Europe’s Best Cycling Cols

aka “Riding Giants.” 

±1,200kms ❖ ±35,000m ❖ 9 Days / 9 Nights ❖ 3200€pp ❖ 6 Riders max.

This is a big one. As a matter of fact, it is our biggest and craziest trip yet.

We ran this trip in 2018, and without a doubt it was our biggest and best.

Tough? Yes. High? Yes.

You ride 11 of Europe’s highest paved Cols, each one is over 2000m. Daily ride details are 150kms and 4300m on average! Total Col count is ±20, depending on what Cols you and your group actually decide to ride.

There are two van transfers within this trip in order to link up some hidden gems such as the Colle di Nivolet in Italy, and the Col de Sanetsch in Switzerland. Not to mention that we somehow have to get your tyred (ha!) bones back to Geneva airport.

Highlights of this trip:

• First day’s ride (4100m) is 140 kms of the 180 kms of the Tour de France stage 9, 2017. Climbs include the Cimitière, Grand Colombier and the incredibly tough Mont du Chat. Hats off to Richie Porte when you see where he came off his bike!

• Alpes d’Huez, Croix de la Fer, Lacets du Montvernier, Télégraphe; all in one day. A gain of 5100m with a gentle downhill finish.

• Galibier, Granon (optional) Izoard, and Risoul, which is our one mandatory mountain top finish during this trip.

• Vars, Bonette (top photo), Lombarde and a descent on buttery smooth asphalt into Italy. The Italian side was re-surfaced for the Giro, stage 20 in 2016.

• Colle dei Morte, also known as the Colle Fauniera. One, two or all three sides. One side is enough for mortals. The Giro has only visited once in 1999.

• Colle del Nivolet (8th highest paved road in Europe and was finally in the Giro, stage 13, 2019). But the Giro did not go to the top, you do!

• The last and final grinds up the massive Col de Sanetsch, Col de la Croix and the Col du Pillon in Switzerland.

If you really want to ride this give us a call. We do not anticipate the phone lines to be that busy regarding sign-ups for this one.

However …

There is plenty of potential for a shorter and friendlier version of this trip, which starts in Geneva and continues south to the trip end in Monaco, Nice or Torino.

Your next step? Go to our Riding Giant’s photo gallery below and start dreaming.

Then, give us that call.

How do you navigate during your Bike Trip?

Giant’s Photo Gallery Contact Us