Mountain bike Italy

A singletrack paradise, nestled between the Alps and the MediterraneanRef CY74

Sea, sun and singletrack! Liguria is already famous in the MTB world for the trails in and around Finale Ligure, but we couldn't resist putting together a point-to-point trip. It’s mission accomplished with this circuit that takes in some of the best riding the area has to offer, coupled with the magic of following the beautiful coastline and the Mediterranean Sea! A route that takes you through lush valleys and over high summits, through small picturesque villages and sheltered creeks and bays… In the course of a day we ride through a mix of coastal vegetation, deep deciduous woodland and pine forests before finishing on the coast surrounded by palm trees! Starting on the superb singletrack trails that wind their way along the coast, we climb up into the hills each day, where an ever-changing panorama offers beautiful views of the sea and the surrounding peaks of the Ligurian Alps. Singletrack balcony trails overlooking the sea are definitely the local speciality, second only to the famous “Pesto alla Genovese”. The area is also teaming with super flowy singletrack descents that lead us all the way back down to the sea and the local “gelateria”. Then it's time for a cold drink at a bar terrace and an opportunity to wander through the historical centres of the beautiful coastal towns.

Guided version: from 1045€ - DetailsSelf-guided version: from 645€ - Details Duration : 6 days | Level : Customer satisfaction :
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+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.
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Highlights

  • A superb network of trails, with a worldwide reputation
  • Panoramic views of the sea and the mountains
  • The Italian Dolce Vita in the small medieval towns and villages

Description

Comments

  • If you would like to ride this tour as a group, please bear in mind that we cannot offer tours between the 30th of May and the 3rd of June 2019, as well as between the 26th and 30th of September 2019. Two major MTB events make it very complicated for us to organise tours during these dates.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Finale Ligure - Train to Diano Marina - Andorra

Itinerary start: The rendezvous on the first day is at 8:30am at Finale Ligure railway station. From there we leave to Diano Marina by train (30 min.). Note: The train ticket is included in the price of the tour (guided version). Bicycles do not need to be in bike bags for the train journey. Please arrive in your cycle clothing. On request we can book the previous nights accommodation for you in Finale Ligure.

Rendezvous in the charming seaside town of Diano Marina, where we begin with a tour around the maze of narrow streets, lined with elegant buildings and houses. Polished by centuries of use, the paving stones testify to the long history of the town… This is the "Riviera dei fiori" (Riviera of flowers), which we follow for the duration of our trip, at times along the water's edge, at times through the hills high above the coastline. The coast hides a string of bays, creeks and small ports overlooked by numerous mountain villages surrounded by dense woodland.
After a tour of the town's streets and squares, and a stop at the shoreline (with optional dip in the sea), we set our course for the mountains, where our route takes us over a succession of mountain ridges and through deep valleys that drop down to the sea. We gain some altitude on a mix of tracks and small mountain roads, passing through ancient olive groves before arriving in the "maquis" (typical Mediterranean landscape) dominated by Alep pines. We're rewarded for our efforts with panoramic views of the imposing mountains of the Ligurian Alps, and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean far below. We launch into our first descent on a typical Ligurian singletrack… After reaching the bottom of a small valley, we gain some altitude once again by means of a long ridgeline, characteristic of the area. Our route takes us through picturesque olive groves lined with ancient dry stone walls, as well as the village of Tovo Faraldi with its maze of narrow lanes and alleys. We ride on for a few kilometres, before attacking the main climb of the day: a 30-minute hike-a-bike that takes us back up to the ridgeline. Our efforts are rewarded with a superb 360-degree view of the mountains to the north and the glistening Mediterranean Sea to the south. We ride along the ridgeline towards the sea, before launching into a long descent that see's us drop 550 metres on some great, flowy singletrack that leads right to the sea… We find ourselves in the seaside town of Andorra, where we finish our first day with a well-deserved cold drink overlooking the sea. Night in a hotel in Andorra.

Distance covered: approx. 35 km / altitude gain: approx. 1200 m

Day 2: Andorra - Arnasco

We head straight into the mountains of the back country this morning. Beginning the climb on a minor road, we then reach a long section of trail that follows the ridgeline and cliff edge, offering great views of the Bay of Laigueglia. The Mediterranean vegetation with its brooms, cane-apple bushes, Holm oaks and Alep pines offers a wonderful array of sweet smells and dashes of colour. The climb is done in stages, before a tonic final climb on singletrack with short hike-a-bike sections. Another great descent awaits us, once again offering magnificent views of the sea. The descent spits us out in the seaside town of Albenga, where we take the time to explore its superb historical town centre and wonderful period architecture… We then head back into the hills where the mountain tops offer superb views of the 15th century castle of Conscente. We settle into our accommodation for the night before enjoying some great local cuisine!

