Classic Roads & Mountains Lake Annecy French Alps
The Dauphine is the ‘beautiful’ French Bike Race without the crowds, Lake Annecy and the surrounding Alps are alive! Love to ride, the mountains, be amongst alpine nature, taste local regional french cuisine, be challenged on the race route, uncrowded mountains, relaxed stage start and finishes. Perfect laid-back cycling trip for the avid cyclist and non-cycling partner, unforgettable ride with Practice Bicycle!
Every June Exciting Bike Race Action to the Criterium Dauphine Bike Race showcasing the stunning Auvergne Rhone Alps Region.
Criterium Dauphine Itinerary 2022
Wednesday 8th June – Arrival Day in Annecy – Criterium du Dauphine 2022
*Ride Option:
Distance 40km (25mi) Ascent 200m (650ft) Route Lac Annecy
Today is arrival day with your private transfer from Geneva International Airport (Switzerland) to your hotel in the wonderful town of Annecy nestled at the base of the French Alps and on the shores of spectacular Lake Annecy.
Once checked-in, relax and take the time to enjoy one of the most stunning towns in the world, explore the medieval streets and the canals of the ‘Venice of the Alps’. Un-wind from your travels, take a leisurely drink and become a part of France for just a few days. Should time permit enjoy a welcome ride around spectacular Lake Annecy the ideal preparation for the following 4 fantastic action-packed stages at the 2022 Criterium du Dauphine.
Thursday 9th June – View the Criterium du Dauphine Stage 5 Thizy-les-Bourgs > Chaintré (Hills/Finish)
*Ride Options:
Distance 44km/27mi Ascent 420m/1300ft route Dompierre-les-Ormes
Distance 74km/45mi Ascent 760m/2500ft route Charolles
Distance 82km/50mi Ascent 1250m/4000ft route Chaintre
Inclusions: Breakfast, Dauphine Restaurant Lunch
We pick up the action on stage 5 as the peloton reaches halfway across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region in this year’s stage race.
Transferring by vehicle this morning we start our cycling adventures on the roads of the Saône-et-Loire department named after the two rivers. After the previous stage Time Trial the race for the yellow jersey will start to take shape and the leaders will try and conserve some energy on the intermediate climbs throughout todays stage.
Every day the action promises to get more exciting as we head to the live race action along this challenging route with 4 short but intense climbs towards the finish line in Chaintre.
We’ll have time to relax and reward ourselves after our own superb ride on the race route including the last two climbs of Col du Bois Clair (394m) and Cote de Mont-Brison (356m). Enjoy flavours of France with your restaurant lunch and taste the regions Bourgogne wine of Mâcon-Chaintre. It won’t be long before the professional stars of cycling arrive at their maximum limits on the streets of Chaintre and all the spectacle of the Criterium Dauphine live.
Friday 10th June – View the Criterium du Dauphine Stage 6 Rives > Gap (Start/Alps)
*Ride Option:
Distance 40km/25mi Ascent 285m/1000ft route Rives
Distance 84km/52mi Ascent 1370m/4500ft route Col de Rousset
Distance 110km/68mi Ascent 950m/3000ft route Lac du Bourget
Inclusions: Breakfast, Vercors Restaurant Lunch
Stage 6 is the Alpine warm-up stage although like yesterday full of difficult terrain and 196.4 km in duration for the race peloton as they head south ahead of the final challenging weekend in the Alps.
Each year we show case this great June lead up race to the Tour de France with a variety of unique live race viewing options, after yesterday’s stage finish, today enjoy the stage start. The life of a professional cyclist can often seem glamourous, it’s at the stage depart that the show begins, enjoy wandering among the teams as they prepare for a long day spent in the saddle.
We also have great roads for our own cycling adventures, with options to ride to the stage start and along the race route. Catch up with all the action of stage 6 as it passes between the Chartreuse and Vercors Regional Nature Parks.
