Experience the thrill of riding part of a " Tour de France" stage just hours before the peloton.
Le Col de la Madeleine (alt 2,000m) , first featured in Tour de France 1969 edition, has been since then conquered 28 times by the pros.
A few hours before the peloton you will ride on the very same route as the Pros. You will be completely immersed into the unique atmosphere of “ Le Tour ” .
While riding to the summit, you will often wonder if you are not wearing the Maillot Jaune ,
as spectators and other riders will cheer you up, as if you were Tadej Pogač ar or Jonas Vingegaard
Priceless Memories !
Upon “summiting” our team will welcome you at a strategic location
to watch the race.
A pic-Nic & refreshments will be available .
Gathering goodies from the advertising caravan :
perfect pass-time before savouring the pros' effort.
During your journey you will conquer some of
Tour de France’ most mythical climbs
Your journey begins with a warm welcome at Grenoble TGV station or Lyon airport, followed by check-in at your hotel.This first ride will enable you to adjust to your bike, the road conditions and to connect with your fellow riders. Shortly you will tackle your first "Col" : Col de Sarenne. It is considered as a "forgotten col". It has only been featured once in Tour de France (2013), this side of Sarenne is short but with a decent gradient (3km at 7,8 %). Once at the top (1,999 m), try to spot which summit you will conquer over the coming days. Hotel : Les Grandes Rousses
Daily Mileage: 18 km / 465 m
Although quite long (34km), Col du Lautaret is considered as an appetizer (avg 3,9%) compared to the iconic Col du Galibier (8,5 km at 6,88% avg & 12,1 % Max). First featured in the 1911 Tour de France, Col du Galibier, is one of the highest (2,645 m), and most visited “Col” in Tour de France. To ease the pain during your effort, try to spot a groundhog, as you will hear them whistling. Atop, after the usual selfie, you will definitely enjoy the view over the Alps. After a quick descent we will visit our favourite farmhouse café. The longest downhill, of your life (39km) will definitely help with the digestion. Those who still have enough energy in will tackle L’Alpe d’Huez, for those with sore legs, a transfer back to the hotel will be offered. Hotel : Les Grandes Rousses
Daily Mileage: 96 km / Elev + 2,563 m
Today is a “recovery” ride with a twist. You’ve heard how tough was to climb Alpe d’Huez. What about descending it? Very technical, but not easier than climbing. Once you do master Alpe d’Huez’ descent, you will master any downhill exercise. After the first rush of Adrenalin, we’ll calm down thanks to a bucolic ride through the Oisans Valley and its gorgeous Alpine stream. Ensure your legs keep turning as you will need them in perfect condition before affronting the world famous hairpins. Did you know that each hairpin bear the name of a Huez summit stage winner? To assess your progress, check out Small tip: to assess our location, check-out how many bend are left. Each hairpin bears a number, starting from 1 at the bottom to 21 at the summit. Last advise, to ease the pain go steady, meditate and keep the eyes open, you may discover your name painted on the road. Hotel : Les Grandes Rousses
Daily Mileage: 49 km / Elev + 1,1187 m
Time to say "Au Revoir" to the Alpe d’Huez. We’ll come down via a narrow but spectacular balcony road that offer a spectacular vista over the Oisans Valley. After a good warm up, we’ll tackle a regular Tour de France feature : Col du Glandon (Alt 1924m). First featured in 1947, Le glandon has been conquered 23 times in "Le Tour". Col du Glandon’ slope average looks deceiving (4,5 %, over 25 km) as it is sprinkled with several downhills, with most slopes over 7 % and a few transitions over 11 %. The perfect “leg shredder” !! Pic-Nic atop the summit will be the reward for your great effort ; before heading to the last descent of the day to the Maurienne Valley. Hotel : Chateau de Candie
Daily Mileage: 65 km / Elev +1,524 m
