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ULTIMATE ITALY TOURS

Limited Places Available – Secure Your Place.
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Limited Places Available – Secure Your Place.
Book Now
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    TOUR LOCATION

    ITALY

ULTIMATE ITALY TOURS

Experience the very best of Italy.
Our Ultimate Italy Tours showcase a collection of our favourite regions, cities and rides. Immerse yourself in the Italian way of life and experience “la Bella Vita”

Dates: March – October for our set Tours – Alternatively make your own custom tour dates

Tour starts: Milan/Pisa/Siena, Italy
Tour Finishes: Venice/Florence/Pisa, Italy

We’ll experience fantastic rides on iconic roads and climbs with authentic Italian immersion experiences, including local gastronomic delights.

Feel the excitement of the Strade Bianche weekend, or explore our favourite rides around Lake Como/Italian Alps/Italian Dolomites or our local region of Tuscany.

Non-Cyclists

We highly encourage non-cyclists, fans, or cyclists who like to ride a little and or join our non-cycling group on all our tours. Our Tour teams / staff are industry leaders in taking care of our non-cycling groups, or ensuring cyclists taking a day off the bike have many wonderful, varied regional and race interaction experiences. We have dedicated staff, guides to host the daily non-cycling program, race interactions, and cultural immersion experiences.

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Tour Options available for our “Ultimate Italy Tours”

2026 Ultimate Italy Tour

Northern Italy

9 Days

Location:

Northern Italy, Northern Lakes, Italian Alps and Dolomites

Tour Start Location: Milan Region, Italy

Tour Finish Location: Veneto Region, Italy

Dates:

Early Summer Tour June 2026

Late Summer Tour September/October 2026

Rides and Non-Cycling Program:

Daily Rides: 25km – 110km. Multiple supported, guided rides each day [short, medium and long, plus daily optional extra’s]. Ride Our favourite Climbs and Regions.

Non-Cycling group experience daily guided activities – explore local Cities and Regions

MORE DETAILS

2027 Ultimate Italy Tour

Northern Italy

9 Days

Location:

Northern Italy, Northern Lakes, Italian Alps and Dolomites

Tour Start Location: Milan Region, Italy

Tour Finish Location: Veneto Region, Italy

Dates:

Early Summer Tour June 2027.

Late Summer Tour September/October 2027

Rides and Non-Cycling Program:

Daily Rides: 25km – 110km. Multiple supported, guided rides each day [short, medium and long, plus daily optional extra’s]. Ride Our favourite Climbs and Regions.

Non-Cycling group experience daily guided activities – explore local Cities and Regions

ENQUIRE NOW

2027 Ultimate Italy Tour

Tuscany

4 – 9 Days

Location

Tuscany, Italy

Dates

Early Summer Tour June 2027

Late Summer Tour October 2027

Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena

Rides and Non-Cycling Program:

Daily Rides: 25km – 110km. Multiple supported, guided rides each day [short, medium and long, plus daily optional extra’s]. Ride Our favourite Climbs and Regions.

Non-Cycling group experience daily guided activities – explore local Cities and Regions

ENQUIRE NOW

2027 Ultimate Italy

Strade Bianche

4 Days

Location: Siena, Italy

Our Premium Strade Bianche Tour. Experience the best of Siena and the Strade Bianche race on and off the bike. Stay Chic Four Star, Cycling Friendly Hotels

Tour Start Location: Siena, Italy

Tour Finish Location: Siena, Italy

Dates and Details:

Dates TBC

March 2027

Rides and Non-Cycling Program:

Daily Rides: 25km – 110km. Multiple supported, guided rides each day [short, medium and long, plus daily optional extra’s]. Ride Strade Bianche Recon – Plus Strade Bianche Granfondo

Non-Cycling group experience daily guided activities – explore local Towns Plus see the Strade Bianche Race Live!

ENQUIRE NOW

Meet Your Hosts

Our Team are some of the world’s most experienced and credentialed hosts, guides, coaches and all-around good people, they’ll guide you safely through your trip, and you’ll enjoy every minute with them on and off the bike.

