Gravel France

A superb gravel trip taking you through the heart of the northern French Alps, from Lake Geneva to BriançonRef CG3A

At France Bike Trips, we love gravel as much as we love the Alps and their majestic landscapes. With this in mind, it seemed only natural to bring the two together and create an unforgettable "mountain gravel" tour. Set off on an alpine adventure to discover the lush green valleys, flower filled mountain pastures and secluded cols of the northern French Alps. We leave the classic, well-trodden itineraries of the Madeleine and the Galibier behind us and set off on a more adventurous route. From Lake Geneva to the Vauban town of Briançon, a superb mix of quiet back roads, doubletrack and old military roads awaits us. Our gravel bikes offer us the perfect ride as we discover the wilder side of the Chablais, Beaufortain, Vanoise and Cerces ranges. An arrival in the Southern Alps under the watchful eye of the mighty Mont Thabor marks a superb finish to this alpine gravel adventure. If you’re the type of person who enjoys great alpine cycling, with a gravel twist, this tour is for you!

Tour with assistance vehicle: from 1155€ - Details Duration : 6 days | Level : Customer satisfaction :
- 2 reviews
+33 458 140 435 A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
Book this tour
Physical level :  

  • Your profile:

    A person who is physically fit, cycling "sporty" (or an endurance sport in the "bad season") at least once a week on average over the year.

  • Tour profile:

    Distance : 60 to 90 km per day depending on the terrain variation. Elevation gain : 1000 to 2000 meters over the day.
Physical level :  

  • Your profile:

    A person in good physical condition, regularly cycling throughout the year (or an endurance sport in the "bad season"), used to long and sporty rides.

  • Tour profile:

    Distance : 90 to 120 km per day depending on the terrain variation. Elevation gain : 1500 to 3000 meters over the day.

Highlights

  • A unique alpine adventure, in the true pure spirit of mountain gravel riding
  • Breath-taking panoramas of the great alpine mountain ranges: Mont Blanc, Vanoise and Ecrins
  • The perfect mix of quiet back roads, doubletrack and old military tracks
  • The secluded cols and secret passes that join up the big alpine valleys
  • An unforgettable arrival in the Southern Alps, under the watchful eye of the Mont Thabor

Description

  • Tour formula:

    Tour with support vehicle

  • Accommodation:

    2* and 3* Hotels

  • Luggage transport:

    Included. You carry only your daypack

  • Next departures:

    View dates

Comments

  • Choose daily from two different route profiles (level 2 and 3) - depending on your condition, daily form and taste
  • Some of the gravel sections are optional and can easily be avoided
  • This tour is part 1 of our Gravel Traversee across the French Alps: Part 1) Evian-les-Bains - Briançon, Part 2) Briançon - Vintimille
  • For group offers please contact us directly

State of mind for this trip

If you’ve already ridden the Alps on a road bike, you’ll no doubt have some superb memories of the great Alpine passes, stunning landscapes and breath-taking panoramic views. You’ll no doubt also remember that some of the classic roads and cols, especially on the Route des Grandes Alpes, can be very busy, sometimes tarnishing the cycling experience. With the advent of gravel bikes (see the “useful information” tab), it’s become possible to get away from the traffic and the main routes in order to enjoy a more authentic and pure cycling experience. The Alps are full of small secondary roads, 4x4 tracks and old military tracks, where peace and quiet still reign. This tour uses as much of the latter as possible, especially to cross the mountain passes.

The gradients on this circuit can exceed 15 % from time to time. Therefore, a gravel orientated gearing is more suitable (either a 30/46 or 28/44 drive train, coupled with an 11/32 cassette, or a single 42 chainring and a 10/42 cassette). We also recommend a minimum tire width of 38mm, as the terrain can get a bit technical in places (gullies on the tracks and ford crossings...)

Physical levels

Some of our Gravel tours offer various levels of difficulty, from 1 to 3. When variants are available, details (distance and altitude gain) can be viewed in the day by day details of the “programme” tab.

