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July 6 - Geneva Arrive Geneva and transfer by van to our hotel in nearby Ferney-Voltaire. You’ll have the remainder of the day to relax, get settled, assemble your bike, explore the village, or just take a nap. Our
get-acquainted dinner is at our hotel tonight, followed by an overview of the tour.
July 7 - Eloise - 40mi 1300ft We leave Ferney Voltaire heading towards the looming Jura Mountains just to the west. The Col de
la Faucile awaits anyone wishing to tackle this 3000 ft climb (followed by a 3300 ft descent); the rest of us will traverse the base of the steep mountainside. This is a quiet farming road, rolling continually downhill, through small
villages and pastures until we cross the Rhone River. Here the Rhone has punched through this last ridge of the Jura, leaving a dramatic gorge. It is a gradual climb along a wooded hillside from the Rhone to the village of Eloise and the
first of many wonderful hotels. The remaining afternoon should be spent lounging by the pool and catching up on any needed napping.
July 8 - Champagneux - 54mi 3000ft or 43mi, minimal climbing Before the Rhone
turns to the west and to the broad valley that takes it to the Mediterranean, it must first negotiate the western edge of the Alps as it cuts through the high mountains on either side. This is the most beautiful section of the Rhone river,
and is the exact route we must take to our inn at Champagneux. Lunch is a must at the flower-adorned village of Chanaz, where you can watch boats make their way lazily up and down the Canal de Savières. Here the more adventurous can climb
the Mont de la Charvaz and the Col du Chat, above France’s largest lake, Lac du Bourget. From this ridge, the views of the lake and the high Alps to the east are magnificent. Our hotel is a true country inn with a very reputable
restaurant. Dinner will be served on the terrace.
July 9 – Rencurel 61mi, 4800ft
We will spend the morning meandering through quaint villages, pretty valleys, and riding over meadow-clad hills; but the afternoon presents a true
challenge. We are faced with the vertical walls surrounding the Vercors region. Time and water have shaped these high limestone cliffs leaving us few options to enter this well protected area. The only roads leading into the Vercors are
chiseled into vertical cliffs and along deep gorges. The ease of defending these roads is why this area was the center of the French Resistance. Our route climbs the sheer cliff face below the Col de Romeyère before dropping to Rencurel.
Surrounded by meadows and steep cliffs, our hotel in Rencurel
has one of the most beautiful settings imaginable.
July 10 - Rencurel - Rest Day or Loop Ride
The Vercors, now a Parc Natural
Regional, is so spectacular and unique that it’s tempting to try and cycle every road of the 40x25 mile area. However this is a rest day, so the route is easy. We start by cycling up the Gorge de la Bourne; here the roads are carved into
the lower sides of cliffs so high that sunlight is minimal - making it difficult to take photos of this amazing place. A leisurely lunch in Villard de Lans can be followed by a return to Rencurel and the pool. A longer route climbs up one
of the higher ridges in the Vercors and meanders along a narrow one-lane road with plenty of great views. At the northern end of the Vercors there is a tunnel through the mountain terminating on the vertical cliffs above Grenoble with
spectacular views of the Chartreuse mountains to the north. From here it is almost all downhill to the hotel.
July 11 – Chichilliane - 67mi, 5800ft After yesterday’s rest (???), we are ready to head out on one
of the most amazing rides of the entire trip. Some gentle climbing and descending will take us to the top of the Grands Goulets, where the gorge is so narrow that hardly any sunlight comes through, surrounding us in a cool shaded world of
mossy rock walls dripping with delicate ferns and tiny waterfalls. On to La Chapelle en Vercors for a pastry, then we have a gentle climb up to the Col de Rousset. The view from here is stunning. The many switchbacks of the long gradual
descent lie before us like a ribbon carelessly strewn from the hillside to the valley floor in the distance below us. We are entering the northern edge of Provence and we will see a few brilliant purple fields of lavender on our way into
the village of Die. After a lunch of Provencal specialties, we must climb the Col de Menée. A short descent brings us to our hotel beneath the looming vertical walls of Mont Aiguille. After the long day on the bike, we will certainly want
to spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.