Co-Tour Leader - Guido Gazinga
Alpine Expert & Chief Fun Officer- Thierry Favre
Co-Tour Leader - Thierry Favre [Swiss]
Pat Fitzpatrick - Ride International Tours
Pat Fitzpatrick - Directeur sportif
Cycling Guide - Liz Nelson

Our Tours

Our Ultimate Italy Tours show case the very best of Italy, we are excited to show you our favourite regions, rides, local cuisines and wine areas in this beautiful country we call home.

Ultimate Italy Northern Tour – includes the beautiful regions of the Italian Alps, Lombardia Lakes – Lake Como, Dolomite Mountains, including what we rate as the best loop ride in the world, the “Sella Ronda Loop”, plus the Prosecco Hills Wine Region, including the incredible Passo San Boldo and Monte Grappa.

Ultimate Italy Tuscany Tour – Join us and explore the Region of Italy we call home, Tuscany. This picturesque and historic region is a cycling paradise, we will explore the local area around Pisa, Lucca and Florence plus ride the famous vineyards of Chianti and the white roads of Strade Bianche – and of course along the way immerse yourself in the famous Tuscan cuisine and culture.

Ultimate Italy Strade Bianche – Experience one of the best race weekends on the calendar, Strade Bianche. Siena is the perfect place to experience this legendary race weekend. Ride on the famous “White Roads” including a recon ride, Strade Bianche Sportive and watch the race live.

Our Ultimate Italy tours are a combination of the best parts of Italy we have discovered from hosting tours and living in these regions over the past 15 years.

We loved Italy so much we relocated here, we’re sure you’ll love everything about our Ultimate Italy tours on and off the bike, it’s an amazing country to explore, and experience.

Non-Cyclists

We highly encourage non-cyclists, fans, or cyclists who like to ride a little and or join our non-cycling group on all our tours. Our Tour teams / staff are industry leaders in taking care of our non-cycling groups, or ensuring cyclists taking a day off the bike have many wonderful, varied regional and race interaction experiences. We have dedicated staff, guides to host the daily non-cycling program, race interactions, and cultural immersion experiences.

Ultimate Italy photos

  • 2026 and 2027 Ultimate Italy Tours

    Advanced Bookings are open!

    Reserve your spot now on our 2026 and 2027 Ultimate Italy Tours

    2026 Ultimate Italy – Northen Lakes, Italian Alps and Italian Dolomites.
    Dates:

    Early Summer Tour – Sunday 7th June – Monday 15th June

    Late Summer Tour – Late September/Early October

    2027 Ultimate Italy – Northen Lakes, Italian Alps and Italian Dolomites.

    Dates:TBC

    Early Summer Tour – Early June 2027

    Late Summer Tour – Late September/Early October 2027

    2026 Ultimate Italy – Tuscany – Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena

    Dates: TBC

    Late Summer Tour – Late September/Early October

    2027 Ultimate Italy – Tuscany – Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena

    Dates: TBC

    Early Summer Tour – Late June 2027

    Late Summer Tour – Late September/Early October

    2027 Ultimate Italy – Strade Bianche Long Weekend

    Dates: TBC

    Early March 2027

     

    Daily Rides: Our specialist Ultimate Italy Programmes offer a minimum of 3 daily guided rides through our favourites routes and areas in Italy. Daily options between 25km – 100km. Each ride is carefully selected by us to showcase the best roads and climbs of each region. Discover Italy’s beauty and culture by bike, through picturesque countrysides and historic towns. And the best Coffee and Gelato!

    Non-Cycling Program: Each day the non-cyclists have an individual program, we can include plenty of activity or make suggestions on a daily basis, you’ll visit the race, explore Italy, experience a gastronomic paradise, plus you’ll intersect with the cycling group.
    The non-cycling program has some flexibility to build in areas of personal passions and interests, let us know what you’re passionate about and we’ll infuse it into your program.

    2026 and 2027 Ultimate Italy Tours – Pricing

    Below we list our “Indicative Tour Pricing”. We list these prices to give you a good indication of your tour cost, we base our indicative pricing from our previous tour editions. We appreciate these are not fixed prices, our tours are created new each year to accomodate for each new Ultimate Italy route and program.