In the case of tours with variants, regardless of the level you choose, accommodation is always in the same destination (except some rare exceptions, clearly stated in the description). This allows you to choose the most suitable level on a day-to-day basis.

Detailed itinerary

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: "From Lake Geneva to the mountains", Evian-les-Bains - Samoëns

Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is on day 1 at 9 am at Evian-les-Bains SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in town.

An early departure for our mountain gravel adventure. From the shores of Lake Geneva, our first pedal strokes allow us to quickly gain altitude on some small winding roads. A nice warm up! Shortly after, the first gravel tracks take us through a mix of fields and small woodland. After crossing the Dranse River, we head south along the main valley, on a mix of small roads and tracks. We soon find ourselves in the ski resort town of Morzine, in the heart of the Chablais mountains. The first real difficulty of the day awaits us just after Morzine: a long climb on doubletrack, through the forest at first, then across mountain pastures to a col at an altitude of more than 1600 m... At the foot of 2400 m summits, the setting is breath-taking! The following descent begins on a doubletrack, which quickly becomes a small road, allowing us to lay off the brakes a little before finally arriving in Samoëns, our overnight stop. Evening and night in a hotel.

The level 3 route follows a wilder valley to the east with an additional pass on doubletrack at almost 1800 m in the heart of the Portes du Soleil resort, before descending to Morzine.

  • Level 2: approx. 65 km / altitude gain: approx. 2200 m
  • Level 3: approx. 80 km / altitude gain: approx. 2600 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 65 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 35 %
Day 2: "The eternal snow-capped mountains", Samoëns - Les Contamines-Montjoie

Today we head for the Mont Blanc Range, hidden behind the impressive peaks of the Haut-Giffre. To reach the Vallée de l’Arve and our destination, we first have to cross the Platé Range. Our first 10 km climb is on a small road towards the resort of Samoëns, before following the ridgelines on high altitude doubletrack. The section offers spectacular views of the Giffre valley below and the Chablais mountains to the north. Along woodland tracks we begin the long descent into the valley, making the most of the tracks that zigzag along the mountain side in order to avoid losing altitude too quickly. The last section of the descent is on road, before arriving in the valley and heading for Sallanches.  We then tackle one last climb to Les Contamines at 1200 m, nestled between the Mont Blanc (4810 m) and the Crêtes du Mont Joly (2525 m). Evening and night in a hotel at the foot of eternal snow-capped mountains.

On the level 3 route, we pass above Passy in order to head deeper into the Arve Valley, towards Chamonix. By way of a small mountain road we soon arrive at the foot of our last challenge: a mountain pass, which we cross on steep tracks that allow us to join the Bionnassay Valley and Les Contamines.

  • Level 2: approx. 70 km / altitude gain: approx. 2100 m
  • Level 3: approx. 85 km / altitude gain: approx. 2800 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 70 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 30 %
Day 3: "Between lakes and mountains", Les Contamines-Montjoie - Aime

Two big climbs gravel await us today. First the winding track of the Col du Joly, which takes us to an altitude of almost 2000 m, with spectacular views of the Mont Blanc Range. From here we head into the Beaufortain Region, with its mountain pastures and typical wooden chalets. A fast road descent leads us to Beaufort in the Doron Valley, home to the Beaufort dairy cooperative (important for cheese lovers!). We then tackle the second part of the day with a climb to the village of Arêches. On a road that becomes progressively narrower and narrower, we make our way through some pretty traditional hamlets, before plunging into the forest. We take a well-earned break at the Saint Guérin dam, surrounded by the most remote summits of the Beaufortain, peaks that still separate us from the Tarentaise Valley. Then it’s en route for the last ten kilometres of climbing in a beautiful alpine setting. We pass the pretty Lac des Fées, before arriving at the top of the Cormet d'Arêches at 2100 m. Optional stop for a drink at the mountain refuge before beginning the long descent to Aime, initially on a track, then on the road. Evening and overnight stay in a hotel in Aime.

