Excellent - Fabulous routes and so well chosen. Organisation spot on, never any doubt where to be and when. Never felt pressurised either.
Inspired by the 2023 and 2025 Tour de France Alpine stages through the Northern French Alps, we're thrilled to add this exciting new itinerary to our portfolio of road cycling adventures. Starting on the shore of Lake Geneva and ending in Les Trois Vallées, this journey involves six exceptional rides through some of the most spectacular scenery in the French Alps. Some of the climbs are already famous, and some are future classics, but all of the cycling is world-class. Every day our Classic route takes on a bucket-list col, and the Harder and Challenge routes add some lesser-known but equally worthy and beautiful climbs. The grand finale of the week is that you get to ride the recently surfaced, traffic-free mountain roads linking Val Thorens, Méribel, and Courchevel.
Like all our flexible-route, flexible-pace holidays, our Classic route can be taken steadily and is manageable and enjoyable for fit cyclists, including those with limited experience of cycling in the mountains. However, this holiday also offers a fantastic challenge for those wanting to push themselves further: each day there are optional extra loops and climbs, increasing the possible daily stats to an average of 96 km per day with 2600 to 3570 m of climbing on our Challenge route.
This is your ride, and we're here to support you as an individual. As with all our holidays, we don't insist that everyone ride as a group; you're free to ride at the speed you like, stop when you want, and make the days your own. With our experienced support team in customised vehicles, we'll provide you with all the moral, nutritional, and mechanical support you require. All you have to do is eat, sleep, and cycle – we do the rest!
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We hope you’ll have sunshine and perfect cycling temperatures during your holiday, but obviously it’s the one aspect of your trip over which we have no control! Weather in the mountains can be highly changeable, and sometimes extreme. You’re likely to encounter a range of conditions and temperatures during your trip. You should bring warm and waterproof layers to protect you from the cold and rain. This is particularly important for the long descents that you’ll encounter on this trip.
This Classic, flexible-pace holiday itinerary offers a lot of flexibility, with a Classic and a Challenge route available each day (and sometimes an additional easier route too - see the trip description on the webpage for details of the route options available each day). Have a look at the daily stats of distance and climbing on the trip webpage. Although we move on most days, the distance and altitude gain between hotels are manageable for most people who road-cycle regularly. Please get in touch if you’d like further guidance.
Most of the hotels are 3*. Our hotel in Les Gets is a boutique spa hotel of a very high standard, but un-starred. In Beaufort we stay across two different 2* hotels, adjacent to each other. We have selected the hotels for their location and for their customer service towards cyclists. You will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender) unless you book a single room for a supplement (contact [email protected] for availability). Each hotel has a garage/locked room to ensure that your bike has a comfortable night too.
All the hotels have WiFi but it is not always reliable! Some only have WiFi in reception as opposed to in individual rooms. Also, WiFi can be slower in the evenings when many riders choose to upload their routes to Strava, stretching the bandwidth.
We move on most nights of this trip, so opportunities to use hotel laundry facilities (where they exist) are limited. However, we can help dry your hand-washed kit, so consider bringing some hand-wash detergent with you.
The hotels and restaurants we use can cater for most dietary needs and allergies if we know what these are well in advance. Each day, your guides will also double-check with the kitchen, to ensure they have something suitable planned for you.
You can let us know about any special dietary requirements on the booking form or via email. Please note that we request you stick to your dietary preference for the entire trip, as it’s very complicated for the hotels (and guides) if an individual has dietary requirements for some meals and not for others.
Your day will usually start with breakfast from around 08:00 with set off time at around 09:00 to 09:30. Lunch is typically served in restaurants and cafes from 12:00 to 14:00. Depending on which route you choose each day, you’ll be back at the hotel any time between 14:00 and 18:00. Dinner is usually served at 19:30. Your guides may occasionally need to adjust these timings depending on the needs of the group or the weather conditions.