    We finalise our program and pricing when the race organisation supplies us with all of the official information. We keep everyone who has made an Advanced Booking Deposit with us updated as information comes in. We highly recommend securing your position on the tour of your choice as early as possible. We have limited places available on our Ultimate Italy tours, previous editions of our tours have sold out in the pre-booking stages. You can secure your position by placing an Advanced Booking Deposits with us

    9 Day 2026 Ultimate Italy – Northen Lakes, Italian Alps and Italian Dolomites Tour from AUD$8750 –  pp twin share (Approx. USD$5840)
    Single Room Supplement From: AUD$995 (Approx. USD$660) 

    9 Day 2027 Ultimate Italy – Northen Lakes, Italian Alps and Italian Dolomites Tour from AUD$8750 –  pp twin share (Approx. USD$5840)
    Single Room Supplement From: AUD$995 (Approx. USD$660) 

    9 Day 2026 Ultimate Italy – Tuscany – Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena Tour from AUD$6950 –  pp twin share (Approx. USD$5840)
    Single Room Supplement From: AUD$995 (Approx. USD$660) 

    9 Day 2027 Ultimate Italy – Tuscany – Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Siena Tour from AUD$6950 –  pp twin share (Approx. USD$5840)
    Single Room Supplement From: AUD$995 (Approx. USD$660) 

    4 Day 2027 Ultimate Italy – Strade Bianche  Tour from AUD$3550 –  pp twin share (Approx. USD$5840)
    Single Room Supplement From: AUD$995 (Approx. USD$660) 

    * Our twin share prices are per person based on two people ie couples, partners, friends, family sharing one room. If you are travelling alone, you have the option to have a room to yourself, or will be allocated a room to yourself by paying the additional single room supplement.

    Book now!  or contact us for more details.

Got Questions? Let us know and we’ll get in touch.

We’re currently finalising details for our 2026 Ultimate – Tour de France itinerary as additional information comes in from the race organisation.

In the meantime we can email you a previous Tour de France itinerary as a guide, it’ll give you a lovely indication of how your Tour de France experience, on and off-bike will look and feel. Contact us now

Payments

$750.00 AUD

Hotel Option

Take the hassle out of travelling with your bike.

Hire a bike or e-Bike for our Ultimate Tour de France Tours

Itinerary in brief:

2026 Tour De France, Nice | The Côte d’Azur – French and Italian Riviera.

7 Days | 6 Nights
Stay: The Côte d’Azur
Start / Finish Location: Nice International Airport
Start Date: July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]
Finish Date: July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]

Day 1 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. Arrival Day:
Airport Pick Up: 10am (or 11am meet at our Team hotel)
Details: Transfer to Hotel, Build Bikes.
Ride: 2.30pm, 35km easy coastal ride
7.30pm: Welcome dinner.

Day 2 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. The Italian Job.
Ride: 50 -100km. Ride from our hotel on a coastal loop over the Italian border. Take in the historic final section of Milan San Remo race including the Cipressa and Poggio climbs to San Remo.

Day 3 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. Tour de France Start.
Ride: 35km -100km. From our Team Hotel to Nice, to experience the incredible atmosphere of a Tour de France start. We’ll ride in hills and beautiful villages of the Pre-Alpes d’Azur, then take in all the excitement of the race finish.

Day 4 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. Tour de France – The Hills
Ride: 40 -110km. From our Team Hotel into the hills of the Pre-Alpes d’Azur via the Col de Madone to a key point of today’s stage to watch the race. Return via the race course to Nice in time to see stage 2 finish.

Day 5 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. Chase le Tour
Ride: 40 -100km. Another day of Le Tour de France? As we receive more race route details, we’ll build in a great ride to take in sections of the route if the opportunity presents itself. Let’s see what the race organisers come up with for the third stage of this years tour route.

Day 6 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. St Tropez
Ride: 45km- 120km. From our Team Hotel we ride along the famous roads of the French Côte d’Azur through Cannes and onto St Tropez. Enjoy a relaxing late lunch in the harbour of St Tropez, take a swim and explore this wonderful village.
Afternoon return transfer to our hotel by vehicle. Re-pack bikes.
7.30pm: Farewell dinner.

Day 7 July 2026 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]. Au revoir – Departure Day
9.30am: After breakfast, Depart Hotel – Airport Drop Off to Nice International Airport.
À bientôt

2019 TOUR DE FRANCE  – Full Itinerary

DAY 1 – TUESDAY 16 JULY 2019

ARRIVAL DAY – Toulouse Blagnac Airport. La Ville Rose and Sunflowers loop ride
Welcome to France!

