French Alps Weekender
4 nights
French Alps Weekender with Sportive Breaks
The Sportive Breaks Cycling Weekender is a four-night trip for avid amateur sports cyclists to iconic cycling destinations such as Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, Mallorca, Calpe, the Dolomites, the Stelvio and the French Alps.
This is the perfect long weekend for avid amateur cyclists and the same tried and tested formula can be expected in each destination. All weekenders are hosted by local riders and in Italy you can even ride with a former Giro d’Italia stage winner! Riders arrive on Wednesday and go on to enjoy 4 to 5 days in the saddle, taking in a combination of classic world-renowned cols and climbs made famous by the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. We also introduce some undiscovered climbs favoured by local riders.
French Alps Weekender
Our French Alps Weekender allows you to experience Tour de France favourites like the Cormet de Roselend, Col de L’Iseran and the new (recently tarmacked) Col de la Loze, a key feature of the 2021 Tour de France. As a small treat we will nip into Italy across the Col du Petit Saint Bernard for the ultimate coffee ride.
Available 2024 dates
- 18 September 24 – Available to book – Minimum number of 8 applies
Make it private
This Weekender is available as a private tour for groups. If the dates don’t suit you then please contact us with your requirements and we can advise on departure dates to suit your group. Email us: hello@sportivebreaks.co.uk
Spread your payments: Our payment plan is an interest-free payment method where you will have the opportunity to spread payment for your booking (excludes hospitality tickets)
Stay in prime location: Our hotel is located in prime position to ride these amazing routes
Ride 3 Famous climbs: Ride three world famous Tour de France climbs
What's Included?
Accomodation
3* Hotel in Brides-Les-Bains
Included Meals
All breakfast & dinners (budget €10 for lunch)
4 nights in a 3* hotel in Brides les Bains
Guided Rides
4 fully supported rides
Mechanic
Expert mechanics on-hand all weekend
Transfer
Return transfers from Geneva at set times. Private transfers available on request.
Additional Services - Bike Rentals
Packages and Prices
The French Alps Weekender allows you to experience Tour de France favourites like the Cormet de Roselend, Col de L’Iseran and the new (recently tarmacked) Col de la Loze, a key feature of the 2021 Tour de France. As a small treat we will nip into Italy across the Col du Petit Saint Bernard for the ultimate coffee ride.
Prices
2024 Weekender Date: 18th September
- £949 per person based on two people sharing a twin (2 single beds) and 1 double room (1 bed for couple)
- £1039 based on single occupancy of a room
Included with your weekend
- 4 nights at our bike-friendly hotel in Brides les Bains
- Local expert guides and bike mechanic
- Daily guided rides
- Breakfasts and evening meals
- Airport transfers at set times from/to Geneva Airport – More info here
- Detailed itinerary
- ABTA protected
Also available
- Private airport transfers from Geneva Airport
- Bike rental
Itinerary
Day To Day
Please arrange to meet us at hotel Athena in Brides-les-Bains when we will stay for the duration of the trip on a Half board basis.
You will have the afternoon to unpack, settle in and check your bike is ready for the weekend. Our mechanic will be on hand to help with any issues.
Our guide, Mike, will be able to propose a short warm-up ride to test the bikes and legs before the start of the big rides tomorrow
Dinner will be at the hotel.
Airport transfers
Included with your 2024 French Alps Weekender, we offer airport transfers for you, your luggage, and your bike from Geneva airport at set times. If you wish to make use of these then you are required to book your flights in line with our transfer timings.
Please note the transfer times below and please consider these when booking your flights. Please ensure that you arrive in plenty of time ahead of your chosen transfer time. We cannot always guarantee that we can wait for you if you arrive late.
You may decide to arrive the night before in order to use our airport transfer and in this case we can help with finding accommodation close to the airport (at your own cost). Please contact us on +44 (0) 161 676 0390 | hello@sportivebreaks.com
Please note that we can’t provide refunds if you decide not to make use of our airport transfers.
ARRIVAL TRANSFER AT 11:00AM ON WEDNESDAY
We will depart Geneva Airport at 11:00, so please book a flight that lands in Geneva before this time. We will arrive at our hotel in Brides-les-Bains around 13:00.