On the level 3 route, we take advantage of the Beaufortain's high altitude doubletrack to ride a ridge towards the resort of Les Saisies, before descending to Beaufort on the road.

  • Level 2: approx. 70km / altitude gain: approx. 2300 m
  • Level 3: approx. 85 km / altitude gain: approx. 2800 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 70 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 30 %
Day 4: "La Madeleine, but not as we know it…", Aime - Saint-François-Longchamp

Now in the Isère Valley, at the foot of the high peaks of the Vanoise National Park, we start with a descent towards Moutiers. We then take a small mountain road that leads us up a gentle, but winding ascent and along doubletrack to the family resort of Valmorel. We make the most of the resort's high-altitude tracks to climb up to 2100 m, before reaching the famous Col de la Madeleine (which we descend to!), natural col separating the Massif de la Vanoise from the Lauzière. The silhouette of the Cheval Noir (2 832 m) looms above us in a high-mountain setting, with the whole of the Lauzière Range ahead of us. After a 2 km descent on the south side of the col, we head off on a track which crosses the resort of St-François-Longchamp and allows us to reach a small, remote valley. We’re now in the Maurienne. Night in a guest house in a small village.

For the level 3 route, we first add a climb on a small road to a secondary col above Moutiers, before descending to Valmorel on a forest doubletrack.

  • Level 2: approx. 60 km / altitude gain: approx. 2200 m
  • Level 3: approx. 75 km / altitude gain: approx. 3000 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 70 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 30 %
Day 5: "The Grande Vallée de la Maurienne", Saint-François-Longchamp - Valloire

For today’s stage there’s no change of valley - we stay in the Maurienne - but we move on to another mountain range. We begin the day on some small balcony roads overlooking the Maurienne Valley, before a first short climb to the pretty Col de Chaussy. We pass above the famous Lacets de Montvernier, with its impressive hairpin bends, before descending on narrow, winding roads to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. 8 km of flat valley floor roads allow us to cross the town and tackle the start of the climb to our destination: Valloire! We leave the Col du Télégraphe with its road traffic for another day, taking a route on the other side of the valley, under the Arves Range, with a compulsory passage on a doubletrack. We end this short stage at 1400 m in the pleasant resort-village of Valloire, at the foot of the mythical Col du Galibier.

For the level 3 route, we prolong the pleasure of riding on small, quiet roads and tracks, avoiding the direct descent to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne… but adding distance and altitude gain.

  • Level 2: approx. 50 km / altitude gain: approx. 1700 m
  • Level 3: approx. 65 km / altitude gain: approx. 2300 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 90 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 10 %
Day 6: "Gateway to the South", Valloire - Briançon

Today is the last stage of the tour, with a crossing into the Southern Alps via a historical alpine pass! We begin with a warmup alternating roads and tracks in the direction of the Col du Galibier. The impressive Rochers de la Pare and the Grand Galibier loom large overhead. A few pedal strokes later we leave the Galibier road climb and head off on an old military track. The route winds its way up through mountain pastures to reach an abandoned military camp, and then a pass at an altitude of 2500 m in a stunning high-mountain setting. The climb is our ultimate challenge, but the arrival at the Col des Rochilles with its emerald-green lakes is well worth the effort. The descent from the pass begins on a path with some compulsory pushing through technical sections (roughly 30 min), before continuing on an easy track in the Clarée Valley. We continue descending to reach the first high alpine village: Névache. Further downhill we change riverbank to join a track that allows us to arrive in the upper town of Briançon via the impressive Vauban fortifications. We end our trip with a drink at a café terrace in the old town, before saying our goodbye’s at Briançon railway station.

The level 3 itinerary takes us back up from Névache, for a last "alpine gravel" climb on an old military track to the Col du Granon (2404 m, 950 m of altitude gain), before descending on the road to Briançon.