Airport pick up: 10am Toulouse Blagnac Airport
Arrival day ride departs: 1pm
Distance: 50km. Climbing: 250m
TdF Race: Rest Day Albi
Welcome dinner: 7.30pm
Accommodation: Toulouse City Centre – 1 of 2 nights

About our day:

Welcome to Ride International’s Tour de France trip! We start our trip in la Ville Rose (the “Pink City”), Toulouse, named because of the extensive use of pinkish terracotta bricks in the local architecture. Toulouse is well-known for many things, but for cyclists, it is probably best-known for being just a short drive from some of the best cycling in the French Pyrenees.

You have the option of meeting us at our team hotel, or meeting us at the airport before we take a short transfer to our hotel.

We’ll contain our excitement on day one, which a short ride to get to know each other and make sure the bikes and bodies are all in order for the week ahead.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations in Toulouse, it’s a beautiful city rich in culture, history, markets, a good artisan coffee roaster – coffee shop and fantastic shopping.

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Our Ride: La Ville Rose and sunflowers loop

Ride – starts 1pm

After we’ve settled in we’ll head out for an afternoon loop ride. We will head out of Toulouse onto some country roads through rural areas for some sunflower spotting en route. We’ll return via a touristic route past the Canal du Midi and through the small streets of Toulouse’s old town back to our hotel. Today’s ride is a relaxed one to ensure you and your bike are working well.

 TdF Race: TDF Rest Day Albi 

 Après Bike:

7.30pm: Meet in the hotel lobby for a short stroll to our restaurant for our welcome dinner and drinks.

 Accommodation:

Toulouse City Centre – 1 of 2 nights

tour de france
Place Roger Salengro Toulouse
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DAY 2 – WEDNESDAY 17 JULY 2019

Tour de Tarn ride plus Tour de France race start Albi. Ride back to Toulouse – intersect the race at a key point en route

Breakfast: 7am
Depart hotel: 7:45am Ride start: 9:30am
Distance: 40km, 85km, 120km Climbing: 200m – 750m
TdF Race: Albi / Toulouse 167km
Accommodation: Toulouse City Centre – 2 of 2 nights

About our day:

We jump straight into the action on day two and see the Tour de France twice as it snakes its way from Albi to Toulouse – first at the stage depart and then as it nears the finish.

Seeing Le Tour stage depart and watching it pass through smaller French towns is a very different experience, and provides an interesting contrast, to the high-intensity mountain racing that we’ll see later in our tour. We’ll have the luxury of seeing the riders relax before what is expected to be a low-stress stage, and then we’ll get to see an otherwise quiet French town come alive as the race flies through it in the closing stages of the race, rubbing shoulders with locals.

We’ll increase our ride distance today but the route will be relatively flat to allow you to find your legs for the climbing to come in the coming days.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride – starts 9:30am

We’ll take a transfer from our Toulouse hotel to our ride start point on the lovely Tarn River. From there we will follow the river approximately 40km to the Tour de France race start in Albi. After taking in the race start we’ll mount our bikes again and take a more direct ride route to Toulouse. We’ll intersect the Tour de France race route as it nears the finish, as it passes through one of the smaller French villages where we can relax, watch the race finish on TV and return to our hotel on our bikes via sections of the race route to Toulouse.

 TdF Race: Albi / Toulouse 167km 

 Après Bike:

Free Program, let us know your preferred dining style, food types and we’ll point you in the right direction, Toulouse has a vast array of eateries, bars and restaurants.

 Accommodation:

Toulouse City Centre – 2 of 2 nights

French market
Tour de France - French village - Lake Annecy

DAY 3 – THURSDAY 18 JULY 2019

Ride the final 80km of todays Tour de France high mountain stage

Breakfast: 7am
Depart hotel: 7:45am Ride start: 10:30am
Distance: 60km, 85km, 105km Climbing: 2000m
TdF Race: Toulouse / Bagnères-de-Bigorre 202km
Accommodation: Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 1 of 3 nights

About our day:

Today we hit the cols! We’ll take a morning transfer to the French Pyrenees, where you will get your first taste of some serious hills on this year’s tour.

We’ll ride the final part of the Tour de France stage before the riders and will see the race at or near the finish. While coming mid-way through the Tour de France, this is the first Pyrenean stage of this year’s Tour de France and it is sure to be exciting to watch as the riders test each others’ fatigue levels as they head into the second part of the race.