Distance covered: approx. 40 km / altitude gain: approx. 1200 m

Day 3: Arnasco - Pietra Ligure

We start the day by entering a narrow valley, where we follow a river upstream to the medieval village of Zucharello, classified as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Its Roman bridge even appeared on the cover of Time magazine! Another small climb and we're in Erli, a small village perched on the edge of a mountainside. We then tackle a short section of climbing on the road, before quickly leaving the asphalt and traversing on a forest track that offers great views of the Ligurian Alps. Our route alternates between forest and open sections, and the vegetation begins to change as we gain altitude. The track heads into a deep forest of Holm oaks, whose leaves let just enough sunlight through to play a fantastic game of light and shade on the forest floor. After a 30-minute hike-a-bike, we descend to the small village of Bardineto, before climbing again on a narrow forest track. Without realising it we flirt with the border of the Piedmont area, which was attached for a long period to the French duchy of Savoy. Our route stays in Liguria however, leading us to our high point at almost 1200 metres, where we leave the forest track for an unforgettable singletrack descent! A superb trail, parts of which have been worked on by local riders, offers a bit of everything: banked turns, flowing switchbacks, chicanes… The trail spits us out some 800 vertical metres further down! A small singletrack trail along the River Maremola takes us right to the sea, and our overnight stop in the charming small town of Pietra Ligure.

Distance covered: approx. 45 km / ascent: approx. 1400 m

Day 4: Pietra Ligure - Finale Ligure

This morning we head back into the hills for another great dose of trails and panoramic views… A small, winding mountain road leads us past traditional villages full of colourful houses, then on towards the ruins of the tower of Gorra, an ideal viewpoint to admire the natural barrier of the Ligurian Alps. A beautiful church (with panoramic views of the sea!) marks the start of a roller coaster singletrack trail through dense oak forests. Our route then plunges down to the famous Finale Ligure. We take the time to explore the fortified medieval town of Finalborgo, classified as one of the most beautiful medieval sites in Italy. We then head off to discover what all the fuss is about as we ride our first Finale Ligure descent. After an initial climb on small roads and tracks, we drop into a superb, playful singletrack descent that takes us all the way back to the seashore. We settle into our hotel for two nights, ideally situated fifty metres from the sea. The hotel is full of character with a decor that will remind many of their childhood...

Distance covered: approx. 40 km / altitude gain: approx. 1500 m

Day 5: Finale Ligure - Finale Ligure

An unforgettable day that takes in the best of the trails Finale Ligure has to offer! Superb singletrack, endless descents, panoramic views of the mountains and the sea, a variety of terrain and vegetation, impressive cliffs, beautiful villages and hamlets… Today has it all!

Distance covered: approx. 45 km / altitude gain: approx. 1500 m

Day 6: Finale Ligure - Finale Ligure

A final day on the trails of Finale Ligure! Once again the climb into the mountains takes us through a vast diversity of vegetation from the palm trees and cacti of the coast to the beech forests of the mountains… We begin to understand why Finale Ligure has such a great reputation, as each new trail is as perfect as the last… We end the ride with another great descent that leads us right to the water's edge!

Distance covered: approx. 25 km / altitude gain: approx. 700 m

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

Itinerary end: Separation on the last day is at Finale Ligure railway station at around 5pm. On request we can book the following nights accommodation for you in town.

Dates and price

Dates
Please, contact us.

Costs and services guided tour

What is included:
  • English-speaking qualified French mountain bike guide 
  • 5 nights in 2* hotels, agri-turismo and guest houses in shared rooms
  • 5 breakfasts
  • 6 picnic lunches
  • 5 dinners (3 to 4 course menu)
  • Daily baggage transfers
  • Train ticket to Diano Marina on day 1 (on tour start)
What is not included:
  • International flights
  • Your transfer to the meeting place (see paragraph below)
  • All services mentioned in extensions
  • Insurance, assistance
  • Drinks at the accommodation
  • Visits to museums, monuments and sites not covered by the programme
  • Additional travel related to changes in the programme due to bad weather
  • All personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned under  “the price includes".