  • Level 2: approx. 55 km / altitude gain: approx. 1250 m
  • Level 3: approx. 75 km / altitude gain: approx. 2200 m
  • Tarmac sections: approx. 45 % / Non-tarmac sections: approx. 55 %

Itinerary end: The trip ends in Briançon in the afternoon after the last stage. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in town or transfer you back to Evian-les-Bains with the support vehicle.

Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.

See photos and videos of this trip

Make sure to check our France Bike Trips media gallery in order to get a feel for this trip and this destination.

After your trip with us, you also have the opportunity to create your own album with your impressions. We would be happy to do the work for you - all you have to do is send us your photos.

Don't miss new albums in our online gallery with our email notifications! As soon as a new photo or video album is published, you will receive a short e-mail from us. To subscribe, click on "Be notified of new albums" in the media gallery.

Dates and price

Dates
Please, contact us.

Costs and services

The price includes:
  • Trip leader in support vehicle
  • 5 nights accommodation in 2* and 3* hotels in double/twin rooms with en-suite facilities
  • 5 breakfasts
  • 6 picnic lunches
  • 5 dinners (3 to 4 course menu)
  • Daily baggage transfers
  • Carefully designed itineraries on 2 levels of difficulty
  • Our navigation app for smartphones, a detailed road book including maps (digital format) and GPS tracks
What is not included:
  • International flights
  • Your transfer to the meeting place
  • Bike rental
  • All services mentioned in extensions
  • Insurance, assistance
  • Drinks at the accommodation
  • Visits to museums, monuments and sites
  • Additional travel related to changes in the programme due to bad weather
  • All personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned under  “the price includes".

Supplementary services

(Price per person)

Single room accommodation (5 nights) 200 € / 

Transfer Briançon - Evian at the end of the trip 55 € / 

Extra nights in Evian les Bains:

Extra night in Evian-les-Bains in 2* hotel, double room, including breakfast 65 € / 

Extra night in Evian-les-Bains in, 2* hotel, single room, including breakfast 115 € / 

Extra night in Evian-les-Bains in 3* hotel, double room, including breakfast 95 € / 

Extra night in Evian-les-Bains in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast 160 € / 

Extra nights in Briancon :

Extra night in Briançon in 2* hotel, double room, including breakfast 60 € / 

Extra night in Briançon in 2* hotel, single room, including breakfast 110 € / 

Extra night in Briançon in 3* hotel, double room, including breakfast 90 € / 

Extra night in Briançon in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast 160 € / 

Bike rental

Available models

Standard gravel
Genesis Croix de Fer (steel frame and fork, 700x40 tyres, 46/30 chainrings, 11v cassette in 11/34, mechanical disc brakes) or equivalent (subject to availability)		 225 € / 

Premium gravel
Orbea Terra M30 (carbon frame and fork, 700x38 tyres, 46/30 chainrings, 11v 11/34 cassette, hydraulic disc brakes) or equivalent (subject to availability)		 450 € / 

Bike equipment
  • 2 bottle cages
  • Repair kit included
  • Pedals: Our hire bikes are supplied without pedals. So either bring your own pedals or let us know your pedal requirements (at least 2 weeks before the start of the tour). 3 types of pedals can be installed by us: Look KEO easy, Shimano SPD SL and Shimano SPD
  • Helmet and water bottles: not included

Please let us know in your booking form the desired model, your pedal preference and your body size (if possible also frame size and stride length). Thank you very much.

You will receive your hire bike from the tour leader on day 1 of your tour. Bike check on handover and after the tour.

Consumables (tyres, tubes, brake pads and cables) are included in the rental price. Only parts damaged during the tour due to a fall or improper use must be replaced. In the event of theft or loss, you will be charged a lump sum (€ 2200 for the standard model).

Vélorizons cycling jersey

A cycling jersey to our taste.

A timeless road cycling jersey produced in France, inspired by our team and our road cycling trips. High quality, made in France by a Savoy company and with a feel-good character for long days in the saddle. Offered at a great price.