We’ll also need to keep our fatigue levels in mind as we head into a series of decent climbing days, with this one just being something of an entrée.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride – starts 10:30am 

After our transfer from Toulouse, we’ll ride the final 80km of today’s Tour de France medium mountain stage. This will take us over the Col du Peyresourde (where Chris Froome launched his memorable ‘descent attack’ on stage 8 of the 2016 Tour to win the stage) and then the Hourquette d’Ancizan before we ride to the race finish area in Bagneres de Bigorre.

After the Tour de France race finish you can choose to ride the ‘mostly downhill’ route back to our chic Spa and Bike hotel in Lourdes in the Pyrenees, or you can save the legs and take a short transfer back.

 TdF Race: Toulouse / Bagnères-de-Bigorre 202km 

 Après Bike:

7.45pm:  Meet in the hotel lobby for dinner at our hotel.

 Accommodation:

Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 1 of 3 nights

Peyresourde
Tour de France race
lourdes-hotel--lobby

DAY 4 – FRIDAY 19 JULY 2019

Col du Solour – Col d’Aubisque High Mountain Loop

Breakfast: 7am
Ride departs hotel: 8am
Distance: 30km, 45km, 90km (optional riding extras: Hautacam ski station +30km / 1200m) Climbing: 1200m – 2400m
TdF Race: Pau / Pau Time Trial 27km
Accommodation: Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 2 of 3 nights

About our day:

While Lourdes is famous the world over for its holy water and associated religious pilgrimages, we like it because it is at the gateway to one of the most magical cycling valleys in the French Pyrenees. Today we’ll dive right in, departing from our hotel for an incredible day in the mountains.

We’ll take in two legendary cols, the Col du Solour and the Col d’Aubisque for a relatively short loop but one that is big on elevation and spectacular scenery.This is high mountain cycling at its very best, wild horses, sheep and goats are free to roam the pastures up here. For those wanting a few more kilometres, there is an optional extra ride up the Hautacam.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride – starts 8am

Today we’ll ride from the door of our hotel and ascend two of the most famous cols in the Pyrenees – the Col du Solour, then traverse across to the Col d’Aubisque. We’ll pause for snack, coffee or maybe even lunch at one of the chalets prior to heading back across to the Col du Soluor. We then loop back to Lourdes after a big day out in the Pyrenees. We’ll be back in time to watch the finish of the Tour de France time trial live on TV.

Riding Extras: If you’re still feeling great after the Col d’Aubisque and Solour and need extras on the day – we’ll point you in the direction of the famously tough Hautacam climb. This climb can be found just off our route back to Lourdes. While it will only add approximately 30km (and 1200m altitude) to your day, the gradients of the Hautacam are tough and this little side-trip will likely take well over two hours to complete!

 TdF Race: Pau / Pau Time Trial 27km 

 Après Bike:

Free program: Let us know your preferred dining style, food types and we’ll point you in the right direction, Lourdes has a vast array of eateries, bars (even a great Belgian bar), restaurants and the best gelato outside of Italy.

 Accommodation:

Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 2 of 3 nights

Aubisque
Aubisque
  • lourdes-hotel-terrace
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DAY 5 – SATURDAY 20 JULY 2019

Col du Tourmalet Loop, see the race on the lower slopes

Breakfast: 7am
Depart hotel: 8am Ride start: 9am
Distance: 55km, 65km, 80km, 105km Climbing: 750m – 2300m
TdF Race: Tarbes / Tourmalet 117km
Accommodation: Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 3 of 3 nights

About our day:

Today we ride the Col du Tourmalet! One of the most famous climbs in the French Pyrenees, the Tourmalet is a big and beautiful climb – one that every serious cyclist should tick off in their lifetime. We’ll tackle it from the eastern side, hit the summit and descend down the other side to watch the Tour de France tear onto the lower slopes as it tackles the Tourmalet in the opposite direction.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride starts 9am 

Depending on how your legs are feeling, you can choose where to start your day along our route: Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Campan, Sainte Marie De Campan or La Mongie. Regardless of the start point, our route will take in the Col du Tourmalet loop in a clockwise direction and we’ll tackle the great Tourmalet from the eastern side.

