Cycling Friendly Accommodation
LOCATIONProvence | Mont Ventoux | Lyon, France
2020 TOUR DE FRANCE
4 Day Long Weekend
Cycling in Provence
Mont Ventoux | Lyon
No hidden Credit Card fees.
Take the hassle out of traveling with your bike.
Hire a bike for our 4 Day Tour de France Tour
Itinerary in brief:
2020 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: Thursday 25th June
Finish Date: Wednesday 1st July
Day 1 Thurs 25th June. 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 Fri 26th June. 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 Sat 27th June. 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 Sunday 28th June. 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 Monday 29th June. 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 Tuesday 30th June. 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 Wednesday 1st July. Au revoir – Departure Day
9.30am: After breakfast, Depart Hotel – Airport Drop Off to Nice International Airport.
À bientôt
Our Tour
July each year signals Tour de France time and announce it’s summer. It’s a beautiful time to visit and ride in France. We’ll show you the smaller roads, charming villages and stay in chic French hotels.
It’s with out a doubt the best time to visit France, the villages, the big cities all come to life to the sights, sounds and festivities of the Tour de France.
There’s something beautiful about riding a bike in France in the sun drenched summer, the terrain is almost purpose-built for cyclists who love panoramic climbs, sweeping views and coastal roads, it’s stunning.
France has been our base for the past ten cycling seasons, we know it like the back of our hand, we’ve spent much of that time running speciality cycling trips and tours. We’ve hosted groups to all of France’s beautiful regions, ridden all the best roads, mountains and we’ll show you the best of France on our 4 Day Tour.
We love everything about France, the people, it’s culture, it’s beautiful food, wine, the history, the outdoors, the mountains and it’s love for the biggest sporting event in the world.
We’re looking forward to showing you around Provence, Mont Ventoux, Lyon and the 2020 Tour de France.
Ciao Pat, Grace, Phil and the Team
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
TOUR INCLUSIONS
TOUR EXCLUSIONS
Advance Bookings:
We open up our Advance Reservations for trips so you can book well ahead. Guarantee your position by booking up to 12 months prior.
If you’d like to organise and book your trip more than 12 months prior, contact us via email or phone, we’ll arrange everything so you can make an advanced early 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 14 days of the trip details being published. The (AUD) $750 advance reservation payment will be immediately refunded for any cancellation received within this 14-day period.
Final Payments:
The balance of your trip payment is due no later than 120 days prior to your trip 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 trip, cancel, change or transfer due to personal or medical reasons. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to transfer to another trip that has places available. 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 and restaurants we use, the following cancellation conditions apply to all of our trips.
AFTER BOOKING, IF YOU CANCEL:
| 120 – 91 days prior to departure | 50% cancellation fee of the trip price |
| 90 – 61 days prior to departure | 75% cancellation fee of the trip 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
Your experience is our passion
What Makes Us Première Classe
Experience, Since 2007
We’ve been on the ground running tours for over a decade and have long graduated from the School of Rookie Mistakes. We’ve accumulated thousands of kilometres in knowledge that goes into planning our itineraries and running our trips. When you’re with us, we’ve got your back. We want to see you achieve what you came here for. That’s why we build in contingencies for our contingencies so no matter what challenges the race, road or rain throws at us, we have a solution that will bring a satisfied smile to your face at the end of each day.
Trips Guaranteed To Run
We believe that our trip numbers should never be your problem. Whether our group size is 3 or 33, we run all of our trips to the same premium standard. We value your trust in us and understand how excited you must be. Once you’ve booked your spot on any of our trips, that’s it – you’re coming. So confirm your annual leave, book your flights and start packing!
More Ride Options
We understand that this is your cycling holiday and that you have your own goals and desires. We get to know you and give you a minimum of 3 ride options every day, so you can tailor your trip and manifest your dreams. Our goal is to have you achieve and experience everything you’ve set out to – and more. As corny as it sounds, there is nothing more rewarding for us than your smile at the end of each day. Oh, and hugs. We love hugs, especially after you’ve achieved something so meaningful to you.
Ride More, Transfer Less
We know you’d much rather be sitting on your bike than in a vehicle, so we design our itineraries to ride more and transfer less. There’s a great sense of satisfaction that comes with riding point to point so, whenever possible, we build this into our itineraries. Riding more and transferring less is also achieved by multiple nights stay in strategically located hotels, so there’ll be times throughout the trip where you can unpack your bags and call your room home for a few days.