Our holidays are cycling holidays (with an emphasis on cycling!), but you are welcome to have a lift in our vans during the day if you need one, for example if you’re injured, exhausted, or unsure about riding in challenging weather conditions. If you become ill or injured and are not planning to ride for the whole day (or if you would just like a day off the bike!), then we will normally recommend that you take a taxi directly to the next hotel. This will give you the maximum possible time to rest and recover at the hotel, or to enjoy other activities off the bike.
If you have rim brakes on your carbon wheels then we definitely do NOT recommend you bring them on this holiday - this is because we have witnessed several cases of sudden and catastrophic delamination of these wheels on descents. Take a look at our blog about this issue.
If you’re bringing your own bike, then please also bring:
bike lights
a pump
tyre levers
inner tubes
brake pads
a chain link
a spare rear derailleur hanger.
Tools for bike assembly are not required as Marmot Tours has them available for you to use on arrival (including a torque wrench). See FAQS for more detail.
If you are a non-EU national, to enter the EU you will need a passport issued within the last 10 years, that is also valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU.
Residents of many countries can enter the EU for short stays without a visa. From 2027, all non-EU visitors to the EU will require an ETIAS electronic travel authorisation.
Travel insurance is essential for all Marmot Tours holidays and anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the tour.
We are pleased to offer some tempting discounts off the basic trip cost (not including extras such as single rooms or bike hire):
Please note that there is a maximum 10% discount on any holiday.
We offer transfers from Geneva Airport (GVA) to our start hotel in Thonon-les-Bains on the southern shore of Lake Geneva (a journey of around 1 hr 10 min).
Once hire bikes have been set up or your own bike assembled, we will have a welcome briefing and dinner, which is chance for you to meet your fellow riders and find out how the holiday will work. Those arriving earlier in the day can go for a warm-up ride along the lake for some beautiful views.
Let's go! The gentle and forested 26 km climb of the Col de Jambaz (1028m) is the ideal introduction to cycling in the Haute-Savoie. From the col, you join a quiet alpine road that undulates through tranquil meadows and well-kept villages to the base of the Col de la Ramaz (1619m). This climb is no stranger to the Tour de France and is most famous for the steep middle section hewn out of a sheer cliff. After the ski station of Sommand, the gradients become kinder, and the road opens out into high pastures with extensive alpine views. The descent is glorious! All that remains to be done is riding up to our lovely hotel (with spa facilities) in the centre of Les Gets (1164m), where we spend two nights.
Today’s Classic route is slightly tougher than others on this holiday, but it can be made easier by catching a lift in the van up the steeper section of the Ramaz.
There are a couple of optional extras early in the ride that take in the Col des Moises (1135m), Col de Cou (1116m) and the Col du Feu (1117m), for those wanting some extra km and metres of climbing.
Classic : 63 KM with 1690m ascent [ride profile]
Harder : 68 KM with 2140m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 90 KM with 2720m ascent [ride profile]
The Col de Joux Plane (1691m) is a climb that has to be on every cyclist’s bucket list! It's by no means the highest in the Alps, but it is one of the most characterful. The gradients and scenery are constantly changing, the views towards Mt Blanc are breathtaking, and an idyllic mountain lake and cafe adorn the col. You'll take on the climb from the south, so you get to enjoy the descent into Morzine before climbing up the Col des Gêts (1172m) and back to the hotel. Les Gets in the Summer is a vibrant yet relaxing place to spend the afternoon.
There are a couple of optional extras today. The first is a lovely ride up the Vallée du Fer-à-Cheval (999m) for a look at the famous Cirque. The second is a loop from Morzine up to the Col de la Joux Verte (1760m) and the ski station of Avoriaz. Both are fantastic rides if you want to add a bit more to your day.
Classic : 53 KM with 1390m ascent [ride profile]
Harder : 77 KM with 1720m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 106 KM with 2560m ascent [ride profile]
Today’s destination is the popular Alpine ski station of La Clusaz – a town well worth exploring. To get there, you'll cycle over the Côte de Châtillon-sur-Cluses (741m) and then the Col de la Colombière (1613m) – another Tour de France classic. This punchy 16.3 km climb passes through lush meadows dotted with picture-perfect chalet-style houses. The serenity is only broken by the sound of cowbells – this is Reblochon cheese country!