Having summited the highest paved road in the Pyrenees, we’ll then take the winding descent to the picturesque valley town of Luz-Saint-Sauveur. There we’ll watch the race live on TV as it approaches, before stepping out to the roadside to see it charge onto the lower slopes of the Col du Tourmalet. Then, we’ll ride the mostly-downhill route back to Lourdes to complete our loop, finishing on a quiet and gentle local bike path that will feel a million miles away from the hallowed slopes of the Tourmalet.

 TdF Race: Tarbes / Tourmalet 117km 

 Après Bike:

Suggested Sports Recovery Drink: Anything dark from the Belgian beer bar near the bridge over the river in town.

Free program: Let us know your preferred dining style, food types and we’ll point you in the right direction again. Lourdes is great for bars and restaurants. (Have you tried the gelato yet?)

 Accommodation:

Pyrenees – Lourdes Spa and Bike Hotel – 3 of 3 nights

Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet
lourdes-hotel-spa-room

DAY 6 – SUNDAY 21 JULY 2019

Medieval Citadel – Gorge Ride and Dinner at our Chateau

Breakfast: 7am
Depart hotel: 8am Ride start: 3:30pm
Distance: 30km, 60km Climbing: 600m – 950m
TdF Race: Limoux / Foix 185km
Accommodation: Provence – Mazan Chateau Hotel – 1 of 2 Nights

About our day:

We are transferring from the Pyrenees to the Alps today, and will break the transfer up with a stop-in at the medieval citadel of Carcassonne. There we’ll stretch the legs and explore this historic village. We’ll then complete our transfer across to the base of the Giant of Provence – Mont Ventoux – in Mazan. After we’ve settled in to our chateau, we’ll head out for an afternoon ride to ease ourselves into the Alps.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride – starts 3:30pm

With a few days of solid climbing under our belt, and with plenty more to come, we’ll give the bodies and legs a well-earned rest and take in a leisurely ride along the beautiful and breathtaking roads of the Gorge de la Nesque, near our hotel in Mazan. What this ride lacks in distance and elevation, it more than makes up for in spectacular scenery.

 TdF Race: Limoux / Foix 185km 

 Après Bike:

Suggested Sports Recovery Drink: Ice cold Cote du Rhone Rose.

7:30pm: Three course dinner including regional Ventoux and Cote du Rhone wine at our chateau.

 Accommodation:

Provence – Mazan Chateau Hotel – 1 of 2 Nights

Carcassonne wall
Gorges-de-la-Nesque
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  • mazan-provence-hotel-chambre
  • mazan-provence-hotel-bath
  • mazan-provence-hotel-restaurant
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DAY 7 – SUNDAY 22 JULY 2019

Mont Ventoux – Celebration dinner and drinks at our Chateau

Breakfast: 7am
Depart hotel: 7:45am Ride start: 8:30am
Distance: 30km, 45km, 60km (Optional riding extras: Fancy a double ascent of Mont Ventoux?  Add 42km and 1550m) Climbing: 2100m
TdF Race: Rest Day
Accommodation: Provence – Mazan Chateau Hotel – 2 of 2 nights

About our day:

While the Tour de France has a rest day scheduled, there will be little rest for us as we will be tackling the most famous climb in cycling – Mont Ventoux!

After a short morning transfer to the town of Bédoin, we will have a number of options available for you to reach the summit of the Giant of Provence. We’ll have all day, so we can take our time and really soak up this magical mountain.

Non-cycling options:

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations.

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Our Ride:

Ride starts 8:30am

It’s not called the ‘Giant of Provence’ for nothing, and we’ll have a number of ride options available so that everyone can tackle a route they are comfortable with and make it to the summit.

You can choose to climb the full 22km, or tackle shorter options of 18km, 10km or 6km (from Chalet Reynard) to the the top. Each of these options will pass by the Tom Simpson memorial en route to the top.

From the top of Mount Ventoux, it’s a lovely run down to Malaucene where a coffee, snack or lunch will revitalise you. If you are keen for more, you’ll have the option of tackling Mont Ventoux for a second time, from Malaucene. Alternatively, if one summit of the most famous climb in cycling is enough for you, you can leave Malaucene bound for Bédoin to finish our loop. From here you have the choice to cycle back to our chateau or travel in the vehicle.

