The Tour de France and 'les Alpes'; it is impossible to think of one without the other. L’Alpe d’Huez, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col de Madeleine, Col du Galibier, the list goes on and on. These are the passes on which the Tour de France is contested, the roads where champions are made. Our tour is where any cyclist can imagine riding in the peleton of their heroes. Yet this tour is even more than the Tour de France; it is a cycling experience unmatched anywhere in the world. This is a tour of breathtaking vistas of mountains, meadows, and lakes; of the cliffs and gorges of the Vercors; of the mountain villages with their festive markets, friendly hotels, and delicious food and wine. And, ultimately, this is a tour of roads - France’s special gift to the cyclist; roads laid down like a carelessly strewn ribbon, narrow roads painstakingly chiseled into the sides of vertical cliffs, roads virtually devoid of cars, roads plastered with the names of cycling legends, roads climbing steeply and relentlessly toward heart throbbing heights, and of course roads plummeting downwards in rim-searing, thrilling, twisty descents to distant villages below.

We will be cycling many of the roads and passes that define the Tour de France, both this year and past years.  The climbs will be challenging, creating images of the Tour peleton, and the descents will be exhilarating   The scenery in the big mountains is awe-inspiring leaving us with the question, 'do the Tour riders ever see the mountains?'  But even more important, we will be cycling on roads never taken by the Tour, and in areas that the Tour rarely enters.  These roads will be some of the most fun and scenic of our tour. 

This Alps tour will be very challenging, with copious mileage and climbing. Although this tour might excite even the best Cat 1 racer, it is a dream trip for any reasonably fit cyclist. Many days will have two or three different routes of varying difficulty, while some will be long and hard with few options. The van is always available for tired riders and to assist whenever needed. At the end of the day’s riding we’ll enjoy relaxing in the peaceful setting of the small villages selected for our tour. There will be a gathering every afternoon to watch the finish of the Tour de France live on TV.