French Alpes - Oisans Valley Cycling

Itinerary Virtual Tour Tour Map

A 4 night self guided tour staying in one hotel near the foot of Alpe d'Huez.

Now here is a tour for your souvenir book: bicycle tour on the monster climbs of the French Alpes! Are you a little bit crazy?! We hope so, because these are the legends of the Tour de France, the Classique des Alpes, and many other rides made famous over many years.

This trip was a Men's Journal Magazine Coolest Trip recommendation, and was also listed as one of the Best Values by SmarterTravel.com.

On this tour you can learn how the pro riders suffer and take inspiration from the amazing beauty of these spectacular mountains. Go to the top of Alpe d’Huez, touch the monument to Henri Desgranges at the summit of the Galibier, climb Les Deux Alpes, Lautaret, and others! If you are an experienced and passionate rider, then come climb where legends have passed and been made!

This is a short but intense bike program in one of the most famous and scenic mountain areas of the French Alps. In this program we combined the most challenging ‘cols’ or summits. Our base ‘camp’ is the charming village of Le Freny-d’Oisans. This charming little mountain town is 80 km from Grenoble and 12 km from Bourg d'Oissans the attractive local capital of the Oisans mountain area. On arrival you get a detailed briefing upon the cycling possibilities, the routes and organization of your cycling holiday. After the rides, you can relax at your hotel with other cyclists before enjoying a gourmet dinner. If you want to change hotels and cover more cols - See our New Self Guided Alpes Trip from Alpe d'Huez to Briancon

Itinerary

Click on a day to see that days itinerary.

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Day 1: Arrival Day Travel from Grenoble to the hotel – installation – welcome meeting – bike setup - and orientation of our program for the week. Local bus service is regular to Freney; or we can arrange a private transfer for a supplement of 85 euros/person - based on 2 persons. (D)

Hotel Cassini

2

Freney D'Oisans

Rob and Dirk invite you to Hotel Le Cassini in the hearth of the French Alps, an ideal operating bas...

Day 2: Make your choice... We don’t waste any time as we head out directly for warmups and some big climbs!

You may wish to ride down the valley toward Grenoble and return along a steady but gradual climb after which you can choose among Le Col de la Sarenne, Le Glandon, La Croix de Fer, the Col d' Ornon or Les Deux Alpes. Return back to your charming hotel with gastronomic dinner included. (B,D)

Hotel Cassini

2

Freney D'Oisans

Rob and Dirk invite you to Hotel Le Cassini in the hearth of the French Alps, an ideal operating bas...

Day 3: L’Alpe d’Huez A legendary day - This vertical climb of 1.120m (3.733 feet), 14 km (8.75 miles) long, gradients between 7.7 and 12% and 21 switchbacks is one of the most historical and heroic ones in the history of the Tour de France. Again, you can warm up with some miles in lower valleys around Bourg d’Oissans. There is an option to a timed ascent of the Alpe today - see details below. Return again to your hotel and excellent dinner waiting! (B,D)

Hotel Cassini

2

Freney D'Oisans

Rob and Dirk invite you to Hotel Le Cassini in the hearth of the French Alps, an ideal operating bas...

Day 4: Le Col du Lautaret and le Col du Galibier Today you will climb the Col du Lautaret (40kms – 25 miles) from Le Bourg d’Oisans, with a vertical climb of 1.400m (4.666 feet) and average gradients of 3.8 % (max 9%) – the climb to the Galibier is 8.5 km (5.3 miles) longer with a vertical climb of 585m (1.950 feet) with an average gradient of 6.9 % (12% max). The good news is you can come down afterward if you aren’t dizzy! Put in some more km and then back to Hotel Cassini for a last night. (B,D)

Hotel Cassini

2

Freney D'Oisans

Rob and Dirk invite you to Hotel Le Cassini in the hearth of the French Alps, an ideal operating bas...

Day 5: Departure after breakfast – transfer to Grenoble TGV station. You may have time for another ride this morning before checkout at noon. Extra nights are possible if you wish to add on to this program. (B)


Virtual Tour

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Tour Map