Features

- High-quality SIRTECH + LYCRA textiles
- 3 pockets, one with a central zip + 1 side pocket
- Full front zip
- Half-high cycling collar
- Short raglan sleeves in Lycra with seamless ends
- Gripper at the hem

Available sizes (EU sizing): XXS bis XL
Cut: Slim fit, unisex
Price: see above

Order and further information by e-Mail or ask our leaders while on tour.

Private groups & custom tours

You are a group of friends, a family, a company or a cycling club and you would like to organise a private cycling tour on the dates of your choice. This option is available for guided and self-guided tours.

  • If you are interested in one of the tours presented on our website, we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in your group.
  • If you are interested in a custom version of one of our tours, with specific requirements (tour duration, accommodation type, vehicle assistance, airport transfers, bike rental, etc.), we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in the group and the group's specific requirements.

For more information or to receive a quote, please contact us by phone at +33 458 140 435  or by email at info@france-bike-trips.com.

Travel insurance

It is important to be correctly insured when embarking on a cycling holiday. We recommend checking the details of your travel insurance (if you have one) and, if necessary, subscribing to our contract below. Please note that France Bike Trips is simply an intermediary between you and the insurance company.

You can choose between these travel insurance contracts while completing your booking form:

  • I subscribe to the "comprehensive multi-risk" insurance cover (4.5%), minimum premium of 15 €:
    This contract covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage, holiday interruption and cancellation. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "cancellation only" insurance cover (2.5%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers cancellation only. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "repatriation & assistance" insurance cover (1.6%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage and holiday interruption. To see the full contract, click here.

Recommendation:
If you choose to take out a travel insurance policy with another insurance company, please check that the search and rescue coverage is suitable: area covered, expenses included, risks covered (as an indication, a minimum cover of 15 000 € is recommended). Please note that credit card insurance rarely offers this type of coverage.

Booking procedure & cancellation policy

How to book

In order to make a booking please fill in the online booking form on the "booking" page of your chosen tour. At the end of the booking process you will be transferred to our bank's secure payment page in order to pay a 30 % deposit.

Last minute booking

All self-guided bookings made within 21 days of tour departure will incur a surcharge of 15 € per person.

Expert advice
  • Unsure which tour to book?
  • Interested in a custom version of one of our tours?
  • Not sure if a particular tour is suitable for your riding style?

A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (French time) by phone - +33 458 140 435 or by mail - info@france-bike-trips.com.

Tour confirmation

In order to confirm our guided tours, we need to reach a minimum number of participants (usually 5 persons are necessary). Therefore booking a guided tour does not necessarily mean the tour is confirmed. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your chosen tour, we will offer you the opportunity (no less than 21 days before departure) of switching to another (confirmed) tour, or receiving a full refund.

Self-guided or custom tours: We confirm bookings of self-guided tours and custom tours directly after booking.

In both cases, please await our final booking confirmation before making any travel arrangements.

Balance payment

Tour balance payment must be made no less than 30 days before tour departure. Your travel documents will be sent to you once we have received your balance payment. Road books and maps will be sent to you 3 weeks before departure.

Cancellation

In the event that you are obliged to cancel your tour France Bike Trips will reimburse the entire sum paid for the tour, minus the following cancellation charges:

  • More than 60 days before departure: 5 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 60 and 31 days before departure: 15 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 30 and 21 days: 30 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 20 and 14 days: 50 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 13 and 7 days: 70 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Less than 7 days before departure: 100 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium

Full details of our sales conditions are available here

The typical daily schedule

During riding you carry only your day pack. All your luggage is transported each day by the support vehicle.

After breakfast, the support vehicle driver will pack your luggage in the van, distribute cereal/energy bars, and announce the time slot for lunch. The driver can also hand out picnics to any participants who do not wish to stop at the designated picnic lunch stop.

