top of page

TOUR DU MONT BLANC

Logistics

Price Inclusions:
• Two support vehicles with extra wheels, medical supplies, and an array of spare bike parts
• The support vehicles will also carry a small day bag for each rider with their personal essentials like extra clothing
• Pro mechanic to help with bike assembly, disassembly and roadside mechanical support throughout entire trip
• Two ride leaders on the road to accompany the group and assist the riders
• Rider’s Roadbook with detailed maps, profiles and route descriptions
• Five nights lodging in two to four star hotels (double occupancy)
• Dinners and breakfasts at each hotel (as per half board menu)
• Four lunches plus snacks on the road and fresh water bottles as needed
• Forward of duffle bag to the next hotel each day
• Airport transfers for you and your bike between the Geneva Airport and Chamonix on the arrival day and the departure day



Price Exclusions:
• Airfare to and from Geneva
• Alcoholic beverages and drinks and snacks at cafés 
• Personal cycling equipment
• Single rooms (available for a supplemental fee based on availability)
• Major bike repairs (our mechanic is available for this for an additional fee)
• Travel insurance
• Incidental expenses
• Tips / gratuities

What's Included?

Am I fit enough?

How do I get there?

Plane tickets are not included in the price of the trip.  You will need to book flights to Geneva (GVA).  We recommend that you book a flight arriving in Geneva between 10am and 4pm on the day before the trip (June 10th or September 2nd).  For departure, we recommend booking a flight out of Geneva on the day after we finish (June 15th or September 7th).  If you are on a tight schedule, you can fly out of Geneva on the final riding day on flights departing after 9pm.



Airport transfers are included in the price of the trip.  Once you give us your flight info we will reserve the transfer for you and your bike from the Geneva Airport to your hotel in Chamonix and back to the airport. 



We will help arrange logistics for anyone wishing to arrive in Chamonix early or stay in Chamonix after the trip.

cycling trips in Europe: France, Italy, Switzerland
cycling tours in the French Alps
Road bike trips in the Alps, Europe

Recommended dates:

June, July, & September

                     7 days (5 days cycling) | 6 nights



Cost: price determined based on number of riders. contact us for a quote

What to bring...

• Road bike 
• Helmet
• Cycling shoes
• Cycling shorts
• Cycling Jerseys
• Warm cycling clothes (in case of bad weather)
• Casual clothes
• Bike GPS (optional)
• Day bag (30 liters maximum)
• Duffle bag (120 liters maximum)
• Bike Box (hard shell box recommended)

• RoadID & small rear bike light (www.RoadID.com)

... click here for a detailed packing list (pdf)



​We recommend bringing your own bike because of the long days on the saddle.  However, we can arrange a rental bike if you wish to travel without your bike. 

 

Here are some tips on traveling with your bike...

Supported Riding

All of our trips are fully supported by two vehicles: the team car and the van.  The team car will continually make its way though the groups on the road.  The team car will have your day bag with extra clothing and essentials, fresh water bottles, some snacks, extra wheels, and spare bike parts.  The team car is driven by our pro mechanic who is available for roadside mechanical support.  The staff driving the van will collect your duffle bags in the morning.  The van will then additionally support the riders for a while before passing the lead group and setting up lunch at a designated spot.  After lunch the team car will continue it’s full time support of the riders.  The van driver will break down lunch, and then support the riders for a while before passing the lead group and heading to the finish hotel.  The van driver will then check everyone into the hotel and move everyone’s duffel bags into their rooms so that they are their waiting for you upon arrival.  All you have to worry about is enjoying the ride!

You do not need to be a professional athlete to enjoy these trips but you will need to be reasonably fit and have done a good amount of training before the trip.  The Tour du Mont Blanc is the easier of the two trips we offer.  However, it is still a very demanding route.  For many riders, this trip will be the most kilometers they have ridden and the most meters then have climbed over a four-day period.  This is okay as long as you have done single days similar to the days on the trip and are mentally prepared for the daily distance and climbing.  Keep in mind that riding with support is much easier than without.  We will pace you through the mountains, and with a bit of determination, we will get you through each stage.  On some days there will be the option for groups to split for easier and more difficult variations of the route.  There will be minimum speeds needed to complete each day and we reserve the right to ask a rider to ride in the team car for a section of the day if they are having trouble sticking to the minimum speed needed to reach our destination.  Our goal is for each rider to finish the route with a sense of accomplishment having enjoyed the challenge.

Expected Weather

The weather in the Alps during June and September is typically dry and mild with temperatures ranging from the mid-80s during the day to the mid-50s at night.  However, mountain weather can change quickly and you must be prepared for variable conditions.  We will be riding over mountain passes around the highest peak in Western Europe.  We have experienced weather on this route ranging from very hot and sunny to cold and snowy.  It is important to bring all the warm clothing described in the packing list.  The great thing about supported riding is that you don’t need to ride with all of these extra layers; they will be ready for you in the team car if the weather turns bad.

Accommodation

All nights will be spent in hotels.  We have chosen the best hotels in each town based on their character and charm.  The trip price is based on double occupancy rooms.  If you are coming on the trip with a companion, please let us know if you would like to share a room.  If you will be traveling alone, we will try to put you with another rider of the same gender.  If we are unable to pair you with another rider, you will be charged the single room supplement fee.  If you would prefer a single room, we can arrange that for the single room supplement (subject to availability).

Group Size

Our guest to staff ratio is a maximum of 4:1.  We work only with smaller groups to ensure good support and quality of riding for everyone.  This also increases the safety margin in the high mountains and enables us to have groups at different speeds so everyone gets to ride their own pace.

Why June & Sept.?

Meals

Dinner, in most cases, will be at the hotel in which we are staying.  The meals will be from a fixed menu with choices of local cuisine.  If you have special dietary concerns, please let us know ahead of time so we can arrange these with the hotels.  Breakfasts will be served from the buffet at each hotel.  Lunches will be laid out at a predetermined location along the route each day; usually at the top of a col.  We will offer sandwiches, fresh fruit, chips, nuts, and other high-energy foods along with water and energy drinks.

After many years of living and cycling in the Alps, we have found that June and September are the best months for road biking.  There tends to be less traffic on the roads than during the peak holiday months of July and August.  It is also not too hot for long days of cycling on the black tarmac.  However, it can be a bit chilly on the high alpine cols, which is why we recommend bringing plenty of warm layers for the descents.

bottom of page