Cycle the French Alps, your way!
Gather 4 or more friends, club-mates or family members and come join us. Let us show you how amazing road cycling in the French Alps really is!
Great food and hospitality, airport transfers, ride support and the best riding in the Alps.
What's your ideal week? Head down, heart rate up, feeling that burn grinding out as many of the highest cols in the Alps you can? Or enjoying the quiet roads and the stunning scenery at a more leisurely pace? Maybe it's a bit of both.
Either way, we have you covered! Guaranteed to be breathtaking.
Tailored to suit your needs
We pride ourselves in creating personalised rides for your group.
We'll take account of your fitness levels, goals and preferences and combine them with our in-depth knowledge of the area, to create a truly bespoke itinerary and make your experience of cycling in the French Alps even more memorable.
Supported all the way
On all of our trips, we are with you all the way. Accompanied by our support vehicle and rider, we will reach far out into the Alps to experience the most iconic rides and breathtaking scenery this wonderful landscape has to offer. From Annecy to Alp d’Huez and all the great cols in between! We make it possible.
Find out more about our ride support.
Expert local knowledge
Our 20 years of extensive local expert knowledge of the area will ensure that you ride the most iconic roads, see hidden gems and witness the most magnificent scenery the French alps have to offer. We also love keeping our eyes peeled for the wonderful local wildlife!
Cycling trips made easy
We make it easy! With expert local knowledge, a support vehicle to bring the best riding into reach and support your ride, hearty breakfasts and wholesome home-cooked meals, en-suite accommodation in our cosy, centrally located chalet plus Geneva Airport transfers.
Cycling trip: Sorted.
Get inspired
If cycling the Alps has always been your dream and you like the sound of what we do, then take a look at an example of a 7 night itinerary below and see our ride profiles for more inspiration!
Get in touch
Contact us on +44 (0)20 7191 1120 or email tagride@thealpinegeneration.com to discuss itineraries and to start planning your week. It's that simple!
How about this for a week!
Have a look at an itinerary we put together for some previous guests! We have weeks worth of exciting and challenging rides for you to explore. Ranging from the more sedate and scenic to the most challenging and spectacular!
Your transfer will depart Geneva Airport mid-afternoon and deliver you and your bikes to our base, Chalet James in La Tania (approx 2 hours).
Our friendly team will help you settle in, and you can enjoy a welcome drink and light refreshments before setting the bikes up. Once we’re set up, we’ll give the bikes (and ourselves!) a warm-up and equipment test on the winding road up to Courchevel 1850. From here we’ll return to Chalet James, prepped and ready for the week ahead.
The week kicks off with a breathtaking tour of the Trois Vallees ski area.
We‘ll set off from La Tania, cycling down to Le Praz from where we'll start the ascent to Courchevel 1850. Passing through the pads of the Millionaires and Billionaires we continue towards the Altiport with its infamous 537m long, upward sloping runway. Turning on to the new shiny tarmac of the Col de la Loze, reserved solely in the summer for walkers and cyclists, takes us 6km to the top and the boundary between Courchevel and Meribel and the ‘roof’ of the 2020 Tour de France.
From the summit, at 2300m there is only one way to go and that is down! We’ll set off together on the mammoth descent to Moutiers sitting far below at 500m. Hold on tight, that’s a 1800m descent!
Reaching Moutiers and it's on to the old road leading to St-Martin-de-Belleville. This was on the ill-fated tour last year affected by weather restrictions.
A further 12km up the road and we’ve reached our last summit of the day before returning to Moutiers and rejoining the support vehicle.
If anyone is feeling particularly spritely, the old St-Martin-de-Belleville road leads into the Etape du Tour last climb going all the way to Val Thorens at 2300m.
Ride stats
Distance: 73km
Ascent: 1716m
Key climb - Col de la Loze
Length of climb: 16.6km
Start altitude: 1260m
Summit altitude: 2304m
Elevation gain: 1044m
Average gradient: 6.5%
Max gradient: 16%
Day 2 see’s us take on the famous Col de la Madeleine. Cycling from La Tania to Meribel Village and then down past Les Allues we reach Moutiers, accompanied by the support vehicle as always.
9km along from Moutiers the mighty Madeleine starts. From this side, it is 26km to the top, and apart from a flat section half way up, the Col is quite unrelenting.
It is a unique and famous climb and has featured in the tour 27 times to date.
At the top, there are two, very welcoming cafes to choose from and enjoy a bite to eat whilst taking in the magnificent view down towards the Maurienne Valley.