Supplementary services:

Prices per person:
  • Single-room supplement: 100 €
  • Extra nights in our partner accommodation in Finale Ligure including breakfast :
    • Shared room: 57 € (65 € in August)
    • Single room: 96 € (105 € in August)
  • Bike rental: see below

Mountain bike rental

Two types of mountain bike are available for rent:

  • Full suspension mtb (model Santa-Cruz Hightower or equivalent, 140mm suspension travel): 540€
  • Full suspension e-mtb (model Focus jam2 or equivalent, 150mm suspension travel, 625Wh): 455€

More details upon request. Please confirm your height and bike choice on your trip reservation form.

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.

Booking with us

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.

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.

Payment options
  • by credit card via our website (Mastercard and Visa accepted)
  • by bank transfer (bank details on request)
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

Your invoice will be available 5 weeks before tour departure. 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.

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.

Groupe size and guiding

For guided trips we limit the size of our groups from 5 (min) to 12 (max) persons in order to ensure security and conviviality.

You will be guided by English-speaking French mountain bike guides.

No size limitation for self-guided groups.

Car sharing

If you sign up for a guided tour, we offer you the opportunity to see if you can carpool with other participants to get to the point of departure. To do this, go to "Car sharing" in our website. By entering the complete reference and the date of departure of the tour (available on the registration confirmation that we have sent you), you have access to route details and emails of other participants who wish to carpool.

Getting there

By train: From Paris Gare de Lyon train station to Finale Ligure train station (about 9h30 by TGV train).
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

By plane:

  • From Lyon airport: join the Lyon train station and head to Finale Ligure.

By car:
Route planner: en.mappy.com


Accommodation

We favour comfortable accommodation with warm hospitality. For more details, please see the "Costs and services" section.

For private groups and self-guided tours it is possible to choose alternative accommodation (upgrade) depending on availability.

Food

"L'art de la table"

We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals.  Fresh and local produce will be served wherever possible.

  • Continental breakfasts taken at the accommodation
  • Cold picnics for lunch (mixed salad, bread, cold meats, cheese and fruit). Each participant carries his picnic in his daypack
  • Cereal bars and dried fruit during the day
  • Hearty dinners (3 to 4 courses, with local dishes)

Baggage

During the day you carry only a daypack for additional clothing, water, food, camera, etc. The rest of your baggage is transferred each day to the following nights accommodation.

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 TGV and SNCF 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

Material provided by France Bike Trips (guided version only):
  • A group first aid kit
  • A repair kit and tools
Personal equipment to bring:
Luggage

All your luggage must fit in two bags: a daypack and a travel bag.

1/ Daypack

This is the bag you will keep with you each day whilst riding. This bag should not be too large (up to 30 litres).

It will contain: a picnic lunch, camera, waterproof, extra clothing, sunglasses...

Each day, your guide will advise you on what to bring in your bag according to the route and the weather.

2/ Travel bag

This is the bag that will be transported from one accommodation to the next by vehicle. It should contain all the belongings you will not use during the day.

Please note: Your luggage transported from one accommodation to the next must fit in a single bag and must not exceed 20kg maximum - or less if stated otherwise in the included services).

List of equipment to pack:
For your head
  • A cap or other head protection against the sun
  • A hat or headband
  • A mountain bike helmet (COMPULSORY).
For your upper body
  • Two cycling jerseys (made of synthetic or natural breathable fabrics)
  • A warm shirt or a sweatshirt
  • A fleece
  • A waterproof jacket
For your legs
  • Two good quality cycling shorts with chamois
  • Trousers
  • Casual short
  • A swimsuit
  • Waterproof trousers (recommended for our alpine tours)
For your feet
  • Mountain bike shoes (“multi-activity / outdoor” type with grippy soles or clipless biking shoes)
  • Sports socks (+ warm wool socks for our alpine tours)
  • Sandals (not compulsory, but nice during breaks...).
For your mountain bike

If you rent your MTB from France Bike Trips, this material is not necessary.

  • If you have tires with tubes: 2 spare tubes + puncture repair kit
  • If you have tubeless tires: sealant, a tube with presta valve (just in case), a spare tire
  • If you have V-brakes: 2 sets of replacement brake pads
  • If you have disc brakes: 2 sets of replacement pads
  • A rear derailleur cable + 1 rear brake cable
  • Chain lube
  • A pump
  • A high pressure pump for your suspension  (optional, your guide will have one).
  • VERY IMPORTANT: A spare derailleur hanger  (only if your rear derailleur is not integral to the frame).
Various
  • A pair of MTB gloves (+ warm waterproof gloves for our alpine tours)
  • A bike lock
  • A head torch with batteries
  • A pair of spare laces
  • A toiletry kit and towel
  • 2 bike bottles 75 cl (or camelbak)
  • A pocket knife
  • Some plastic bags to protect your equipment
  • A needle and thread
  • A small individual pharmacy: sunscreen (face and lips); band aids + double skin; Immodium; pain killers, earplugs, other personal medication.

