Erickson Cycle Tours, Inc. | Summer 2000 Tours

The Tour de France and “Les Alpes”; it is impossible to think of one without the other.L’Alpe d’Huez, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col de Madeleine, Col du Galibier, the list goes on...and on.These are the passes on which the Tour de France is contested, the roads where champions are made.Our tour is where any cyclist can imagine riding in the peloton of their heroes.Yet this tour is even more than the Tour de France; it is a cycling experience unmatched anywhere in the world.This is a tour of breathtaking vistas of mountains, meadows, and lakes; the cliffs and gorges of the Vercors; the mountain villages with their festive markets, friendly hotels, and delicious food and wine.And, ultimately, this is a tour of roads - France’s special gift to the cyclist; roads laid down like a carelessly strewn ribbon, narrow roads painstakingly chiseled into the sides of vertical cliffs, roads virtually devoid of cars, roads plastered with the names of cycling legends, roads climbing steeply and relentlessly toward heart throbbing heights, and of course roads plummeting downwards in rim-searing, thrilling, twisty descents to distant villages below.Our route has been adjusted to correspond with this year’s Tour de France route so that we will climb many of the passes that the race does, plus a whole lot more, including most of the climbs of the ‘97, ‘98 and ‘99 Tours.Although this tour might excite even the best Cat 1 racer, it is a dream trip for any reasonably fit cyclist.Each day will have two or three different routes of varying difficulty, appropriate for different fitness levels, or for those who just want to ride easy;and of course the van is always available to to assist whenever needed.At the end of the day’s riding we’ll enjoy relaxing in the peaceful setting of the small villages selected for our tour.

Arrive Geneva and transfer by van to our hotel in nearby Ferney-Voltaire. You’ll have the remainder of the day to relax, get settled, assemble your bike, explore the village, or just take a nap.Our get-acquainted dinner is at our hotel tonight, followed by an overview of the tour.

Our ride begins as we navigate en masse through the colorful Geneva townscape; past boulangeries, fruit vendors, boutiques, and banks.Then suddenly the city is behind us and we are climbing through the meadows on our way to the Alps and the town of Annecy.At the base of Mont Salève, the road splits and we can either climb 1000ft to the town of Cruseilles - or - climb the 3000 feet to the top of Mont Salève, with its breathtaking views of Geneva.A thrilling 2000ft descent to Cruseilles for lunch, rolling hills, and finally we’ll have a long gradual descent into Annecy.Situated on the shores of Lac d’Annecy and completely surrounded by high cliffs, this town is in one of the most beautiful settings in all of Europe.Our hotel is situated in the center of Talloires; a peaceful town further down the lake, with numerous shops and a wonderful pedestrian walk along the lakeshore.

JULY 11 – TALLOIRESCrêt de Châtillon Loop Ride45mi, 4300ft-or-60mi, 6100ft

The city of Annecy is one of the most beautiful in Europe and is nicknamed the Venice of the Alps due to the canals that run from the lake through the old part of town.The city is well worth exploring in the morning, having lunch, and climbing the mountain in the afternoon.Another option is to just stop for coffee and pastry, do the climb, and return directly to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon at the beach.There are many intriguing routes to explore in this area, allowing plenty of options for those who want to do more riding.

Today will be like our very own Tour de France stage day, as three of our climbs are regularly included in the Tour.Our first climb is the Col de la Forclaz, which the Tour uses as a warm-up for the big climbs later in the day.For us, however, it will be fairly tough, but the views of Lac d’Annecy and the surrounding mountains make it all worthwhile.The three major climbs ‘du jour’ are the Col de la Croix Fry, Col d’ Aravis, and the optional climb of the Col des Saisies.