July 12 - Le Bourg d’Oisans
- 54mi, 4100ft
Starting the day at an elevation of 3300 ft means that we have
an easy, mostly downhill ride to Mens and our first patisserie
stop of the day. Alas, roads that go down must go back up, and
down and up again, before we reach la Mure. This is a busy,
bustling, town and a good stop for more pastries or lunch; the
big mountains of the Alps lie ahead. The
Col d’Ornon is an easy introduction to the alpine
peaks waiting for us, and the descent into le Bourg d’Oisans
will give us good look at what tomorrow will bring. The village
will be packed end to end with cyclists eagerly awaiting
tomorrow’s Tour de France stage finish. Our hotel is in the
center of town directly across from the local bike shop, where
the pro jerseys will be selling like crispy creams on Sunday
morning.
July 13 - Le Bourg d’Oisans
- 16mi, 3000ft, or 36mi, 5500ft
Today is the big day! We'll be witness to one of the most
exciting finishes on the Tour; the Stage 8 finish at l'Alpe
d'Huez. Le Bourg d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez is probably the
most famous stretch of cycling road in the world. This is
cycling Mecca, as cyclists from all over Europe (and the
US) come here to watch the “Tour”, as well as
ride these roads made legendary by the heroes of the Tour de
France. In 1997, Pantani set a record of 36 minutes from the
base of the climb to the finish at L’ Alpe d’Huez, so here is
your opportunity to test your skills with the best of the
pro’s. As you climb the 21 numbered switchbacks, you will have
no trouble recognizing the names of cycling heroes written all
over the road like some giant billboard. The road to the top
will be lined with up to 300,000 cheering fans to speed you on.
This will be one of the greatest cycling experiences ever.
After lunch in the village, stay in town to watch the finish, or
descend to a spot on the climb where the views are good and you
might see Lance break from the pack on his way to a stage
victory and the yellow jersey.
July 14 – Allevard/Pinsot - 52mi, 1400, or 66mi, 5000ft
This morning Bourg d Oisans will be the best place to be on the
planet. All the teams will be here, all the 'Tour' pros will be
here, signing in, being interviewed by the media, signing
autographs, and just milling about, preparing for the start of
stage 9 to Gap. We will be here, basking in the glow of the
greatest sporting event of the year. As the pros race off to
their glory, we will head off in the opposite direction to our
next hotel. Nineteen miles and 1500 feet of downhill brings us
to Vizille, where we head up a small valley to Uriage. Here the
long route climbs high on the ridge and traverses the Belledonne
mountain chain. It is up and down on a quiet winding mountain
road that eventually drops us down into Allevard. The views of
the Vercors and the Chartreuse mountains across the Isère valley
will keep us continuously gawking and stopping for photos. The
low route continues up the Isère valley to the town of Allevard,
then we continue up a small side valley to our
beautifully-situated hotel in the alpine village of
Pinsot.
July 15 - Albertville - 34mi, 150ft or 47mi, 3000ft, or 60mi, 6200ft Our end-of-the-day destination is so nearby, that
one could easily be tempted to head straight to Albertville and relax at our very classy hotel, or stroll the streets and do a little shopping/sightseeing. However, the hills and low mountains through which our more difficult routes zigzag
are simply gorgeous. First we climb along the crest of a long ridge, with spectacular views of mountains on either side. Then, after returning to the valley floor we will ascend the Col du Grand Cucheron, a small climb by Tour de France
standards, but nonetheless an official col challenged by the 1998 Tour de France. With the exception of a beautiful hillside traverse, the rest of the ride is along small roads adhering to the valley floor. Our hotel is located in the
center of town, but well-appointed and quiet, and featuring first-class cuisine.
