Tour de France Stage Recreation

This cycle ride takes in a single stage of the Tour de France, between Modane and Alpe d'Huez. It includes three famous summits: the Col du Télégraphe (1566m), the Col du Galibier (2556m), and Alpe d'Huez (1850m). These spectacular ascents also give you a great feeling of being among the mountains, among the glaciers, peaks, and hanging valleys of the Alpine uplands. These high places are true oases of beauty, with flowers, lakes, and mountain lodges perched far above the valley floor. The area also enjoys an exceptional climate that averages 300 sunny days per year.

This itinerary is extremely demanding; you'll get huge satisfaction from completing the hardest and most mountainous stage of them all, including the highest point on the whole Tour. Legends of the sport have taken on these mountains and been defeated by them. It's a tour, however, not a race. It's designed for experienced road cyclists, but you will have the chance to enjoy your time in the mountains, as you get to grips with these famous summits.

The first day, including the first two summits, involves an extraordinary ascent of over 2000m from St-Michel de Maurienne to the Col du Galibier. After 31km of (mainly) ascent, you get 31km of descent on the other side. You'll stop for the night in the middle of this descent. This will give you a chance to warm yourself up for about the most famous col of them all. Alpe d'Huez deserves its nickname of "the island in the sun": an idyllic scene of classic alpine uplands on a plateau surrounded by Alpine peaks.

• The hardest and highest summits on the Tour de France

• Great long weekend: two days of cycling

• Two nights hotel accommodation

• Fully guided

• For well-conditioned and experienced cyclists only
  

We normally run this trip over a weekend, Thursday to Sunday, however if you would like to do this at any other time, including midweek, then please contact us.

A typical itinerary looks like this:

Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent upon viability, course members' fitness, weather conditions or for any other reason.

Set off from Modane: descent to St Michel-de-Maurienne. Then comes the stiff climb from the bottom of the Arc Valley to the Col du Télégraphe at 26.5 km. This pass involves 800m of ascent, and has gradients over 7%. Then you get somewhat of a breather, with a 5km descent to Valloire. After Valloire comes the long climb up one of the highest roads in the Alps: the Col du Galibier. This pass involves about 17 km of constant climbing, at gradients of just under 7%. Time to stop and celebrate your achievement at 2645m! After that, there is a descent of 15km involving some hairpin turns, down to the quaint mountain village of Villar d'Arène. Here you'll check into the hotel.

The second day begins quite easily: you start from Villar d'Arène, and continue down the valley of La Romanche to the town of le Bourg d'Oisans. This is 31km of downhill. After that, it is a long and steep push of 14km at gradients of almost 8%, snaking up to Alpe d'Huez. This is one of the best known of all the Tour Cols. Although not at high as the Col du Galibier, the ascent is steeper and almost as long. Its calling card is the magnificent series of 21 hairpin turns as the road climbs up dramatically steep mountainside to the plateau.

This expedition is not for the faint-hearted or for the novice cyclist. The actual distances covered are only 50-60km in a day, but they will give you a real workout! The total ascent over the two days is nearly 4000m, on gradients of 7-8%. You need to be used to road cycling in mountain conditions, and you need to have very strong cardiovascular fitness.

We recommend that you follow a fitness plan in preparation for your challenge, an example of one will be sent to you when you have confirmed your booking.

Although the fitness plan we will send to you has been devised by a fitness professional, this is only provided as a guide and you should seek professional advice before starting your own fitness regime.

Weather conditions permit us to run this course anytime from May to September.

Any number (one upwards) can join an open trip, or for 8 or more booking we will run a bespoke trip on dates of your request.

We have availability throughout the year for bespoke trips. please contact us for more details.

If the date you want is fully booked or not listed please contact us - we may still be able to help!

For 1- 5 people on a trip we will advertise the trip here and upon meeting minimum numbers confirm the trip.

For 6-7 people on a trip we will advertise the trip here as a confirmed trip and reserve the right to add additional people on to it.

For 8+ people on a trip we will run an exclusive trip.

All requested dates are unconfirmed until minimum numbers have been booked.

Weather conditions permit us to run this course anytime from May to September.

Any number (one upwards) can join an open trip, or for 8 or more booking we will run a bespoke trip on dates of your request.

We have availability throughout the year for bespoke trips. please contact us for more details.

If the date you want is fully booked or not listed please contact us - we may still be able to help!

For 1- 5 people on a trip we will advertise the trip here and upon meeting minimum numbers confirm the trip.

For 6-7 people on a trip we will advertise the trip here as a confirmed trip and reserve the right to add additional people on to it.

For 8+ people on a trip we will run an exclusive trip.

All requested dates are unconfirmed until minimum numbers have been booked.

Price: £699

Trip Price includes:

• Professional Event Organisation

• Qualified cycle guides.

• Two nights' accommodation

• Support vehicle

• Baggage and equipment transfers

• Transfers from Grenoble

• Public and Product liability insurance is included. Participants must have their own accident and travel insurance

• Financial Protection: in the unlikely event of insolvency, all our trips are protected in accordance with the 1992 Package Travel Regulations.

Trip Price excludes:

• Bike hire (available as an extra)

• Travel to Grenoble

• Personal accident and travel Insurance

• Meals on the trip (available as an extra)