Our morning’s ride to Beaufort is a gentle climb up a lush farming valley.This alpine village is a must stop for pastry and coffee, and if you want, a tour of the cheese factory that makes the well-known Beaufort cheese.Here the real climbing begins, but what a beautiful climb it is.The lower section is switchbacks through a cool forest; higher up is opens up with immense views of lakes and rocky peaks in the distance.Lunch is available at a small hut below the summit; the fare is simple but the ambiance makes our meal a five-star experience.The short climb up the Col du Pre is rewarded with one of the best descents of the trip.Before returning to our hotel, a small cutoff above town takes us to the old, walled section of the town of Albertville; little has changed there in the last 300 years.

Seven miles of flat river valley allows stiff legs to warm up before starting one of the biggest climbs of the trip, the Col de la Madeleine.This is a long, steep (16mi, 5000ft), out-of-category climb, winding its way up a narrow notch of a valley and passing by tiny settlements clinging to the mountainside.Wonderful views of Mont Blanc and other snowy peaks, hillsides covered with wildflowers, and cokes and cafe au lait at the summit make this a most rewarding climb.Just past the summit we will have a delicious picnic bought in the small markets of Albertville.A long fabulous descent takes us to the river valley below, and then a beautiful wooded climb up to the secluded village of Albiez.A small swimming lake (warm!), nearby, is most refreshing after a hard day’s cycling.

We leave Albiez down a 49 switchback descent to the valley below and the base of the biggest single elevation climb in the Alps, the Col du Telegraph and the Col du Galibier.These two back-to-back climbs are mainstays in the Tour de France repertoire, and the 7900 feet of total elevationgain can be quite decisive.The 29 mile descent to our hotel in Bourg d’Oisans is the longest of our tour.Along the way, a 12 mile, 2000 ft round trip climb up to les Deux Alpes will provide us with the experience of a Tour de France alpine finish.The cliffside descent from les Deux Alpes is well worth the cost of the climb.Today’s easy route over the Col de la Croix de Fer is one of the most scenic in the Alps and should be strongly considered by anyone with tired legs or wanting just an easier day with time to spend by the pool or shopping for pro jerseys at the well-stocked bike shop in town.

Le Bourg d’Oisans to l’Alpe d’Huez is probably the most famous stretch of cycling road in the world.This is cycling Mecca, as cyclists from all over Europe (and the US) come here and ride these roads made legendary by the heroes of the Tour de France.In 1997, Pantani set a record of 36 minutes from the base of the climb to the finish in Alpe d’Huez.Since the Tour will finish in Alpe d’Huez tomorrow, the mountainside will already be crawling with expectant race fans.You will be cheered at every one of the 21 switchbacks on the leg-breaking, lung busting climb to the top, and will have no trouble recognizing the names of past stars written all over the road like some giant billboard.Bask in the glow of a climb well done and return down the mountainside or continue climbing through town and head for the Col de Sarenne.This steep, narrow valley with its long grass waving in the gusts of wind make this our favorite col of the whole trip.Returning to Bourg d’Oisans we take a small side road carved into the mountain side 1000 ft above the valley floor, and no guard rail; thank goodness for little or no traffic along this precipitous section of road, but the views are fantastic.

Today is the day and the place that 500,000 people have been waiting for; the finishing climb up l’Alpe d’Huez of the 10th stage of the Tour de France.Have lunch in town, or better yet, buy a picnic lunch and climb towards l’Alpe d’Huez through the huge frenzied crowds until you find the best available viewing spot for the peloton.First comes the parade of zany decorated sponsors’ vehicles, and then at about 5pm the world’s best bike racers will be sprinting through the tightly packed crowds, competing for the most famous finish in the Tour; all in all, an experience not to be forgotten.

With only two medium climbs and a few little ones, today’s ride is not normal fare for “le Tour” but by the time we finish the day’s ride you may well think this is one of the most enjoyable.We start the day with the beautiful climb over the Col d’Ornon and then traverse the Corniche du Drac, high above the river below.We skirt the big city of Grenoble before climbing up to the Vercors.The Vercors is a region literally surrounded by 2000-4000ft cliffs to the valleys below, while its plateau consists of broad grassy plains cut by deep dark gorges.To get to Rencurel we descend the Gorges de la Bourne, where the overhanging cliffs above block out so much light that photography is limited.The short climb to Rencurel through open pastures with the mellow clang of cowbells sounding the end of a long day, brings us to our hotel in this most perfect of all alpine settings.It is easy to understand why we have chosen to stay here for three nights.

