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    France

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    L’ETAPE

2025 ULTIMATE TOUR DE FRANCE

Experience the thrills and excitement of the 2025 Tour de France.

2025 Tour de France Race Dates:

Saturday 5th July – Sunday 27th July, 2025
Race start: Lille France
Race Finish: Champs Elysee, Paris France

Tour Options Available For 2025 Tour de France Tours

6 Day Grand Depart Tour:
Lille Region, Northern France
Ride and experience TDF Stages 1-4, Plus ride and visit the regions famous Spring Classics roads, monuments and locations yet in the comfort of summer conditions.
Dates:
Day 0: [Pre Tour] Thurs 3rd July, 2025
Day 1: Fri 4th – Day 6: Wed 9th July, 2025
Tour Start & Finish Location:
Lille, France or Kortrijk, Belgium

Ultimate Tour de France Tours:

7 Day Ultimate Tour de France – Final Week of TDF
Dates:
Day 0: Pre Tour Mon 21st, July [Suggested arrival day, non-inclusion hotel night]
Day 1: Tues 22nd July – Day 7: Mon 28th, July 2025
Tour Start Location: Avignon, Provence France
Tour Finish Location: Paris

10 Day Ultimate Tour de France Tour
Final 10 Days of TDF
Dates:
Day 0: Pre Tour Fri 18th, July [Suggested arrival day, non-inclusion hotel night]
Day 1: Sat 19th July – Day 10: Mon 28th, July 2025
Tour Start Location: Lourdes, Pyrenees France
Tour Finish Location: Paris

13 Day Ultimate Tour de France Tour
Final 13 Days of TDF
Dates:
Day 0: Pre Tour Tues 15th, July [Suggested arrival day, non-inclusion hotel night]
Day 1: Wed 16th July – Mon 28th, July 2025
Tour Start Location: Toulouse, France
Tour Finish Location: Paris

2025 The Ultimate Grand Tour – Tour de France Tour
19 Day Grand Tour de France:
6 Day Grand Depart Tour + Final 13 Day Tour
Day 0: [Pre Tour] Thu 3rd July, 2025
Day 1: Fri 4th – Wed 9th July, 2025
Thurs 10th – Tues 15th July. Transfer + Free Program, explore days.
Plus Final 13 Day Tour:
Day 0: Pre Tour Tues 15th, July [Suggested arrival day, non-inclusion hotel night]
Day 1: Wed 16th – Day 13: Mon 28th, July 2025

Tour Start Location: Lille, France or Kortrijk, Belgium
Tour Mid Point: Toulouse, France.
Tour Finish Location: Paris
*Contact us for more details for the Grand Tour program.

About Our Tour de France Tours
We’ll experience fantastic rides on iconic roads, intercept the race at strategic locations combined with an authentic French immersion experience, including local gastronomic delights.

Feel the excitement of experiencing the Tour de France stages and being at the finish of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysee in Paris. VIP Experiences available, contact us.

*NB. We email and update guests regularly who’ve booked on our tour. We send over more detailed additional official information from the race organisation as they layer in information.
Contact us if you’d like additional information, or have questions regarding our tours, we’d love to have you along and show you France and the Tour de France.

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.

Our Tours

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.

Southern France was our base for over ten cycling seasons, we know France like the back of our hand, we’ve spent much of that time hosting speciality cycling 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 action-packed Ultimate Tour de France tours.

We love everything about France, the people, it’s arts and culture, it’s beautiful food, wine, history, outdoors, the mountains and it’s love for the biggest sporting event in the world.

We’re looking forward to showing you the Ultimate Tour de France experience including our loop rides of Alpe D’huez, Mont Ventoux, Paris and many more beautiful places in France, plus of course the excitement of the 2025 Tour de France race.

We’re looking forward to welcoming you in France.
Ciao Pat, Grace, and the Ride International Tours Team.

