Introducing the NEW Marmot Tours road cycling route support app!
If you’ve been on a road cycling holiday with us before, you’ll remember that as well as GPS route files, we provided you with detailed paper route notes to support you on every day of your holiday. We’re pleased to tell you that we’ve now developed a Marmot Tours app which we’ve called Route Buddy! This replaces our paper route notes and is available free from the Apple app store and Google Play, for you to download to your phone anytime.
A week before your holiday starts, the app will be populated automatically with your itinerary details and will contain everything (and more) that the paper route notes would have included.
Features: route notes, safety and support info, and more!
We recommend you download the app and explore its features before you leave home. On one of our Classic flexible route, flexible pace tours, you’ll be able to see your route options for each day and select the one you want to ride. If you’re on a Raid, you’ll see full details of the set route for each day. You’ll also have useful information about van support, specific information on where to take extra care, cafe stops (including opening times), and hotel information for each evening.
Optional live tracking feature
One of the best features of the app is the optional live tracking feature so your guides can see your exact location, which we hope will enhance their existing sixth sense of where you all are on the route! However please remember that a patchy phone signal will cause tracking delays and that as always our guides will be optimising the van support per the route options, weather, and the requirements of the group as a whole. As always, if you need to speak to one of your guides urgently, you can message or call them directly.
We hope you’ll enjoy using the app to explore your route in the week before your trip starts as well as in the evening before each day’s ride. We will, of course, continue to provide our comprehensive GPS route files for you to download to your handlebar navigation device for on-the-road route finding!
The technical bits (fear not – we’ve kept it simple!)
Minimal battery power required
Because you’ll usually be out on the bike all day, we’ve designed the app so that it won’t place a high demand on your phone’s battery. If your phone battery is not as youthful as it once was, you can always put a battery pack in your day bag and give your phone a boost when you see the van at lunch or cafe stops.
Minimising data usage
We’ve also been mindful of minimising your mobile data usage while you’re on holiday, as we know that some of you will be paying data roaming charges. When you first log in to the app, all the information for your holiday will be downloaded to your phone. This means you can use the app while cycling during your holiday even with your data roaming turned off. However, if you choose to use the tracking feature of the app to share your location with your guides, this will require a small amount of mobile data.
Roaming charges
We suggest you familiarise yourself with your mobile provider’s roaming charges before you leave home, so you know where you stand. Alternatively, you could buy a prepaid data pack for the country or region you are travelling to from companies such as Airalo or Maya Mobile, which offer eSIM cards to buy and download online, with no change of physical SIM card required.
We do appreciate that the paper route notes had some advantages, and we know some of you will miss them. However, we hope you’ll find the app just as informative, and we think the optional live tracking feature will help your guides offer more effective support to the whole group. Having all the information on an app also means that it’s much easier to keep it accurate and promptly updated with the latest feedback from our guides when they’re on the road, and from you when you get home and send us your feedback form.
2025 Spring/Summer road cycling tours: get in touch if you’re a large group!
We’re getting close to finalising our guaranteed departures for European road cycling holidays in 2025! This is just a reminder that if you and your mates have been discussing a Marmot Tours holiday, you have particular dates/tours in mind, and you’re a large group, then do please get in touch ASAP as we might be able to work our schedule around you.
All you have to do is click the link above and let Kerstin or Sabine know your preferred dates, the trip you’re most keen on, plus how many there are in your group, and we can see if we can work our magic. Defining our schedule for the year is like logistical Tetris so we shall look forward to hearing from you soon, to avoid disappointment.
Tour de Suisse, La Marmotte and Tour de France fever!
If, like us, you’ve been glued to the annual summer road cycling events and races, you can’t fail to have been inspired by not only the prowess of the pros (and yesterday, Sir Cav’s epic record-breaking stage win) but also the jaw-dropping scenery of the Alps, Pyrenees, et al. The snow has hung around for longer than usual in the mountains of Europe this year, which has made for some interesting images coming in from our tours riding in the Alps and Dolomites – walls of snow, rather than the iconic col signs!
The Col de la Croix, Nufenen, and St Gotthard passes all made an appearance on the Tour de Suisse this year, and these spectacular rides feature on our Swiss Alps and/or Raid Dolomites tours. La Marmotte sportive last weekend comprised the handful of iconic Alpine climbs that are Col du Glandon, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier and the grande finale, Alpe d’Huez. We have several fully supported cycling tours in the Alps where you can tick off some or all of these climbs: our Alpine Mini-break and Alpine Classic Cols with flexible daily route options, or the Raid Alpine ( in either direction) if you’re after a timed challenge.
Last but by no means least, the Tour de France which is in full swing as you receive this newsletter. With the Olympics dominating Paris this year, we’re looking forward to the Tour climaxing in Nice after showcasing some of our favourite rides. Pas de Peyrol (ride it on our Raid du Massif Central), the Tourmalet, Peyresourde, Portet d’Aspet, Plateau de Beille (on our Pyrenean Classic Cols and/or Raid Pyrenean), and finally the Cols de Braus, Turini, and Couillole (all on our Classic Cols of the Southern Alps) to name a few.
If you’re itching to bag any of these cols and can’t wait for our dates to be launched, just get in touch and we can put you on our list of super keenies, who want to be first to know when trips launch. The early bird, and all that!
Winter Road Cycling Tours in the Canary Islands
We had an amazing response to the launch of our 2025 tours last month, so much so that our Tour of Gran Canaria is sold out! However, if you wish to put your name on the waiting list, in case we have any cancellations, then please get in touch with our customer liaison team by email and they’ll happily take your details.
Our Tour of Tenerife still has a handful of spaces available so do contact us quickly (just click ENQUIRE NOW from the tour webpage) if you’re serious about wanting to go on this awesome trip, especially if there’s a group of you.
Enjoying a group road cycling holiday as a solo traveller
Are you thinking of coming on holiday with us on your own? Is it the first time you’ve joined a group holiday? Why not have a read of our latest blog, which answers many of the questions you might have, and hopefully tackles any anxieties you might be holding on to regarding solo travel and enjoying a group holiday. Marmot regular cyclist – and now guide – Emma Tiptaft busts the myths around group cycling holidays and we’re sure will put your mind at ease with any queries you might have ahead of your tour. Time to put the kettle on (or crack open something cold!) …
