Join us in the French Alps for a spectacular week of riding in the high mountains. Our Tour des Grandes Alpes features many of the legendary climbs made famous by the Tour de France.

Our itinerary follows the routes of many historic Tour de France stages and includes famous climbs such as the Col de la Madeleine, the Col du Telegraphe and the Col du Galibier.

And don't forget to save some energy for the final climb of the week, up the famous 21 switchbacks to Alpe d'Huez...

Join our expert guides in the Alps for the ride of your life!

Trip Profile

 

Trip Highlights

• Climb the famous 21 switchbacks to Alpe d'Huez!
• Conquer the legendary Col du Galibier, one of the Grand Tour legends!
• View the Annecy lake from the scenic Col de la Forclaz!
• Over 31,000ft of climbing in 6 days!
• As always the top support in the industry!

Top Support in the Industry

Throughout the trip you can relax and enjoy the rides knowing that you have the best Support Team in the industry right behind you all the way!

1 Sag Van and 1 experienced TBT ride leader for every 10 clients. And the highest staff to client ratio....1 staff member per 4 clients!

 

Your daily rides at a glance

Day	Itinerary	Ride Distance	Elevation Gain
1	Warm-up ride around La Clusaz	22 miles	2,750 ft
2	La Clusaz › Col du Marais › Col de la Forclaz › Col de la Croix Fry › La Clusaz	53 miles	5,875 ft
3	La Clusaz › Col des Aravis › Col des Saisies › Albertville	41 miles	4,275 ft
4	Albertville › Col de la Madeleine › St Jean de Maurienne	48 miles	6,550 ft
5	St Jean de Maurienne › Col du Telegraphe › Col du Galibier › La Grave	41 miles	7,380 ft
6	La Grave › Alpe d'Huez	26 miles	4,560 ft
TOTAL:		231 miles	31,390 ft
DAILY AVERAGE:		39 miles	5,232 ft

 

What's Included

• 7 days / 6 nights fully accompanied trip
• All breakfasts
• All dinners except on Day 3
• Lunch on the first day
• Pick-up at Lyon Saint Exupery Airport
• Drop-off at Lyon Saint Exupery Airport
• All ground transportation
• All luggage transfer
• Services of our expert guides
• Experienced mechanic
• Support vehicles
• Thomson Bike Tours maps, cue sheets and elevation profiles

What's Not Included

• Airfare
• Travel and personal insurance
• Additional hotel expenses i.e. phone charges, mini-bar, gratuities
• Lunches (except lunch on the first day which is included)
• Dinner on Day 3

Climb these Famous Cols

In just 1 week climb many of the legendary cols in the Alps! Here are some of the cols included in our itinerary (sorted by Difficulty Index):

Climb	Elevation Gain	Average Grade	Length	Profile (m/km)	Difficulty Index
Col de la Madeleine	5062 ft	6.3%	15.3 miles		152
Alpe d'Huez	3,579 ft	7.7%	8.8 miles		125
Col du Galibier	4085 ft	6.9%	11.2 miles		122
Col de la Colombiere	3635 ft	6.8%	10.1 miles		118
Col de la Forclaz	2149 ft	8%	5.1 miles		108
Col de Telegraphe	2808 ft	7.3%	7.3 miles		93
Col de la Croix Fry	2762 ft	6.6%	8 miles		91
Col des Saisies	2451 ft	5.0%	9.2 miles		82
Col des Aravis	2841 ft	4.6%	11.8 miles		68

 

 

The Thomson Bike Tours Difference Your trip to Europe may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you deserve the best! Performance cyclists now rate Thomson Bike Tours as the premiere provider of performance trips to Europe. Here are a few details that set us aside from the rest: LESS VAN - MORE BIKE: NO Van Transfers between your hotels and the start/finish of the bike rides. Each day we ride from and to the hotel. Our local knowledge, extensive planning and vast experience mean that you spend less time in a van and more time on the bike! Best-in-class Support & ride leaders: another key to our success! Sag van and ride leader for every 10 riders. Highest Staff to Customer Ratio: 1 staff member per 4 customers! THE THOMSON RIDES: over the years we've also gained a reputation for providing the best (and most challenging!) rides. 25 years experience riding in the Alps counts!