Ultimate Tour de France photos

J_Feros
J_Feros
2020-07-28
Excellent day out We joined Grace and Pat for their Old Willunga Hill one day tour during the Tour Down Under. Despite not having been with the group the rest of the week we were welcomed in and enjoyed a wonderful day out. The day was perfectly planned from the ride out, to the lunch and location right near the finish of the stage. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend and we will hopefully make our way onto another tour in the future.
Steven
Steven
2020-07-24
Well planned and executed Tour Down Under 2020 Grace and Pat put us in excellent accommodations with great facilities. They planned routes for people with all riding abilities and even for non-riders. The aperitif get-togethers showcased different wines, beers and ales of Southern Australia. The rider support was great, they took care of us and our personal bikes. I will travel with them again.
Dave
Dave
2020-07-24
Fantastic experience I had a great week at the Tour Down Under. We rode all the beautiful hills of Adelaide. We had different riding each day and we saw parts of the race each day. Some days we saw the start and some days we saw the finish. It was very exciting. The Ride International crew were fantastic. They took care of every detail. My bike was ready when I arrived. They had ride snacks and beverage out every morning and at our stops along the way. We had three receptions throughout the week and some evenings to ourselves. Thank You Pat and Grace and staff.
Jamie K
Jamie K
2020-07-23
Brilliantly run trips Did TdU and TdF tours in 2019 with Pat and his team. Very well run tours, every detail thought of, all levels of rider catered for - highly recommend
Michael Valenti
Michael Valenti
2020-07-23
La mia nuova famiglia. My new family. Traveling to new places is always exciting, but meeting new people and making new friends is what's most important to me. Pat, Grace and the Ride International Team are still in touch with me today. When you tour with RI you tour with family. You're welcomed into their home, into their world of cycling and you become one of the family. I've been to the Tour Down Under and the Giro with them and I can tell you there was never a hitch. From cleaning the bikes to Five Star meals every detail covered. Every want met. And the best thing is you get to choose them for your next adventure. Grazie Grace and Pat.
Chris
Chris
2020-07-23
Treatment like a pro I traveled with Ride International Tours at the 2019 Tour Down Under and again in 2020. We were shown all the sights of Adelaide, shown the best vantage points of the race and had the chance to ride Adelaide's Mt Lofty, Glenelg Beaches, Barossa wine region, Corkscrew climb, Norton Summit and the famous Willunga Hill. Pat and Grace really go out of their way to ensure everyone is having a good time on or off the bike!
Chris S
Chris S
2020-07-23
Tour de smiles Pat and his fellow guides knew the roads of the TDU fastidiously and were continuously greeted with smiles wherever we went. Whether it was on the side of the road in a climb, in a bar or in the bike - Pat and Grace bring a smile to everyone’s face who has ever met them. Absolute treasures.
Ursus R
Ursus R
2020-07-23
TDU with Ride International Tours My trip to the Tour Down Under with Ride International was excellent from start to finish. The accommodation was good, the food was great, the support riders knew what they were doing and the rides were well chosen. Pat and Grace are both total legends.
  • 2025 TOUR DE FRANCE TOURS

    Advanced Bookings are open!

    Reserve your spot now on our 2025 Tour de France Tours. See Tour Options below. – Book now!  or contact us for more details.

    6 Day Grand Depart – Lille, France Tour Dates:
    Day 0: Thurs 3rd July, 2025
    Day 1: Fri 4th – Day 6: Wed 9th July, 2025

    7 Day Tour Dates: Tues 22nd – Mon 28th, July 2025

    10 Day Tour Dates: Sat 19th – Mon 28th, July 2025

    13 Day Tour Dates: Wed 16th – Mon 28th, July 2025

    Tour de France Race Dates: Saturday 5th – Sunday 27th July, 2025

    Daily Rides: Our specialist Tour de France programs include our classic loop rides of the Tour de France including: The Alps, Alpe D’huez, Mont Ventoux, Pyrenees and many more beautiful rides, plus we’ll intersect the race at various strategic points. We have daily ride distances and degrees of difficulty to suit riders of all abilities, each day we offer a minimum of three ride options: “Short, Medium, Long” no matter how little or how far you like to cycle, we’ve got you covered. Need optional extra km’s to ride each day – we’ve got you covered for that too.

    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 France, experience a gastronomic Tour of France, 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.

    Tour de France: Multiple stage viewing points, plus the grand finale for our Ultimate Tour de France Tours – The finish location has been confirmed as Champs Elysee, Paris

    2025 Tour de France Tours

    [Indicative Pricing Based on 2024 TDF Tours] Cyclists and Non-Cyclists:
    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 new each year to accomodate for each Tour de France route.

