2020 French Alps - Ride the Famous Climbs of the TDF - Topbike Base Tour Le Bourg d’Oisans

French Alps - Topbike
Base Tour

Feast of Ascension | July 23-29 2020
Grenoble - Grenoble

With the Topbike French Alps Base Tour we will stay in the one accommodation for the whole tour (6 nights/7days) – a small family run converted farmhouse right at the base of the famous Alpe d’Huez.

Having our base in the town of Le Bourg d’Oisans, means little packing and unpacking, and more time for riding and relaxing. We are in the heart of the French Alps and our playground is only a few pedal strokes away.

In this tour we knock over the famous cycling climbs of: Alpe d’Huez, Col de Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, The Galibier, Les Deux Alpes, along with some lesser known ones: The Ornon, Col de Morte, La Berarde, Notre Dame and Col de Sarenne.

Breakky and dinner each night will be a local, traditional, hearty, in-house affair. Lunch will usually be a picnic somewhere en route.

Enjoy the thrill of cycling the celebrated TDF climbs of the French Alps whilst enjoying the French countryside and local culture with this unique opportunity to be based in one idyllic alpine location in France …

2020 Tour Dates

Base Tour: French Alps
July 23-29 2020
(Grenoble – Grenoble)

Topbike Base Tour: French Alps

Topbike’s Base Tours are designed to be a little shorter (7 days) and we don’t move location. So, once you arrive and unpack, that’s it for the week which leaves plenty of time for riding your bike, having picnic lunches and exploring the local area.

Base Tours are held in what we call ‘our local digs’. We know these areas well, the best places to ride, the best places to eat, the best places to hang out once the riding is done. Our guides ride with you and showcase their local routes. The support vehicle is back at base on call should the need arise.

With a group limited to 13 places only, this will be a tour for riding and relaxing and of-course the fabulous local French cuisine. With a small group you’ll receive personal and attentive care for the length of the tour.

2020 Tour Price: $3990.00 (AUD) per person
[Places are limited to 13 clients in total (with 3 staff).]

Rides will average 60-100k, along with >1000m vertical, per day. Extra k’s available on request!

6 Days/ 7 Nights

July 23-29 2020+ *

Cycling in France

BASE TOUR

Destination

Cycling in France
Tour Start / Finish

Grenoble to Grenoble
Pick Up

July 23 - Pickup Grenoble Railway Station: 11:00am
Drop Off

July 20 - Drop off Grenoble Railway Station: 11:00am
Cycling Fitness/Experience

Any + E-Bikes Available

Thursday July 23: Day 1 | Alpe d’Huez

Pick-Up: 11.00am

Grenoble Railway Station

Its day one, and our pick up time is 11 am. We have about an hours car transit up the valley to our town of Le Bourg d’Oisans. After unpacking and settling in, we’ll have a welcome picnic in the grounds of the accommodation and then its time to saddle up for the Alpe D’Huez. The most famous climb in cycling is always a good one to knock over early. Once you have clocked your time, you can go race yourself pre breakky each day for the rest of the tour if you wish! Today we won’t be heading straight down but drop back to the village of Huez and then take a more scenic ride home, along the edge of the mountain, via Villard Reculas. We’ll be back in time for aperitif and dinner.

Accommodation

‘Small family run converted farmhouse right at the base of the famous Alpe d’Huez

Dining

Local, traditional, hearty, in-house affair

Ride: < 55km, < 1800m vertical

Terrain: One and a half big climbs, with steep parts. Excellent views of the valley all the way, and down

Friday July 24: Day 2 | Galibier

Galibier at 2642m is the highest peak in the French Alps. To get there we rise gently up the RN91, the only Valley road, for about 40 km where we crest Col Lauteret, before turning to north, and up a road that’s a little steeper, for the last 8k uphill. There are significant tunnels on the road, so be sure to bring your lights. On the way home it’s a net loss of vertical all the way for 50 km. However, with gentle gradients, some undulations and an afternoon breeze, it never feels like a downhill ride. On this ride the weather can be snowing at the top, while still hot and sunny back at our starting point. Be sure to pack a day bag for the back up van.