We will ease our legs into this year’s Dauphine with these fantastic roads and if you are as fired up as the professional cyclists then hit the slopes of one of the categorised cols to test your own legs during your fantastic cycling holiday.
With all our specialty bike race tours, we cannot wait to share great cycling with you and great local flavours each day on route with a classic restaurant lunch, try the local ‘Ravioles du Royans’ you’ll love it! Superb cycling, wonderful French food and first-class world tour race viewing this must be the perfect cycling day. We will return to Annecy by support vehicle for you to enjoy your evening in one of France’s finest towns.
Saturday 11th June – View the Criterium du Dauphine Stage 7 Saint-Chaffrey > Vaujany (Alps)
*Ride Option:
Distance 34km/21mi Ascent 1170m/3800ft route Saint Jean de Maurienne
Distance 40km/25mi Ascent 1700m/5700ft route Col de la Croix der Fer
Distance 53km/33mi Ascent 2000m/6500ft route Grand Alps
Inclusions: Breakfast, Grand Alps Restaurant Lunch
The race organisation always makes the final weekend of the Dauphine very challenging another reason why every Grand Tour winner wants to win this prestigious Criterium Dauphine stage race. Stage 7 will follow the actual route of this year’s Tour de France stage in the French Alps with 2 HC category climbs before the summit finish at Vaujany.
Today takes the professionals over 2000m elevation on two occasions, full of classic alpine cols throughout the route in the massif Grand Alps. This is Practice Bicycle Tours favourite cycling region, and we cannot wait to share these spectacular cycling roads with you. Riding the race route, enjoy this amazing scenery at the perfect pace, your pace! Heading into the Grand Alps with your own magnificent ride and supported all the way by the local professional guides with a choice of ride options, tailored to your cycling ability.
With our own cycling done for the day and at your ‘unique live viewing spot’ in the Alps your team has thought of everything for you, get your breath back and enjoy your Alpine lunch at one of our favourite restaurants and all the live race action of the 2022 Criterium Dauphine.
Sunday 12th June – View the Criterium du Dauphine Stage 8 Saint-Alban-Leysse > Plateau de Solaison (Alps)
*Ride Options:
Distance 22km/14mi Ascent 260m/850ft route Le Grand Bornand
Distance 48km/30mi Ascent 1300m/4300ft route Col de la Colombiere
Distance 75km/47mi Ascent 1500m/4900ft route Aravis Mountains
Inclusions: Breakfast, Aravis Mountain French Alps Lunch
Today is our last ride opportunity together during your Dauphine week straight and we start from your hotel door. The comfort of the one location cycling holiday can be appreciated with your final ride opportunity as we again head deep into the French Alps…it must be experienced to be believed!
Will the Criterium winner be already decided or can the best climbers in the world challenge each other just one more time on these final classic French Alps bike riding roads. It was on these same amazing roads at the 2017 Dauphine that the final climbing action changed the yellow jersey winner.
Take advantage of your team’s planning and all their local knowledge to give you the perfect final bike ride, with unique live viewing on the slopes of the mountain and a superb day at the Criterium Dauphine in 2022. Flexibility with our premium small group allows for the absolute best ride options; why not test your legs with a classic cycling col…before descending in time for an Alpine recovery lunch simply perfect!
Once refreshed we are at the ideal spot to end a great week of memorable riding together, it’s time to relax and enjoy the rest of this special day and one last memorable moment to absorb the professional peloton in the French Alps!
Monday 13th June – Departure Day from Annecy and the Criterium du Dauphine
Today is your departure day from the Criterium Dauphine cycling tour. Your team will say goodbye this morning and transfer you to Geneva International Airport (Switzerland) for your midday departure. Practice Bicycle Tours wish you a “Bon Voyage”, safe cycling until we Practice Bicycle together again.
*As with all the Practice Bicycle Tours planned rides you always have the option of taking it easy and enjoying the comfort of the support vehicle and all the spectacle of the day at a more leisurely pace.