A few hours before the pros, the effort will be intense (19 km at 7,9 %) but you will feel you are wearing “Le Maillot Jaune” as many spectators & fellow riders will constantly cheer you up. After your effort, you will join BéloVélo team at a strategic race position, where you will recover to enjoy Le Tour atmosphere . The climb of Col de La Madeleine will stand as an appetizer for the peloton as 70 km remain to the finish line. However, you may witness a surprise attack by Pogi, Vingegaard, Kuss or Van Aert. For the perfect shot we advise you to spot both “Le Maillot Jaune” and the Polka dot jersey. Once the “Grupetto” has passed, we will enjoy a long downhill before tackling a recent Tour de France discovery: “Les Lacets de Montvernier” (shoelaces of Montvernier). First featured in the 2015 Tour de France, this CAT 3, (3 km at 8,2 % avg) will knock your socks off ! After this last ride, and a transfer back to our hotel we will all share a gala dinner where we will celebrate your week’ achievements. Hotel : Chateau de Candie
Daily Mileage: 68 km / Elev + 2,137 m
After a quick espresso at the hotel, we catch the first sun rays over this magnificent lake, the perfect selfie ! This final refreshing ride is usually a poignant conclusion to a week filled with memorable cycling memories and shared camaraderie moments. Once back to the hotel, we'll share a proper "Au Revoir" breakfast, before driving you back to Lyon Airport or Grenoble TGV station.
Daily Mileage: 63 km /Elev + 771 m
All our Journeys are guaranteed: as soon as one guest confirms his/her journey it is GUARANTEED to take place. As soon as you do confirm your booking you may book your travel arrangements.
20 Jul - 25 Jul | €4499 / Person, €4399 / Double Occupancy | Book Now |
Flying to France: To minimize the risk of delays, recover from jet lag, we do advise you to land in Paris (CDG), Lyon or Geneva on Saturday.
From Paris you will then board a TGV (high speed train) on Sunday morning. https://www.raileurope.com/index.html. Alternatively, we may arrange an airport transfer from Lyon or Geneva (additional cost may apply).
We will welcome you at Grenoble TGV station (or Lyon/ Geneva airport) on Sunday at 12:00 pm.
At the end of your journey, on Friday, we will drive you back to Grenoble TGV station, to be able to board your return TGV from 2:00 pm onwards. Plane tickets : upon booking with us, we will assist you in selecting the most appropriate flights time.
We wish to make your journey as memorable and diverse as possible. We have handpicked a superb collection of quality, local and authentic restaurants. All selected restaurants propose a genuine cuisine using local & seasonal products. Contrary to other Tour operators, ALL meals are included, with matching wines and mineral water. Although Tour de France journeys do not include a Michelin * dinner, we will host a gala dinner on Thursday evening. All hotels and restaurants cater to specific dietary needs; do not hesitate to inform us in advance.
We have selected some of the best bikes currently on the market.We have selected the best machines based on the terrain. For each journey corresponds a specific bike selection. Selected bikes are similar to "Tour de France peloton" machines, you may also wish to upgrade to a superior bike category upgrade your bike. You may also bring in your personal bike, and enjoy a discount. After your ride, we will clean and maintain your bike . (same applies to your "bike" apparels).
Each day, your road captain will open the road, lead you through charming villages, traffic-less country roads, advise on how to tackle the next climb and all the while, ensure your safety and comfort. As experienced cyclists, we know that it is always reassuring to feel a presence along the way. This is why a support vehicle will follow you in case of a puncture or if you need beverages, snacks, an extra layer or even wish to rest for a while.
On most of the days, several mileage and speed average options will be available to suit all fitness levels. To provide a genuine, safe and personalized experience the group size will be limited to 15 guests per week. Come back home with many peloton, safety & mechanic tips thanks to our daily Bike Clinic
All year long, Road Captains do work very hard to make your BéloVélo journey as memorable and authentic as possible. At the end of your journey, You may recognise such dedication by tipping your Road Captains based on your level of enjoyment we advise tipping 6 to 10 % of your Journey price. Tips are shared equally within the team