The optional extras are at the end of the day. Heading up to the lakeside cafe at the Chapelle des Confins (1420m) is a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. Meanwhile, the Col de la Croix Fry (1460m) from the Manigod side will not disappoint those wanting more of a challenge.
Classic : 58 KM with 1500m ascent [ride profile]
Harder : 84 KM with 2240m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 93 KM with 2590m ascent [ride profile]
Bad weather alternative route : 56 KM with 950m ascent
Cycling up the Col des Aravis (1487m) is the perfect way to start any day! It is a truly beautiful climb through stunning alpine scenery.
A mid-morning coffee in Flumet is a good way to psyche yourself up for the series of irregular switchbacks that kick off your next climb – the Col des Saisies (1650m). Its flowing descent offers sweeping views of the Mt Blanc Massif, and is a highlight of this alpine cycling holiday.
Once in the pretty village of Beaufort (where we stay the night), you can retire to spend the afternoon sampling the local Beaufortain cheese. For those who want more cycling, venturing up the quiet dead-end road to the Barrage de Saint-Guerin (1570m) is the obvious choice. Those who like a 'cheeky' gradient might also be tempted to cycle up the Col du Pré (1703m), which is not much more than a surfaced farm track.
Classic : 52 KM with 1380m ascent [ride profile]
Harder : 76 KM with 2220m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 93 KM with 2860m ascent [ride profile]
Bad weather alternative route : 61 KM with 1000m ascent
This morning’s ride is dominated by the Cormet de Roselend (1968m). This is one of the few alpine climbs without a ski resort at the top, making it a scenic journey around the edge of a vast reservoir, past waterfalls, and through picture-postcard alpine meadows inhabited by marmots.
The descent to Bourg-Saint-Maurice is equally magnificent! From here you'll pick up a surfaced cycle path down the river Isère to La Plagne-Tarentaise. Leaving the base of the glaciated valley, we climb over the Côte de Longefoy (1174m) and the Col du Tra (1309m) to Notre-Dame-du-Pré. This was first included in the 2023 edition of the Tour de France and became an instant classic! A technical descent takes you to Moûtiers and onto the spa town of Brides-les-Bains, where we spend the final two nights of our cycling holiday.
If you fancy an easier day, then catching a lift down the Isère Valley (either by train or in our support van) is a good option. Those wanting more (a lot more!) might be tempted to follow in the pedal strokes of Laurent Fignon and take on the road to the ski resort of La Plagne (2093m).
Easier : 76 KM with 1570m ascent [ride profile]
Classic : 85 KM with 2220m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 120 KM with 3570m ascent [ride profile]
Les Trois Vallées is world famous for being a vast ski area. In recent years the governing bodies have seen the rise in cycle tourism in other parts of the Alps, and have evidently decided to trump the lot. They've set about surfacing dirt trails, ski runs, and mountain bike tracks to connect the three valleys. If that's not exciting enough, wait until you hear that these new roads are closed to vehicles! They've created a mecca for road cycling, and today you'll get to check it out.
The Col de la Loze (2304m) provided an exciting ending to the 2023 Tour de France queen stage, as it will to your holiday! You start by climbing to Méribel-les-Allues (1430m), a notable climb in its own right and where the dedicated cycle road begins. Cycling on pristine car-free asphalt through this magnificent high mountain landscape is a unique experience. It might even distract you from the ever-changing (but generally very steep!) gradients and the final wall to the top of the cable car station on the col.
For those of you keen on the ultimate Trois Vallées challenge, your day starts by cycling up to Les Menuires (1800m), where you pick up the new road to the Col de la Tougnète (2400m). This climb is well-positioned to become a future Tour de France favourite. From here, you take the chairlift and cable car to descend to Méribel (as the road down has yet to be finished) and pick up our Classic route to pass over the Col de la Loze to Courchevel.
If this all sounds too much for you, the easier option is cycling to Méribel-Mottaret (1692m) and then nipping around the mountain to Courchevel via La Tania. Whatever route you choose, today will be a truly memorable ride and an unforgettable day!
