Our Trans-Alpine Challenge offers you the opportunity to ride one of the most challenging routes in Europe - across the French Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean - and in just 7 days!

And of course, we have to stick to Thomson Bike Tours tradition and follow one of the most challenging routes across the Alps!

We've lined up an impressive route including most of the legendary climbs in the Alps. Galibier, Telegraphe, Izoard, Madeleine, La Bonette, Joux Plane, Colombiere, Cormet de Roselend...just a few of the famous climbs waiting to be conquered on this magnificent ride across the highest peaks in Europe.

Join our expert guides in the Alps for the ride of your life - you'll return home a different rider!

Trip Profile (Click to Enlarge)

 

Ride the Top climbs in the Alps

Col du Galibier.....Col de Telegraphe.....Col de Joux Plane.....Col de la Colombiere.....Col de la Madeleine.....Col de la Bonette.....Col d'Izoard.....Col des Saisies.....and more!

 

Your daily rides at a glance

Day	Itinerary	Ride Distance	Elevation Gain
1	Warm-up ride around Chatel	20 miles	2,750 ft
2	Chatel › Col du Corbier › Col de Joux-Plane › Col de la Colombiere › La Clusaz	78 miles	9,700 ft
3	La Clusaz › Col des Saisies › Col des Aravis › Cormet de Roselend › Bourg St Maurice	65 miles	9,000 ft
4	Bourg St Maurice › Col de la Madeleine › St Jean de Maurienne	71 miles	9,350 ft
5	St Jean de Maurienne › Col du Telegraphe › Col du Galibier › Col d'Izoard › Guillestre	84 miles	11,100 ft
6	Guillestre › Col de Vars › Col de la Bonette › Col de la Couillole › Valberg	92 miles	12,850 ft
7	Valberg › Col de St Raphael › Col de Vence › St Paul de Vence	67 miles	4,950 ft
TOTAL:		477 miles	59,700 ft
DAILY AVERAGE:		68 miles	8,529 ft

 

What's Included

• 8 days / 7 nights fully accompanied trip
  
• All breakfasts
• All but 1 dinner
  
• Lunch on the first day
• Pick-up at Geneva Airport
• Drop-off at Nice Airport
• All ground transportation
• All luggage transfer
• Services of our expert guides
• Support vehicles
• Thomson Bike Tours maps, cue sheets and elevation profiles

What's Not Included

• Airfare
• Travel and personal insurance
• Additional hotel expenses i.e. phone charges, mini-bar, gratuities
• Lunches (except lunch on the first day which is included)
• 1 Dinner

Climb these Famous Cols

In just 1 week climb many of the legendary cols in the Alps! Here are some of the cols included in our itinerary (sorted by Difficulty Index):

Climb	Elev. Gain (feet)	Average Grade	Length (miles)	Profile (m/km)	Difficulty Index
Col de la Madeleine	5062	6.3%	15.3		152
Col de la Bonette	5213	6.6%	14.9		140
Col du Galibier	4085	6.9%	11.2		122
Cormet de Roselend	4026	6.0%	12.6		119
Col de la Couillole	3832	7.3%	10.0		119
Col de la Colombiere	3635	6.8%	10.1		118
Col d'Izoard	3743	5.7%	12.4		108
Col de Vars	3645	5.7%	12.1		103
Col de Telegraphe	2808	7.3%	7.3		93
Col des Saisies	2451	5.0%	9.2		82
Col de Joux Plane	2333	6.5%	6.8		72
Col des Aravis	2841	4.6%	11.8		68
Col du Corbier	1335	7.1%	3.5		62

 

 

The Thomson Bike Tours Difference Your trip to Europe may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you deserve the best! Performance cyclists now rate Thomson Bike Tours as the premiere provider of performance trips to Europe. Here are a few details that set us aside from the rest: LESS VAN - MORE BIKE: NO Van Transfers between your hotels and the start/finish of the bike rides. Each day we ride from and to the hotel. Our local knowledge, extensive planning and vast experience mean that you spend less time in a van and more time on the bike! Best-in-class Support & ride leaders: another key to our success! Sag van and ride leader for every 10 riders. Highest Staff to Customer Ratio: 1 staff member per 4 customers! THE THOMSON RIDES: over the years we've also gained a reputation for providing the best (and most challenging!) rides. 25 years experience riding in the Alps counts!