    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 Tour de France 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

    6 Day Grand Depart Lille, France Tour from AUD$4975 – AUD$5250 pp twin share (Approx. USD$3150 – USD$3350)
    6 Day Grand Depart Lille, France. Single Room Supplement From: AUD$750- AUD$825 (Approx. USD$480 – USD$525)

    7 Day Tour from AUD$6100 – AUD$6450 pp twin share (Approx. USD$4280 – USD$4420)
    7 Day Single Supp From: AUD$800 -$925 (Approx. USD$550-USD$670)

    10 Day Tour from AUD$7450 – AUD$7950 pp twin share (Approx. USD$4950 – USD$5075)
    10 Day Single Supp From: AUD$975 -$1150 (Approx. USD$679-USD$770)

    13 Day Tour from AUD$8990 – AUD$9450 pp twin share (Approx. USD$5970 – USD$6250)
    13 Day Single Supp From: AUD$1250 -$1450 (Approx. USD$850-USD$970)

    ROOMS / SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

    * Our twin share prices are per person based on two people ie couples, partners, family, friends 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.

    2025 Tour de France Start Location: Lille, France. Four stages confirmed for the northern France Grand Depart.

    Our Ultimate Tour de France Tours
    Final 13 Days – Start Location: Toulouse, France
    Final 10 Days – Start Location: Lourdes, France
    Final 7 Days – Start Location: Avignon, France

    Our Tour Finish: Location: Paris, France. Date: Monday 28th July, 2025.
    After a relaxing morning and a superb French Farewell breakfast, we offer a 10am transfer to the Charles de Gaulle airport for those who’d like to depart today.

We’re currently finalising details for our 2025 Ultimate – Tour de France itineraries as we collate more information from the race organisation.

In the meantime we can email you our itinerary in brief/s, they have all of the foundation information for our 2025 tours, including dates, tour start and finish locations, travel suggestions, ride and non-cycling plans, and race interactions. We can also email previous final Tour de France itineraries as a guide, they’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 your Ultimate Tour de France Tour

Itinerary in brief:

2024 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 2025 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]
Finish Date: July 2025 [Dates TBC – To Be Confirmed as soon as we official confirmation from the race organisation]

Day 1 July 2025 [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 2025 [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 2025 [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 2025 [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 2025 [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 2025 [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 2025 [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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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.


ri-bike3-55
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

TOUR EXCLUSIONS

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
RICHARD SANSOMRICHARD SANSOM
05:47 12 May 24
A truly exceptional adventure with a wealth of experience from the team in both travel advice, history of the regions, food and riding. totally memorable.
Nick WebsterNick Webster
23:03 19 Apr 24
Amazing tour experience with truly professional guides. This was the perfect way to watch the Tour Down Under and explore Adelaide. Well worth the cost of travel to Australia from Arizona
Dermot AnglimDermot Anglim
23:42 18 Apr 24
Had a great time at the Tour Down Under with this organisation. The guides were wonderful, experienced and friendly. Nothing was to difficult when asked. I would recommend Ride International to everyone who is interested on seeing and riding around tours.
Thomas JohnstonThomas Johnston
12:56 18 Apr 24
Pat, Nicolas, Stefaan, and Rudy were a great team. The whole tour was a fantastic experience as they are very personable and want you to have a great experience. Everything ran like clockwork and every detail was accounted for, with great hotels and delicious food. This made it a relaxing trip and I was able to enjoy my experience at De Ronde van Vlaanderen! I will definitely use them in the future for a cycling holiday. Cheers!
Ivana CicchelliIvana Cicchelli
08:41 02 Feb 24
Pat shared a wealth of knowledge and had me improving literally within minutes - if you want to improve your bike handling skills, Pat’s your man!
Incredible 9day experience with Ride International as part of a private tour - French Alps to Côte d'Azur.The support from Rudy and Pat throughout the tour was outstanding.Accommodation, food and ride options were a truly memorable experience.I’d highly recommend Ride International if you are looking for a tour company who truly care about their customers and the experience as a whole.
deniz kochdeniz koch
08:58 11 Jul 23
We had 9 days riding tours with ride International team in French alps and crossed Italy for Sanremo- Monaco - Nice coastal.We had most amazing experience while riding and also when not riding . The attention to details , the hotel selections , restaurant selection and. The location were all Awsome .Pat was not just a great team leader but also helped us in decending techniquesRudy, ex pro machineWon’t be our last tour with this Awsome team for sure .
Jim BomkloJim Bomklo
22:25 16 Apr 23
Ride International Tours is fantastic. Pat, Grace and the entire team are experienced, genuine, helpful, passionate and very good at what they do. My son Tyler and I had the trip of a lifetime, with experiences and memories that we are so thankful for. If you are interested in a cycling vacation, I could not recommend a company more that Ride International.
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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:

The balance of your trip payment is due no later than 150 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:

150 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

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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