LOCATIONFrench – Swiss Alps
START | END
Start: Lyon International Airport – or Grenoble Train Station, France.
Finish: Zurich or Geneva International Airport.
DURATION
Days | Nights
Flexible to suit each group’s requirements
May – October each year
Advance bookings are open!
$750 reserves your spot for a Bespoke French – Swiss Alps Tour.
No hidden Credit Card fees.
No products found which match your selection.
Welcome to the French – Swiss Alps Tour
We’ve designed our French – Swiss Alps Tour, to give you inspiartion, ideas and suggestions of whats possible for Bespoke or DIY (Do It Yourself) Tours in Europe.
Whether you’d like your Bespoke or DIY tour to take in parts of Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany or Switzerland, just to name a few, we’ve got you covered.
We can design your dream cycling, non-cycling and off bikeholiday, wether you’d like a private tour for a couple, individuals, a small group of friends, a cycling club, what ever your needs – we’ll take care of the rest.
We’ll use our vast experience to design the perfect itinerary for your needs. We can provide: As much – or As little as you need.
Including: cycling specific vehicles, drivers, rider support vehicles, non-cycling program, electronic or printed ride routes, event entries, cycling friendly hotels, cycling guides, cycling mechanic, restaurant reccommendations – bookings, recommend excellent additional tours and activities to suit your personal interests or just about anything you can imagine to make your dream tour / holiday come true.
[read on for our suggestions for our French – Swiss Alps Tour]
Sample Itinerary:
Arrive: Into beautiful, Lyon International Airport – or Grenoble TGV Trainstation. Short transfer via vehicle.
Ride: First up we ride in the foothills of the French Alps in the Chartreuse Mountains, we’ll traverse through historic Grenoble and pause for our first taste of cultural immersion at a local patisserie for a well earned snack, hydration stop and enjoy some French time.
Apres Ride: Indulge and relax in our wonderful 4 star hotel’s natural, thermal water pool, the water is high in sulphide and salt, it’s the perfect way to relax and recover from travel and or a ride.
The slow pace of our village, location and the beautiful grounds of our historic hotel all add up to create the perfect start location to your tour / holiday
Dinner: Due to the warm climate, pure mountain air and our wondefull surrounds, tonight we’ll dine alfresco and enjoy beautifully prepaired local ingredients over a three course welcome dinner and drinks
The French | Swiss Alps: The spectacular Alps form a natural border between Switzerland, France and parts of Italy. The unparalleled views across the Alps make the journey worthwhile, even if it’s just to see this incredibly beautiful and unique landscape.
We offer plenty of flatter roads to ride and or for non cyclist the chance to be active each day, to hike, walk or explore in the regions we visit. The cycling group can choose the legendary Cols including: Alpe d’Huez, Glandon/ Croix de Fer, Telegraph/Galibier, Izoard, and many more of the climbs and cycling routes made famous by the Tour de France.
In Switzerland we’ll enjoy plenty of great undulating rides around stunning postcard like Swiss lakes, climb remote Swiss Alpine roads to iconic James Bond like locations including the Gottard Pass, Andermatt, take in legendary roads used by the Tour of Switzerland and visit secret roads to view the famous Eiger mountain.
Local immersion through food, language, local delicacies and experiences are a key ingredient for a truly memorable cycling holiday, we’ll take you to the best places to sample beautiful local prepaired speciality foods, wines, craft beers, cool drinks and regional products.
Our Tour Highlights
French – Swiss Alps Tour
French Alps: Alpe d’Huez, Glandon/ Croix de Fer, Telegraph/Galibier, Izoard
Swiss Alps: Gottard Pass, Interlaken, Andermatt, Zurich
Our Tour – Sample Itinerary
Day 1
Airport pick up: 8am Lyon International Airport, France
Transfer: 1.5 Hours to Alps Hotel
Tour start: 10.30am Hotel. Assemble bikes
Ride: 11am. Foothills, Grenoble, Chartreuse Mountains Local Loop 50km.
Non-Cycling: Morning – Explore the local area or prepare for the trip ahead. Afternoon, relax and enjoy the wonders of our natural thermal spa town village or take a trip into Grenoble for some shopping on the high street.
Overnight: French Alps
Meals: Welcome Dinner.
