option:
Distance 54km Ascent 1550m route Col du Galibier #2 (2642m)
Distance 28km Ascent 950m route Col du Lautaret (2057m)
Includes: Breakfast, Celebration TDF Dinner
Non cycling guests: Share the TDF stage start and town of Briancon
The Tour de France professional peloton will be dreaming they were waking up in Paris this morning, with the fatigue of an exhausting 3 week tour taking its effect on the very best cyclists in the world. They will have another gigantic day ahead of them in the French Alps. Will you have the legs for 3 days of the very best riding in the French Alps?
With a little extra recovery time on offer today, we will transfer to Briancon the highest city in France at 1326m and enjoy the carnival of the biggest sporting event in the world at the stage start. Look out for your favourite stars, admire the weary warriors as they prepare for one more epic day of racing at the Tour de France in the French Alps. Have your camera ready for that close up opportunity when the teams come together at the podium to sign on for another day at the office of hard work!
Once the show has departed, take on one last climbing monument during your bike tour challenge with the Col du Lautaret or dig deep and join the rare group of cyclists by ascending the Galibier from the south side today after yesterday’s traditional north side route. You can understand why looking for big kilometres/miles is not a high priority in this special cycling arena!
Once we are back at the hotel, freshen up and catch the final attacks of this year’s Tour de France on TV together, who will have the energy for one more attack in the high alps? We can only admire how they are feeling after our own epic 3 challenging days of riding.
Tonight we can justifiably celebrate with a farewell dinner, the Cols we pedalled together, the sense of achievement and absolute thrill of riding in the French Alps.