Dates

From mid-March to the end of October at your convenience.


Costs and services self-guided tour

Price per person (low season) for a group of:

Single-room supplement will be automatically charged in the case of odd-numbered groups.

The price includes:
  • 5 nights in 2* hotels and guest houses in shared rooms
  • 5 breakfasts
  • 4 dinners (3 to 4 course menu)
  • Daily baggage transfers
  • Detailed travel documents, highlighted maps and GPS tracks
What is not included:
  • Lunch
  • International flights
  • Lunches
  • Dinner on day 1 in Andora
  • Train journey to Diano Marina (approx. 7,50 € incl. bicycle)
  • Your transfer to the meeting place (see paragraph below)
  • All services mentioned in extensions
  • Insurance, assistance
  • Drinks at the accommodation
  • Visits to museums, monuments and sites not covered by the programme
  • Additional travel related to changes in the programme due to bad weather
  • All personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned under  “the price includes".

Supplementary services:

Prices per person:
  • Single-room supplement: 100 €
  • Extra nights in our partner accommodation in Finale Ligure including breakfast :
    • Double room: 57 € (65 € in August)
    • Single room: 96 € (105 € in August)
  • Bike rental:
    • Full suspension mtb (model Santa-Cruz Hightower or equivalent, 140mm suspension travel): 540€
    • Full suspension e-mtb (model Focus jam2 or equivalent, 150mm suspension travel, 625Wh): 455€

GPS tracks

If you choose to book a self-guided tour, we provide the GPS tracks of the route. You will be able to download the GPX type files from your France Bike Trips user account once you receive our travel documents by email. They are compatible with all current GPS software applications and editors.

Accuracy

These tracks have been created using professional mapping software. There may be slight differences between the GPS track and the reality on the terrain. The GPS tracks should thus be considered a "plus" to help you find your way. However, they are by no means a substitute for orientation with the help of the highlighted map material.

The distances and altitude gain in the tour's programme remain the reference. Indeed, real-world altitude and mileages can be different and vary significantly from the data shown in GPS software applications.

Data privacy

We ask you not to publish these GPS tracks on any website, social network or anywhere else. Their elaboration required many hours of hard work, both to create the track in the field, but also in our software applications. The non-respect of this ethic would force us to remove these valuable tool from our offer.

Analogue maps (optional)

We offer digital map material with highlighted tracks for our self-guided tours by default. These are printable (A4, pdf format).

On request, we can provide you with analogue maps containing the highlighted itinerary and route infos (official French maps at a scale of 1:25,000). Shipment will be made to the accommodation of your extra night before the tour.

Price of this option incl. shipping within France: see supplementary services

Please let us know in the booking form if you would like this option. Please also give us an accommodation address for shipping if you do not book an extra night through us before the tour.

Self-guided tour "user guide"

Active autonomy: what you need to know for our self-guided tours

In order to achieve the planned tour programme, you must:

  • Guide yourself with the highlighted maps and road book;
  • Choose suitable start times adapted to the lengths of the daily stages as well as your own riding pace, and leave an adequate safety margin of time;
  • Obtain daily weather forecasts from your hosts, and take into account the weather conditions when planning journey times;
  • Arrive at the booked guest houses and hotels listed in the programme on the given dates; 
  • Bring the necessary personal equipment to carry out the tour. France Bike Trips equipment list constitutes the necessary minimum;
  • Carry insurance policies and emergency telephone numbers with you at all times;
  • Be familiar with basic first-aid steps;
  • In the event of any problems during your trip, contact France Bike Trips (contact information in your travel documents). Possession of a mobile phone that works in France is strongly recommended.

Self-guided tours are undertaken without a guide and at your own risk. France Bike Trips cannot be held liable for any route error, misconduct, personal imprudence, inadequate planning or inappropriate reactions in the event of incidents.

Any programme change of your own initiative is under your responsibility and at your expense. 

Having said this, with our advice and good preparation, you should be able to look forward to a wonderful, trouble free holiday. Enjoy your trip!

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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.


Phone number: +33 458 140 435

Contact us

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.

Please type in your email address in order to access tour details and description

Your email will not be communicated to any third party or company outside France Bike Trips / Velorizons. You may receive occasional emails from France Bike Trips, with the possibility to unsubscribe at any time. CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)