Easier : 41 KM with 1220m ascent [ride profile]
Classic : 49 KM with 1750m ascent [ride profile]
Challenge : 75 KM with 2820m ascent [ride profile]
Your road cycling holiday in the Alps may be over, but we're certain the memories will last a lifetime!
We offer transfers from Brides-les-Bains to Geneva Airport (GVA), a journey of 2 hr, at specified times in the morning. For those of you travelling by train, we can provide lifts to Moutiers SNCF at specified times.
We hope you’ll have sunshine and perfect cycling temperatures during your holiday, but obviously it’s the one aspect of your trip over which we have no control! Weather in the mountains can be highly changeable, and sometimes extreme. You’re likely to encounter a range of conditions and temperatures during your trip. You should bring warm and waterproof layers to protect you from the cold and rain. This is particularly important for the long descents that you’ll encounter on this trip.
This Classic, flexible-pace holiday itinerary offers a lot of flexibility, with a Classic and a Challenge route available each day (and sometimes an additional easier route too - see the trip description on the webpage for details of the route options available each day). Have a look at the daily stats of distance and climbing on the trip webpage. Although we move on most days, the distance and altitude gain between hotels are manageable for most people who road-cycle regularly. Please get in touch if you’d like further guidance.
Most of the hotels are 3*. Our hotel in Les Gets is a boutique spa hotel of a very high standard, but un-starred. In Beaufort we stay across two different 2* hotels, adjacent to each other. We have selected the hotels for their location and for their customer service towards cyclists. You will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender) unless you book a single room for a supplement (contact [email protected] for availability). Each hotel has a garage/locked room to ensure that your bike has a comfortable night too.
All the hotels have WiFi but it is not always reliable! Some only have WiFi in reception as opposed to in individual rooms. Also, WiFi can be slower in the evenings when many riders choose to upload their routes to Strava, stretching the bandwidth.
We move on most nights of this trip, so opportunities to use hotel laundry facilities (where they exist) are limited. However, we can help dry your hand-washed kit, so consider bringing some hand-wash detergent with you.
The hotels and restaurants we use can cater for most dietary needs and allergies if we know what these are well in advance. Each day, your guides will also double-check with the kitchen, to ensure they have something suitable planned for you.
You can let us know about any special dietary requirements on the booking form or via email. Please note that we request you stick to your dietary preference for the entire trip, as it’s very complicated for the hotels (and guides) if an individual has dietary requirements for some meals and not for others.
Your day will usually start with breakfast from around 08:00 with set off time at around 09:00 to 09:30. Lunch is typically served in restaurants and cafes from 12:00 to 14:00. Depending on which route you choose each day, you’ll be back at the hotel any time between 14:00 and 18:00. Dinner is usually served at 19:30. Your guides may occasionally need to adjust these timings depending on the needs of the group or the weather conditions.
Our holidays are cycling holidays (with an emphasis on cycling!), but you are welcome to have a lift in our vans during the day if you need one, for example if you’re injured, exhausted, or unsure about riding in challenging weather conditions. If you become ill or injured and are not planning to ride for the whole day (or if you would just like a day off the bike!), then we will normally recommend that you take a taxi directly to the next hotel. This will give you the maximum possible time to rest and recover at the hotel, or to enjoy other activities off the bike.
If you have rim brakes on your carbon wheels then we definitely do NOT recommend you bring them on this holiday - this is because we have witnessed several cases of sudden and catastrophic delamination of these wheels on descents. Take a look at our blog about this issue.
If you’re bringing your own bike, then please also bring:
bike lights
a pump
tyre levers
inner tubes
brake pads
a chain link
a spare rear derailleur hanger.
Tools for bike assembly are not required as Marmot Tours has them available for you to use on arrival (including a torque wrench). See FAQS for more detail.
If you are a non-EU national, to enter the EU you will need a passport issued within the last 10 years, that is also valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU.
Residents of many countries can enter the EU for short stays without a visa. From 2027, all non-EU visitors to the EU will require an ETIAS electronic travel authorisation.
Travel insurance is essential for all Marmot Tours holidays and anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the tour.