JULY 19 – RENCUREL 57mi, 5500ft-or-72mi, 7000ft

Today we head out on one of the most amazing rides of the entire trip.Some gentle climbing and descending will take us to the top of the Grands Goulets, where the gorge is so narrow that hardly any sunlight comes through, surrounding us in a cool shaded world of mossy rock walls dripping with delicate ferns and tiny waterfalls.On to La Chapelle en Vercors and over the easy Col de Carri and down to the Col de la Machine; here the road explodes out into the Cirque de Combe Laval where the road is chiseled into the 2000ft cliffs.These are the most famous views in the Vercors.After descending to St. Jean via one of the best roller coaster rides of the trip, we head back to Rencurel through the beautiful village of Pont-en-Royans.The extra loop climbs along the southern edge of the Vercors, and is often ridden in the Tour de France.The views are spectacular and the descent is very long; the only drawback to this route is that it will be more difficult to have lunch at our great little restaurant in St Jean.

Leaving our hotel in Rencurel, we climb the small Col de Romeyer, and as we descend out of the Vercors, we encounter one of cycling’s great little surprises.As we exit a small gully, we are suddenly confronted with empty space - the road just happens to take a sharp left across a 1000ft vertical cliff!But hold onto your helmets, as there are more of these tummy-wrenching roads today in the Massif de la Chartreuse, our next destination.The Chartreuse is a region very similar to the Vercors, but about 1/3 the size and more dramatic in its scenery.We will cycle up the Gorge du Guiers Mort, over the Col du Cucheron and down the Gorge du Gières Vif.From here the route follows a beautiful valley to our hotel, a true country inn, where we will have a wonderful evening meal.

The Tour de France climbs many passes big and small in the Alps, some famous, some not so famous.Today’s route takes us up some passes that have never been ridden in the Tour, in out of the way places and on roads too small to interest the Tour organizers.But hold on to your handlebars, because these are beautiful, awesome climbs, with amazing views, tight switchback descents and narrow roads with no traffic; probably the most enjoyable route of the entire tour.For lunch, be sure to stop in Chanaz, a flower-decked town along the canal connecting Lac du Bourget, France’s biggest lake, and the Rhone river.After lunch there are two more “little” climbs and then we meander over rolling hills to our poolside afternoon resting place.There’s also a beautiful river valley route available for a relaxing day in the saddle.

All too soon our last day arrives, and leaving the Alps and Rhone Valley behind, we climb into the rolling Jura mountains.The quiet roads beckon our souls to stay and enjoy the country charms along the French-Swiss border.Riding through the quiet Swiss villages and neatly farmed valleys, we make our last climb up the Col de la Faucille, followed by our final 15 mile descent to Ferney-Voltaire and our hotel.Farewell dinner tonight at the hotel will be an opportunity to exchange addresses, talk over our triumphs and adventures of the last two weeks, and ponder getting back into the hometown routine..!

·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be charged for those who want wine with dinner)

A complete trip packet will be sent upon receipt of your reservation with information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying, equipment list, and changing currencies.All participants must possess a current passport.

Erickson Cycle Tours strongly recommends purchasing insurance for trip cancellation, injury, illness & loss of effects.A traveler’s insurance brochure will be mailed with your confirmation letter.

We offer the services of our travel agent, Claus Claussen of Des Peres Travel in obtaining economical, expedient air reservations, and can assist with lodging for pre- and post-tour accommodations.For flight information contact Des Peres Travel at 800.264.7717 or dptravel@primary.net.Or, if you prefer, you may use the services of your own travel agent.