Ride: < 100km, < 2700m vertical

Terrain: One big climb that just gets steeper

Saturday, July 25 : Day 3 | Col de Ornon loop

The Ornon loop is less Alpine and more rural, the climbs are gentler however with 100 km and over 2000 vertical in total, you won’t feel underdone by any means. The first of the climbs is called Col de La Morte = hill of the dead. Perhaps how your legs will feel after the Galibier yesterday.

Ride: < 100km, < 2300m ascent

Terrain:Two significant climbs, plus an option for a third, if you’re keen.

Sunday, July 26:Day 4 | Les Deux Alps

We’re again heading up the RN 91 today, but this time we take a right hand turn at the dam wall and tackle the twin mountain to Alpe D’Huez = Les Deux Alpes. This ascent was made famous in the 1998 Tour de France, where Pantani broke away from Ullrich to win Le Tour that year. The town at the top is a slightly ugly modern ski village, which I’m sure looks great in winter. On the descent we will take a sneaky smaller and less known route, that cuts into the side of the mountain and offers some of the most stunning views of the Oisans valley. The road is precariously placed on the edge - so not one for the faint hearted. At the exit of the descent, those who want more can take a right and head towards the Col de Sarenne climb, which is the back way and much quieter approach to the Alpe’dHuez.

Ride: < 70km < 2600m vertical ascent

Monday July 27: Day 5 | Balcony Ride

Today we will knock over just the steep first 3 km of Alpe D’Huez, once at La Garde we take a right turn and follow another small rural balcony ride on the edge of the mountain. At the end of this gentler climb we drop down to the RN 91 again and traverse a short distance to commence a climb up the valley of La Berarde, a one way climb that heads deep into the Ecrins national park. This area is well known to rock climbers and hikers. Dave Olle has a favourite place for frites at the end of the road, so we may skip the picnic on this day. Post lunch we’ll turn our wheels back down the descent, to return home.

Ride: 84km, < 2300m vertical ascent

Terrain: One third of Alpe d’Huez, balcony along the valley wall, before dropping down and heading up a valley to La Berarde.

Tuesday, July 28: Day 6 | Cols of Glandon & Croix de Fer

Col de Glandon lies just 30 km from our location but it’s the vertical that kills you. We head down the RN91 this time the opposite direction and take a right turn through Allemont and up over the dam wall. After circumnavigating the dam we kick up a steep start for the first 9km, rest assured the whole climb gradient eventually eases up. At the top you get the added bonus of ticking off two KOMs, if you veer to the left you get the Glandon or stay on the main track for a few km is the top of the Col de la Croix de Fer.

Ride: 80km, < 2000m ascent

Wednesday, July 29: Day 7 | Notre Dame then "Au Revoir!"

All week, everyone will have been asking where that road up the cliff behind us goes. If you wake up early enough this morning we can go and ride this lesser known but one of the most beautiful local climbs. It does carry a warning sign at the bottom, as the risk of rock falls is omnipresent as the road is cut right into the edge of the rock. There are tunnels on the way, and these used to be the scariest place on earth. However they are now well lit and also (as last emergency) have a ‘ligne de Guide’, ie hold onto this line until you walk out and see the light at the end. To finish the tour, it’s a precarious descent, with plenty of last minute photo opportunities.

We will have breakky together and then pack up before we transport you back to Grenoble by 11am for drop off.

Ride: < 60k, < 1700m vertical ascent

Terrain: One tough climb.

Base Tour: French Alps with Topbike Tours (Grenoble - Grenoble)

2020 French Alps - Topbike Base Tour - July 23-29 2020

Grenoble - Grenoble

With the Topbike Base Tour "French Alps" we will stay in the one accommodation for the whole tour (6 nights/7 days)- a small family run converted farmhouse right at the base of the famous Alpe d’Huez.

We are in the heart of the French Alps and our playground is only a few pedal strokes away. In this tour we knock over the famous cycling climbs of: Alpe d’Huez, Col de Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, The Galibier, Les Deux Alpes, along with some lesser known ones: The Ornon, Col de Morte, La Berarde, Notre Dame and Col de Sarenne.

(*NB: Locations shown above are approximate only.)

Base Tour: French Alps – 2020