Day 2
Ride: Alpe D’Huez – Col du Sarenne, Secret Balcony roads Loop 75Km-2300mVert.
Non Cycling: Plenty of options based on your personal preferences. Scenic chairlift ride Alpe d’Huez, explore Alpe D’Huez Village and or Hiking/ walking trails, or Scenic drive through the Alps.
Overnight: French Alps
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 3
Ride: Col d Croix du Fur – Glandon – St Jean du Marienne. Options 30km/70km/80km/100km (2500m)
Ride Options: Catch the van to the Col du Glandon following ride route – ride Glandon to Croix du Fer 5km descend 25km to the Frejus Valley below.
Non Cycling: Scenic drive along Alpe d’Huez’s jaw dropping balcony roads, Visit the Alps, pause for scenic photo stops a top Col du Glandon and Croix du Fer. Plenty of options based on your personal preferences.
Overnight: French Alps
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 4
Ride: Col du Telegraph – Galibier – Col du Lautaret 40km/80km/130km – 2500m climbing or 40km ride with 1500m descending.
Non Cycling: Scenic ALpine drive, visit the villages of Valloire, enroute stop off atop the scenic Col’s du Telegraph and Galibier. Bring your camera for the massive Alps landscape photos. Plenty of options based on your personal preferences
Overnight: French Alps
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 5 – Transfer Day:
Ride: Lacettes du Montvernier (photo stop at secret viewpoint), remote Col du Chaussy – Col de Madeleine 30km – 70km/2400m
Non Cycling: Transfer day, Scenic Alpine drive through beautiful country, pause for refreshement stops at lovely mountain chalets at Chaussy and Madeleine.
Overnight: Swiss Alps.
Meals: Breakfast. Join us for an informal swiss dinner and drinks
Day 6
Ride: Active Swiss recovery day, ride Lake Genava – Evian, Rhone river valley ride, visit to the UCI center Aigle 45km/350m
Non Cycling: Join the group to visit Swiss Mountain villages, to Evian on Lake Geneva for morning Tea. Visit the headquarters of the UCI – cycling center. Alternativley a hiking day in the Swiss /French Alps border region, walking and remote mountain cheese tasting experience with a local guide.
Overnight: Swiss Alps
Meals: Breakfast. Dinner: 7.30pm Informal Swiss mountain dinner and drinks
Day 7
Ride: Nufenen Pass, Gottard Pass small cobbled Roman road, Andermatt
30km-90km climbing 1100m-2500m. Optional extra’s available.
Non Cycling: Transfer Day with group into a remote Swiss Alpine region. Morning tea stop at the top of the Nufenen Pass, lunch at Gottard, options to hike or explore our Swiss Alpine village, relax in our chic hotel spa.
Overnight: Swiss Alps
Meals: Breakfast. Dinner: 7.30pm Informal dinner and drinks.
Day 8
Ride: Hotel, Susten – Grimsel -Furka Pass 30- 90km / 2400m climbing
Non Cycling: Travel with the group on the stunning Loop of the remote high Swiss Alps. Alternatively explore our Alpine Village, take a guided walk into the region.
Overnight: Swiss Alps
Meals: Breakfast. Dinner: 7.30pm Informal dinner and drinks.
Day 9
Ride: Secret roads of Grosse Scheidegg, visit a remote alpine glacier, famous Eiger mountain, pause in Grindelwald, traverse lake Interlarken.
Non Cycling: Travel with the group or pause in Interlarken to explore the historic town, shops, bars and restuarants.
Overnight: Swiss Alps
Meals: Breakfast. Dinner: 8pm: Meet Hotel Lobby. Final Dinner and Drinks included.
Day 10 – Departure Day
Breakfast: 7am
Ride: 7.30am – 9am Optional Pre Breakfast recovery / lake ride.
Pack bikes if travelling with a bike or take accessories off hire bikes.
10am-12pm: Free time to explore our lakeside village
12pm: Checkout of Hotel. 1hr Transfer to Zurich Airport.
Non Cycling: Morning hike, explore our lakeside village.
End of Tour. Zurich Airport.
We can design and host as much or as little of your FrancoSwiss Tour as you need, let us know what you need and we’ll bring it together.
Ciao Pat and Grace Fitzpatrick