Once all the participants have passed the picnic stop, the driver transports your luggage directly to the following nights accommodation, before returning to wait at the foot of the last climb of the day. He is then available to help any members of the group in difficulty or who encounter a mechanical problem. You'll usually meet the van driver several times during the day, offering the opportunity to fill up with water, change clothing, etc.

Each participant is free to ride at his or her own pace, using the road book and GPS route to navigate during the day. However, the driver is equipped with a mobile phone, and can be reached at any time during the day if a particpant encounters a problem. The driver is also available throughout the trip to provide information and advice.

Getting there

By train: From Paris Gare de Lyon train station to Evian les Bains train station (about 5h30 by TGV train).
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

By plane:

  • From Geneva airport: join the Geneva train station then head to Evian les Bains train station.

By car:
Route planner: en.mappy.com

Coming back:

You can return to Evian les Bains by taking the train from Briançon (about 7h) : https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

Your navigation

You will receive an email 2 weeks before departure, containing all the information necessary for your upcoming tour, including the following navigation tools:

Our dedicated smartphone app

Follow your route with comfort and ease! Thanks to the Velorizons navigation app, download the full trip itinerary to your smartphone, view route maps and profiles, access the list of booked accommodation, services and useful contacts, and use the integrated route guidance (visual and vocal) for navigation.

►See the mobile app presentation video

To benefit fully from the app navigation system, we strongly recommend attaching your smartphone to the bicycle handlebar using a dedicated mount. An example can be viewed here.

Velorizons app compatibility
Operating systemAndroidAppleWindows PhoneBlackberry
CompatibilityVersion 8.0 minimumiOS 8.0 minimum. iPhone compatible, iPad compatible if GPS equippedNon compatibleNon compatible
A detailed Road Book

Your tour road book will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The road book contains:

  • Full colour maps with highlighted routes,
  • Step-by-step route description,
  • Route profiles
GPS tracks

Tour GPS tracks will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The tracks are in .gpx format, compatible with all GPS devices/apps.

Accommodation

We favour comfortable accommodation with warm hospitality.

Our standard price is based on 2* and 3* hotels and comfortable guesthouses with double rooms and en-suite facilities.

For private groups and self-guided trips it is possible to customise the accommodation (upgrade) depending on availability.

Food

This trip is fully catered (breakfast, lunch and dinner included). We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals. Fresh and local products will be served wherever possible. This trip is also an opportunity to discover the local gastronomy and regional products - l'art de la table!

Please note: If you have any food intolerances, please inform us in the comments field on the booking form.

  • Continental breakfasts taken at the accommodation  
  • Simple cereal/muesli bars and dried fruit are distributed in the morning before the start of the stage. You must bring your own specific energy bars and isodrinks, if desired.
  • Hearty dinners (3 to 4 courses, with local dishes)

For lunch, our tour leader will offer you a picnic stop along the route. Our picnics combine a rich salad based on carbohydrates and fresh vegetables with cold meats and cheese, fresh fruit and bread (wherever possible from local producers) as well as sweet and savoury snacks. If you do not want to stop for lunch, we can offer the following options:

  • Our tour leader provides you with a picnic to carry along in a small backpack or a handlebar bag. It contains an individual salad (carbohydrate and vegetable based salad), cold meats, cheese and fruits
  • "Racing food" for weight weenies and those "allergic" to backpacks: energy bars, dried fruit
  • Feel free to stop and eat when and where you want (restaurant, bakery, grocery store...)

Health

We strongly recommend having a medical check-up before your holiday.

Our / Your state of mind

- A "group" tour: If you join a guided tour, you will be part of a group for several days. This is a superb opportunity to meet new people and share some magical moments. However, a group tour requires that each person show friendliness, openness and mutual respect for their fellow travellers.

- An "adventure" tour: despite the most careful preparation, adventure tours can present unforeseen events. Accepting these risks will help you enjoy your trip to the full, in the knowledge that your guide, our local partners and the entire France Bike Trips team will offer you the most suitable solutions to any given situation.