TRANSFER DURATION OF 120 MINUTES
BOOKING A PRIVATE TRANSFER:
Should you wish us to arrange a private transfer for you (at your own cost) from Geneva, Lyon or any other airport to Brides-les-Bains, please contact us on +44 (0) 161 676 0390 | hello@sportivebreaks.com
After breakfast at the hotel we will head out on our first ride. Appearing 13 times (and most recently in stage 17 of the 2023 Tour de France where Felix Gall went on to win the stage), the Cormet de Roseland is a stunning climb to start the trip with. It was the first climb of the 2019 Etape Du Tour and we will have the option to ride most of that race route today. After an easy ride down the valley on small quiet roads to Albertville, the ascent is a mammoth 40km. The first 20km are relatively easy at only 3% average, but the main part of the climb is the 20,3km after Beaufort. With an average gradient of 6% you are able to take in the stunning views as you climb to the top.
Dinner will be at the hotel in the evening.
Today’s ride: 130km. Elevation: 2400m (option Etape 2019 Route 140km Elevation :2900m)
On day 3 you will warm up on spectacular climbs out to the Vanoise National Park before attacking the mighty Col de la Loze – famous for being known as the hardest bike climb in France. Formerly a local favourite MTB offroad climb, it was paved only very recently in 2019. Getting to the top will earn you some serious kudos! Featuring twice in the Tour de France as a HC climb, once in 2020 on stage 17 where the stage was won by Miguel Ángel López and again as the summit finish in the 2023 tour on stage 17, where Jonas Vinegaard dropped Tadej Pogacar, effectively winning the race. We strongly advise a compact 34-50 crank set and a 11-34 cassette for this ride due to the steep gradients in excess of 20%.
Today’s ride: 100km. Elevation: 3000m
The route on day 4 will take us up the Col de I’Iseran, the highest paved pass in the Alps! First showcased on the Tour de France in 1938, it has been included 7 times since. In 2019 on stage 19, this is where Egan Bernal made a famous attack over the top of the Iseran, before the race was neutralised on the descent due to a hailstorm. At the top you will enjoy breath-taking views.
In the evening we will enjoy a final meal together and celebrate the weeks’ achievements.
Today’s ride: 100km. Elevation: 2600m
After breakfast we bag one final Col : the mighty Madeleine. It seems like a simple out and back route and only 80km, but nothing is simple about the Madeleine. Famous also for Ski Touring, the Madeleine has been climbed almost 30 times by the Tour de France, the last time being in 2020 An early start today will ensure we are back just after lunch to leave us time to prepare for departure.
Our mechanic will be on hand to assist packing your bike away.
Today’s ride: 80km. Elevation: 2100m
We will then run a transfer back to Geneva airport in the afternoon.
RETURNING HOME – DEPARTURE FROM BRIDES-LES-BAINS AT 15:00PM ON SUNDAY
Please consider the two-hour transfer time to Geneva Airport together with the 2-hour check-in requirement. Please book return flights that depart after 19:00pm from Geneva Airport.
TRANSFER DURATION OF 120 MINUTES
BOOKING A PRIVATE TRANSFER:
Should you wish us to arrange a private transfer for you (at your own cost) from Geneva, Lyon or any other airport to Brides-les-Bains, please contact us on +44 (0) 161 676 0390 | hello@sportivebreaks.com
More About the Event
Come and join us the French Alps, a cycling paradise and experience a weekend like the pro peloton. You will be looked after by Mike, our local, expert ride leader. He has ridden these routes many times and will be with you for the duration of the trip.
Climbs Involved
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You're in safe hands
We have a team of highly experienced professionals who have been organising cycling trips for over 25 years. We are members of ABTA and ATOL so book with confidence.
Plenty to choose from
Did you know we offer the biggest selection of European Gran Fondo and Cyclo-Sportive events?
Spread your payments
Our payment plan is an interest-free payment method where you will have the opportunity to spread payment for your booking. *Selected products. Terms and Conditions apply
Logistics covered
We know the routes, we know the roads. We know how the event works and the best hotels for the start and finish. We organise everything for you; transfers, bike transport, additional feed stops, rep support and more.
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