 TdF Race: Rest Day 

 Après Bike:

Suggested Sports Recovery Drink: After a fantastic day on the Giant of Provence, it’s a tough choice between a cold local craft beer or a G&T, either one will have you rehydrated quickly and ready to go again tomorrow.

7:30pm: We’ll have dinner, including local wines, at our chateau.

 Accommodation:

Provence – Mazan Chateau Hotel – 2 of 2 Nights

Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux

TOUR INCLUSIONS

  • Cycling Friendly Accommodation
  • Daily breakfasts
  • Welcome pack compliments of Ride International Tours
  • Welcome and farewell dinner and drink (additional evening meals as per detailed itinerary)
  • Experienced guides for cycling and non-cyclists groups
  • Minimum of three guided ride options per day, to suit your preferred distance and amount of climbing
  • Pro mechanical support on tour
  • Support vehicle each day to carry daypacks, spare parts, hydration and ride snacks
  • Separate Spectator Itinerary for Non-cyclists
  • Itinerary, including daily ride maps
  • Free download of our GPS Ride Routes. Assistance with loading and navigation settings for GPS devices
  • Complimentary tour start and finish - pickup and dropoff transfers
  • Daily Bike Spa including, Mechanical check and tune, by a Pro Mechanic
  • Where available cycling kit laundry service
  • Our Premium Quality Rider Pack includes: Jersey and Custom Scicon Wet/Rain Bag *Our custom cycling kit orders are placed with our supplier at least 150 days before the tour departure date. Bookings made after this period may result in receiving generic merchandise, subject to availability.
  • Our Premium Quality Spectator Pack includes: Designer Ride International Tours Polo Shirt, Custom Scicon Bag *Our custom tour merchandise orders are placed with our supplier at least 60 days before the tour departure date. Bookings made after this period may result in receiving generic merchandise, subject to availability.

TOUR EXCLUSIONS

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Meals and drinks not specified in itinerary
  • Drinks other than those specified
  • Bicycle Parts and Mechanical Fees for additional repairs

Pat and Grace worked tirelessly to make sure everyone’s needs and expectations were met

S. Charlton (2015)Queensland, Australia

A big thanks to you for making my trip, as a non-rider, very memorable

L. Green (2010) New Zealand

Grace and Pat go above and beyond to make sure you have a good time

Steph W. (2015, 2014 & 2013)NSW, Australia

Nothing was too much trouble, their demeanour was always cheery

Andrew S. (2014)Melbourne, Australia

Knowledgeable, multilingual, always helpful, a great team

Tommy. E (2016, 2014, 2013, 2012)USA

Grace is the most organised of guides, no request is too unusual or difficult

A. Saunders (2017)Victoria, Australia

You took care of my wife wonderfully… I am grateful and appreciative

David S. (2016)Canada

Thanks very much for a highly enjoyable and excellently run tour

Daren A. (2012)QLD, Australia

Grace and Pat are remarkable. Thank you so much!

Claudia H. (2104)Canada

Grace… you are warm, inclusive and infectious in your enthusiasm

John H. (2014)Australia

Pat and his team did an absolutely brilliant job

L. Hocking (2015)Victoria, Australia

Big thanks to Grace & Patrick… we had a Brilliant time

Andrew E (2016)Australia

The trip ran like clock work… all we had to worry about was enjoying ourselves

Ben K. (2013)NSW, Australia

Grace… you are still as efficient and organised as always

Richard B. (2016, 2012)Western Australia

Pat’s leadership gave everyone what they needed

Peter F. (2010)New Zealand
Advance Bookings:

We open up our Advance Reservations for trips early so you can book and plan well ahead. We guarantee your position by booking prior. If you’d like to organise and book your trip further out than the dates/years we have listed on our website, please contact us via email, phone, & or video call and we’ll arrange everything so you can place an advanced booking.

An advance booking, accompanied by a fully refundable $750 AUD (Australian Dollar) ensures priority booking status when the trip details are announced. Note, an advance booking is not considered final until payment is received.

Once specific trip itinerary details are finalized, we’ll contact everyone on the advance reservation list via email, we’ll include the itinerary and offer a priority booking position before opening up bookings to the wider community.

If a trip fills – as it often does in the advance bookings, we create a waiting list and then offer reservations on a first-come, first-serve basis (based on the date the advance reservation was made) once our advanced booking guest have finalised.