Once fueled up and ready, we take in the descent the same way we rode up. Finishing at the bottom or riding on to Moutiers for collection.
Ride stats
Distance: 90km
Ascent: 1764m
Key climb - Col de la Madeleine
Length of climb: 25.3km
Start altitude: 423m
Summit altitude: 1993m
Elevation gain: 1570m
Average gradient: 6.2%
Max gradient: 11%
A short 40 min transfer in the support vehicle will take us to today’s starting point; the riverside town of Aime. From here we’ll warm up with a spin along the river path to Bourg St Maurice. Bourg is considered the gateway to the Petit St Bernard and the Cormet de Roselend and regularly features in the Tour de France.
We’ll pass through Bourg and the little village of Seez before heading onto the Col du Petit St Bernard for the 22km cycle to La Rosiere, support vehicle in tow. It's a beautiful climb with a steady gradient, but at 30km, a decent distance. In our opinion, the views on the last leg of the climb are amongst the best in the Alps. At the last km passing the impressive St Bernard Statue and the hospice. There is plenty of time to stop for a coffee in either France or Italy! It's a must-do climb and an experience not to be missed, as is the descent. Finishing in Aime we’ll transfer back to La Tania. Of course, if you still have it in your legs you are always welcome to cycle back!
Ride stats
Distance: 90km
Ascent: 1382m
Key climb - Col du Petit Saint-Bernard
Length of climb: 29.9km
Start altitude: 809m
Summit altitude: 2190m
Elevation gain: 1382m
Average gradient: 4.6%
Max gradient: 8%
Day 4 is a rest day for you and us! After enjoying a buffet breakfast relax by the pool in town (open high season), explore the mountains on foot, hire a mountain bike or book a paraglide and see the Vanoise National Park from the air. But if you're that way inclined, you could even take a recovery ride on any of the numerous local routes we will be happy to advise on.
In the evening enjoy a traditional Savoie meal in one of the local restaurants.
We start the day with a 1hr drive to Gresy-sur-Isere and the Route des Vins. It's a steady 8km to St-Pierre-d'Albigny passing through the vineyards of Savoie and to the start of the Col du Frene. Under 10km in length and a 7% average gradient, this is a challenging climb on a quiet road. Once we summit we drop down onto a beautiful plateau with the Bauges mountains either side of us. We carry on along this lovely road to find a lunch stop and refuel for the small climb that takes us towards the Col de Leschaux. With the last meaningful climb of the day behind us we descend the 10km to Lake Annecy. The views are spectacular as the lake comes into view with Annecy in the distance. At St Jorioz we join the bike path and head back in the direction of Ugine hopping in the van at Faverges.
Ride stats
Distance: 74km
Ascent: 1228m
Key climb - Col du Frene
Length of climb: 10km
Start altitude: 279m
Summit altitude: 950m
Elevation gain: 675m
Average gradient: 6.6%
Max gradient: 9.2%
What better way to round out the week than a final high mountain pass.
The day starts with a short transfer to Aime.
Setting out from Aime it's a relaxed 13km to Bourg-St-Maurice along the cycle path, with the river keeping us cool.
However, upon Reaching Bourg things heat up and we are straight on to the Cormet and the climbing.
We’ll head up through the small villages, into the forest and onto the switchbacks. Past here the cormet offers up a small break when there is a flat-ish 2km, but there is still some tough climbing to follow.
The last 6km is a challenge, but well worth it. We think, coming around the corner and looking down to the lake is one of the most beautiful views we know, truly incredible.
Sense of accomplishment and vistas equally enjoyed, we drop over 1200m, all the way down to the famous cheese town of Beaufort. It would seem a shame not to stop here for a famous Beaufort Tart and a coffee and relive tales of our week together?
Belly's satisfied, it's a comfortable 20km on to Albertville and the van home.
Ride stats
Distance: 73km
Ascent: 1500m
Key climb - Cormet de Roselend
Length of climb: 19.4km
Start altitude: 822
Summit altitude: 1967m
Elevation gain: 1149m
Average gradient: 5.9%
Max gradient: 12%
Prices
4 Guests
€1350 pp
5-6 Guests
€1250 pp
7-9 Guests
€1150 pp
10+ Guests
€1050 pp
What's included
- Return Geneva Airport transfers
- 7 nights chalet accommodation
- Breakfast, afternoon tea, 6 evening meals with wine
- 5 days of vehicle supported rides
- Our expertise in creating a week of outstanding Alpine cycling
Not Included
- Flights
- Bike hire/carriage
- Lunch
- Insurance