Bike and plane / train

If you decide to bring your own bike, be aware that transporting a bike by plane or train is no longer an issue. However a few simple guidelines help to optimise the transport and avoid potential damages that could occur.
Your bike must be transported in a designated bike bag (standard size 120x90cm). This maximal size allows you to travel with your bike as "hand luggage" in any high-speed trains.
It is very important that you protect your bike in the bag. After having deflated the tires, removed the wheels (by removing the quick release mechanisms), pedals and rear derailleur (which is left hanging on the chain), we recommend you wrap your bike inside the bag in a sheet of dense foam (thickness of 3 to 5 cm). A piece of cardboard or rigid plastic positioned between the foam and the inside of the cover can be beneficial to provide more rigidity.

Once folded up the bike bag will take up very little space and will be transported by the assistance vehicle during your tour.

Bike bags are available directly from France Bike Trips at a cost of 70 euros, plus postage.

Your equipment

Personal equipment to bring:
Luggage

All your luggage must be distributed in two bags: a backpack and a travel bag:

1/ Backpack (or saddlebag)

This is the bag or saddlebag (saddle or handelbar) you use every day while cycling, if you choose to take a picnic lunch (see paragraph "Food"). This bag should not be too large (up to 20 litres).

It will contain: a picnic for lunch, snack food, camera, waterproof and extra clothing and sunglasses, ...

2/ Travel bag

This is the bag that will be transported from one accommodation to the next by vehicle. It will contain all the belongings you will not use during the day. You will find it at the accommodation in the evening (or sometimes for lunch).

List of equipment to pack:
For your head
  • A cap or other head protection against the sun
  • A hat or sweat band
  • A bike helmet
For your upper body
  • Two cycling jerseys or technical t-shirts  (made of synthetic or natural breathable fabrics)
  • A warm shirt or sweatshirt
  • A fleece
  • A waterproof jacket
For your legs
  • Two good quality cycling shorts with chamois (avoid triathlon shorts)
  • A pair of warm cycling tights or leg warmers
  • Trousers
  • Casual short
For your feet
  • A pair of biking shoes (we recommend mtb shoes in which you can walk or hike-a-bike short steeper sections)
  • A pair of shoes suitable for the evening
  • Sandals (not compulsory, but nice for warm evenings...)
  • Sport socks.
For your gavel bike
  • A gear ratio suitable for gravel and steep climbs (2-speed subcompact front, e.g. 30/46 or 28/44 and a 11/34 cassette or 1-speed, e.g. 42 chainring and an 11/42 cassette). We warmly recommend a gear ratio of less than 1 between small chainring and large sprocket. If in doubt, consult your local bike shop.
  • Gravel tyres with a minimum width of 35 mm (unless otherwise stated in the tour description): The volume is decisive, a more aggressive profile on the flanks and rear tyre is desirable on loose ground (e.g. model WTB Riddler or Schwalbe G-One).
  • 2 spare tubes and if possible a spare tire
  • Puncture repair kit
  • Spare brake pads (except if you start with new pads)
  • A rear derailleur cable
  • Chain lube
  • A pump
  • A multitool
Other
  • A pair of bike specific gloves
  • A bike lock
  • A headlamp with batteries
  • A pair of spare laces
  • A toiletry kit and towel
  • A swimsuit
  • 2 bike bottles 75 cl (or camelbak)
  • A pocket knife
  • A few plastic bags to protect your belonging
  • A needle and thread
  • A small individual pharmacy: sunscreen (face and lips); band aids + double skin (Compeed); Immodium; pain killers, earplugs, other personal medication.

Self-guided formula

    Average tour rating:

    5/5 - 2 Reviews
    Maureen L. | Participant rating:
    "Each day the range of terrain is an surprise. Each day the landscape is breathtaking. Our guide Dominik fed us delicious picnics and supplemented good vibe. I really enjoyed the challenge. Will definitely come back."
    Scott B. | Participant rating:
    "wow, such a great trip. we will be doing this again as soon as we can. loved every minute of it. thank you!"
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