July 16 – Albertville - rest day, or 25mi, 1650ft, or Cormet de Roselend loop, 53 mi, 6000ft
Our short optional ride to Beaufort is a gentle climb
up a lush farming valley. This alpine village is a must stop for pastry and coffee, plus a tour of the cheese factory where the well-known Beaufort cheese is made. If you continue on from here, the real climbing soon begins, but what a
rich reward you’ll have. The lower section consists of switchbacks through a cool forest; higher up it opens up with immense views of lakes and rocky peaks in the distance. Lunch is available at a small hut below the summit; the fare is
simple but the ambiance makes our meal a five-star experience. The short climb up the Col du Pre is rewarded with one of the best descents of the trip. An auxiliary disk or drum brake is mandatory for tandem teams! Before returning to our
hotel, a small cutoff above town takes us to the old, walled section of Albertville; little has changed here in the last 300 years.
July 17 - Talloires - 24mi, 1900ft, or 56mi, 3300ft Our first pastry stop is a
mere 13 miles down the Isère river valley. We then ascend the Col du Frene to a series of high mountain valleys. The beautiful setting, the small roads with very little traffic except for other cyclists, presents some of the most idyllic
cycling anywhere. The final descent brings us to Lac d’Annecy, one of the prettiest mountain regions in Europe. Our beautiful hotel is situated on the shore of the lake in the village of Talloires, just up from the larger town of
Annecy.
July 18 – Talloires 24mi, 300ft, or 36 mi, 2600ft The town of Annecy is one of the most beautiful in Europe and is known as the Venice of the Alps with its myriad of canals flowing through the old town. Today’s ride is to Annecy
and back, around the lake. This gives ample opportunity to explore this vibrant town, have a peaceful lunch along the canal, and still get back to enjoy another afternoon at our hotel, and catch the Tour live on TV. For those who would
like a little more challenge, the morning’s ride will include a climb up the Col de la Forclaz. This climb starts directly from the hotel and traverses up the cliff sides above the lake. The summit is perched directly above the lake,
affording awesome views of the lake, the town of Annecy, and all the surrounding mountains. Refreshments can be had on the restaurant terrace, while parapenters soar directly overhead on their flights across the lake.
July 19 – Ferney Voltaire - 55mi, 2500ft
In store for
our last day of riding are rolling postures, small villages, gentle climbs and descents, cliff side roads, beautiful valleys, and great mountain vistas; a potpourri of experiences from the last two long and perhaps challenging weeks in the
Alps. Our farewell dinner tonight at the hotel will be an opportunity to exchange stories, talk over our triumphs and adventures, and ponder how we’ll ever get back into the hometown routine!
July 20 – Departure Van transport is
provided to the Geneva airport.
COST $2750.00 per person based on Double Occupancy 500.00 Single Supplement
INCLUDES:
·2-4 star Hotel Accommodations ·
·Breakfast daily (except
arrival day)
·Dinner daily (except one night and arrival/departure days)
·Airport transfers from/to Geneva airport
·Bike mechanic and van
support with cellular phone
·Ground transportation for all passengers, luggage & bikes
·Regional map plus detailed daily route maps & cue sheets
NOT INCLUDED:
·International airfare
·Tips, gratuities, laundry, telephone, & items of a personal
nature.
·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be
charged for those who want wine with dinner, and can be prepaid
before departure)
PRE-TRIP PLANNING A complete trip
packet will be sent upon receipt of your secondary deposit with information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying, equipment list, and changing currencies. All participants must possess a current passport.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Erickson Cycle Tours strongly recommends purchasing insurance for trip cancellation, injury, illness & loss of effects. A traveler’s insurance brochure will be included with your confirmation letter.
AIRFARE
We offer the services of
our travel agent, Claus Claussen of Des Peres Travel in obtaining economical, expedient air reservations, and can assist with lodging for pre- and post-tour accommodations. For flight information contact Des Peres Travel at 800.264.7717 or
dptravel@primary.net. Of course you may use your own travel agent if you prefer. |