Spectators Welcome
Whether you’re a fan of Pro Cycling, or your partner is a cyclist – you are welcome and encouraged to join our trips. Taking care of spectators is a specialty of ours. We give you plenty of options throughout the tour. Whether you want to experience the beauty of the ride routes by vehicle and join up with your cycling partner en route, cheer the pro-riders at race viewing points or spend time wondering the beautiful villages and cities we visit – the choice is yours. We ensure you have as much fun and adventure as the cyclists each day.
We Are "Details" Nerds
There really is no other way to put it. We. Love. Details. We consider every inch of your holiday from the pre-tour organising and planning to the on-tour running of it all. Every decision we make is about giving you the best possible experience. We want you to switch off and enjoy the ride. We know what it’s like to work hard for something, and we love to make you feel rewarded for your efforts. Let us handle the details, so all you have to focus on is having the best time and creating lasting memories.
Pro Bike Mechanic & Rider Support
Each trip has a professional bike mechanic and rider support vehicle. We carry a pro-team work stand, extensive toolbox, essential parts, hydration and nutrition aboard our dedicated support vehicle. Should anything occur en route, we’ll have you sorted and back on your bike in no time.
Bike Security
We take the security of your bike and belongings very seriously when you entrust them into our care. We go the extra mile by implementing a number of security measures and only choose hotels that supply us with secure storage options. We are proud to say that since our first tour in 2007, we have never experienced any problems with personal belongings or bike security on any of our trips.
Fabulous Accommodation
We believe accommodation is more than just a bed for the night. It’s a place to call home when you’re living out of a suitcase. We choose a variety of comfortable, characterful and quality accommodation styles to give you a complete experience. From city chic to family run chalets and everything in between.
Global & Local Experience
When you travel across the globe to be with us, we get excited. We love sharing everything we know and love about the people and places we visit. We ride the secret backroads, reveal the best hidden cafés, introduce you to incredible regional produce and have you feeling like one of the locals sooner than you can say bonjour, buongiorno and hola.
Local Lingo
Travelling to a country where the locals don’t speak your language, can be daunting. So that’s where our local lingo can help alleviate your apprehension. We’ll give you some basic tips on how to interact with the locals so you get the most out of your experience. You don’t have to be an expert, just have a go and remember to pack your sense of humour as there’ll be lots of laughing along the way.
Safety & Skills Coaching
We want you to go home to your family in better condition than when you left, so we place importance on your safety and skills. We’ll infuse you with tips, tricks and customs of riding in the countries we visit to give you the best cycling experience in the safest, most enjoyable way. As part of our service, we offer complimentary skills coaching en route for those wanting to hone any area of their biking. Expert skills coaching has been a unique area of our business for over 20-years, having fine-tuned the skills of pro-cyclists, Olympians, national and world champions.
Travel Tips
We’ve learnt a lot about travelling over the years. Once you’ve booked your trip with us, we can advise you on tips and tricks that will help make your travel experience more enjoyable, less stressful and have you well rested and ready to start your trip in optimum form.
Friendships
One thing you may not have considered when booking your future holiday is the opportunity for friendships. We pride ourselves on creating a group culture with great camaraderie that support and cheer for each other. It’s quite common for our trip participants to become lifelong friends (with us and with each other). Friendships that span the globe is one thing that really gives us a warm fuzzy feeling.
Your Goals Matter
Booking a cycling trip is a great motivator to set health, fitness, riding and travel goals. We are here to cheer you on and guide you through your preparation and link you up to other tour participants upon request. On tour, we do everything we can to see you achieve your goals and celebrate those milestones with you. Our flexible yet organised approach means that we’ve never cancelled a landmark ride in our 10+ year history. Your goals matter and we love seeing you reach them.
We Bring Out The Best
This is our philosophy – our heart and soul. At any given time, we bring out the best of that moment. We’ll show you where to stop and smell the roses, take in the most spectacular views, capture the best selfies and drink the best coffees. We are about savouring the moments and reminding you that you are in the best place at the best time.
ABOUT US
Operating since 2007, we offer a range of bespoke cycling tours across Australia, Europe and Asia.