To cancel an advance booking submitted in writing/ via email within 10 days of the trip details being published. The (AUD) $750 advance reservation payment will be immediately refunded for any cancellation received within this 10-day period.

Travel Insurance:

As a Ride International Tour participant, it is compulsory to have your own travel insurance. We recommend activating your travel insurance as soon as you’ve placed your booking deposit to ensure you are covered from the outset. Please ensure that your policy includes coverage for:

  • Cancellation charges
  • Medical expenses in the event of an accident or illness.
  • Baggage
  • Cycling activities and associated risks
  • Cycling equipment

We encourage each participant on our tours to contact your travel agent, and or travel insurance provider directly. Your travel insurance experts are best equipped to provide clarification, recommendations for best providers and or further information on the cover that suits your specific needs.

Final Payments:

Please Note: Our Tour de France Tours, and various other tours operate in the “Peak European Travel Season” each year. Our Tour de France tours take place in the regions, towns and city’s in the vicinity of the Tour de France, hence it’s considered “Ultra Peak Season” by our suppliers.

Our suppliers engage their special conditions during “Ultra Peak Travel Season”, including non-refundable payments for bookings to secure the needs to operate our Tour de France tours.

Our Tour de France tours require payment conditions which include a 50% tour progress payment once we supply our tour “Itinerary in Brief”. We forward your first progress payment invoice/s via email, these tour progress payments made to Ride International to secure your position/s on the tour are non-refundable by our suppliers.

Travel Insurance is compulsory for guests on all our tours, should you need to cancel your tour once your tour progress payment/s have been made, contact us via email to notify us of your intention to cancel. We can provide you with written confirmation that your tour position/s have been cancelled, this confirmation of cancellation can then be forwarded by guests onto your travel insurance provider for their consideration.

The balance of your tour payment/s is due no later than 150 days prior to your tour departure date, we will forward via email your final payment invoice. You can choose to make full payment earlier if you prefer to finalise your trip payment early, contact us and we will arrange for an invoice to be sent.

What if I have to transfer, change or cancel my trip:
We understand you may not be able to go on your tour, you have the option to cancel, change or transfer due to personal or medical reasons if you’ve paid a tour advance booking deposit, and or it’s within 10 days of receiving your tour “Itinerary in Brief. Post the 10 day period after you have received your “Itinerary in Brief”, tour payments, progress payments are considered final, non-refundable. If you have a question give us a call or email.

Due to the high demand, limited hotel availability and the advance payments expected by our hotels, various suppliers, and restaurants we use, the following cancellation conditions apply to all of our trips.

AFTER BOOKING, IF YOU CANCEL:

Prior to 150 days before to departure 50% cancellation fee of the tour price
149 – 61 days prior to departure 75% cancellation fee of the tour price
60 days and less prior to departure 100% cancellation fee of the trip price
10

Years of Experience

63

Tours Completed

1,384

Trip Guests

32,926km

Cycled on Tour

238

Hotels Visited

OUR GUEST REVIEWS

Star rate
“Thanks very much for a highly enjoyable and excellently run tour. You and your team certainly exceeded my expectations, not only with the rides but local knowledge which helped make life simple.”

- Daren A . QLD, Australia

Star rate
“It is the small things that you guys do behind the scenes that makes all the difference. It was an amazing experience to ride in Italy and experience the Giro first hand. Thanks again and looking forward to the next tour.”

- Stephen P . QLD, Australia

Star rate
“Both Pat and Grace have excellent people skills, they build relationships quickly, they were always well organised with itineraries or plans for the day re weather, road changes, or unexpected issues that arose. Hard work from them made our tour of two weeks a dream holiday along with all the extra drama of the biggest cycling race in the world.”

- J. & I. Aplin . Napier, New Zealand

Star rate
“I first met Pat and Grace on a cycling tour in Europe in 2013. Pat and Grace make the perfect team to run these types of tours, both are friendly, bubbly and outgoing in their personalities and each bring their own invaluable skills to touring with a group.”

- A. Saunders . Victoria, Australia

Star rate
“Wow, two of the greatest tour guides I know. Knowledgeable, multilingual, always helpful, a great team to handle your once in a life time tour. I’ve done at least 4 two-week cycle tours with one or both of this husband wife team. Every one has been extraordinary. You will not go wrong with one of these two as your tour coordinators.”

- Tommy. E . USA

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