Cycling Epic European Alps
Bike Trip in France - Switzerland - Italy
1000kms ❖ 23 Cols ❖ 25,000m ❖ 7 nights/8 Days❖ From 2298€ pp.
Our second biggest trip. The highest climbs. The longest days. The largest rewards.
We have a eight day (trip length is up for discussion) cycling trip of a lifetime waiting for you. This ride is not for the faint of heart. Totals come in at just under 1000kms during the week so it’s already very BIG. Your cumulative ascent is 25,000m and you ride over 23 Cols in France, Switzerland and Italy. You finish by riding all three sides of the Stelvio. YES, it’s a big week. Just to name a few of the Cols: Jambaz, Ramaz, Grosse Scheidegg, Nufenen, Grimsel, Furka, Gotthard, Splugen and Bernina. Cat got your tongue? This trip also has four languages in three countries so no wonder.
Like we said it’s a ride of a lifetime. This trip is for experienced cyclists as you may have already guessed, and it is fully van supported of course. You should be comfortable climbing +4000m on a daily basis for over a week. This type of trip is neigh impossible for most tour operators, except TTT.
If you see something that you would like to do in the rides below, give us a call and we can create your own “Epic Alps Light” trip (shorter and or easier) suited to you and your group’s ability and desires. We can also stretch the big trip to over ten or more days if you wish. Conversely, you drive the support van and we ride.
Epic Alps Ride Difficulty 11/10
This week can be described as tough, very tough. No kidding. The average daily distance is 155kms and 4,000m per day of climbing. The easiest day is three Cols, 2922m gained over 137kms. During the week, 14 of the 18 Cols that you climb are all over 2000m elevation.
You have been warned.
Day 1. Geneva to Thonon
Arrival at Geneva (GVA) Airport where TTT meets you and transports your group to Thonon, France, 45 minutes away. The language is French till mid way through day 3.
Day 2. Thonon to Chatel
We leave Thonon on quiet roads heading south to your warm-up climbs over the Col de Feu and Jambaz. Warm up climbs done, now we attack the Col de Ramaz, then ride up to Avoriaz and finish with the Col du Corbier. We arrive in Chatel, France for a welcome rest, shower and a beer.
5 Cols, 147kms, 4146m ... and that, is only your first day.
Day 3. Chatel to Aeschi bei Spiez
Today we ride to Aeschi bei Spiez in the region of Berner Oberland in beautiful Switzerland. This is by far the easiest day of the week with Morgins Pass, Col de la Croix and Col du Pilon on tap. There is a last little bump leaving Gstaad just to test your legs. The language changes from French to Swiss German.
3 Cols, 137kms, 2904m
Day 4. Aeschi bei Spiez to Andermatt
Toughest ride of the week. We start the day with a gentle climb to Grindelwald then take on the single lane and steep Grosse Scheidegg, so narrow that vehicles are denied access. However, the Swiss being the Swiss allow a PostBus to drive the road every hour. Punctually. Every. Hour.
Descend down to Innertkirchen and ride up the long North ramp of the Grimsel Pass. Descend the South side of the Grimsel to the base of the Nufenen Pass. The Nufenen is the highest road pass entirely in Switzerland (2478m). Ride down into Italian speaking Airolo and start climbing the King of all climbs in Switzerland; the Tremola. The top of the Tremola is actually at the Gotthard summit which is mercifully close to your hotel in Andermatt. The language flips back to Swiss German at the top of the Gotthard.
4 Cols, 172kms, 5394m
Val di Tremola (Tremolsstrasse). An iconic cobbled road, completed in 1832 and re-constructed in the mid 1900's. The road has 24 named switchbacks and is considered to be Switzerland's longest historical monument.
Day 5. Andermatt to Belinzona
A quick little Andermatt loop with four Cols. The Furka, Grimsel and the Susten Passes. An absolute iconic loop ride! But the day is not over yet. You climb the once impassible Gotthard on the North ramp and descend 81k! down to Italian speaking Bellinzona, Switzerland. the language is now Italian until the trip end.
4 Cols, 214kms, 4893m
Day 6. Bellinzona to Bormio
Another tough day, because 70 kms, or 42% of today's ride, is above 1800m. You will feel this later. We start with the unknown, yet amazing Splugen Pass with its stacked switchbacks, then the Majola, Bernina and Forcola Passes. The ride ends in beautiful Bormio, Italy at the foot of the Stelvio.
4 Cols, 167kms, 4033m
Day 7. the Stelvio Loop
Last chance to make your mark. One, two or all three sides of the Stelvio? We ride from Bormio to the Stelvio summit (2757m) then ride down the “Engineers Road" to Prato, Italy where you basically have lunch, make a U-turn and climb back up. Once at the top you can take the third option down to Santa Maria in Switzerland for yet another language (Romansch, spoken by 0.9% of the Swiss people), another U-turn and another climb back up to the Umbrail summit and continue the 3.1k to the Stelvio summit for the third and final time today.
1 Col ( albeit 3 times), 127kms, 4822m
Day 8: Transfer day from Bormio to Milano Airports. 8am departure.
Epic Alps bike trip details
cycle in France, Switzerland and Italy in a week
Prices starting from 2298€per person for a group of 6 in shared (double) accommodation.
The actual price for this trip depends on what you and your group actually want to ride. So let's start with the above price and wait to see what you want. This price can go up or down.
What's included?
7 Nights hotels and breakfasts
7 evening meals
Snacks and drinks during the rides.
Pre trip* transfer from Geneva and post trip* transfer to Milano airport(s). Malpensa or Linate.
Custom maps.
Downloadable GPS routes for your phone or Garmin.
Ride profiles, climb profiles.
Guide.
Support Van.
Photo slideshow of your trip.
Your bike box storage and shipment.
We can easily make this a shorter or longer trip. Let us know what you would like.
What's not included?
Drinks at dinner.
Your bike. If you want us to supply the bike, send us a mail.
* Pre and post trip transfers. All transfers happen as a group and within a pre - determined time frame.
We can easily arrange a private transfer if you wish, but they will cost extra.