Tour Type
Explorer
Riding Level
Active
Location
Andermatt, Switzerland to Mont Ventoux, France
Duration
9 Days | 8 Nights
Length
65 - 135 km daily
Climb
1,290 - 3,330 m daily
Join us as we ride from Switzerland to Mont Ventoux, passing over some of Europe’s most breathtaking climbs in the Swiss and French Alps!
We will climb some of the famous alpine passes in Switzerland, surrounded by glaciers, lakes and beautifully preserved villages, and then tackle the Tour de France classics in the French Alps. The climax of the tour is the infamous Mont Ventoux, where you will have the oportunity to test your legs and explore the epic Mont Ventoux!
The “col collectors” will have the opportunity to tick many boxes on their bucket list and challenge themselves along this point-to-point tour. The Gotthard, Furka and Grosse Scheidegg are just some of the giants you will climb before arriving in the French Alps, to ascend some of the Tour de France classics such as Col de la Colombière, Cormet de Roselend and Col du Pré!
Once in Mont Ventoux, You can choose to challenge yourself on the long course (135km) or the short course (75km) or why not, trying to climb the 3 sides conquering and experiencing the sheer thrill of climbing Mont Ventoux with friends!
Tour Highlights
We will meet you at Zurich airport and transfer you to Andermatt. Upon arrival we will help you to check in and prepare your bike. Later, we’ll enjoy a traditional local dinner together and discuss the adventure ahead.
Today we will begin our adventure by riding three of Switzerland’s most spectacular alpine passes: the Gotthard via the infamous cobbled Tremola road (2,106m), the Grimsel (2,165m) and the Furka (2,436m). The climbs and the views will take your breath away! After completing the Grimsel Pass, you’ll see the switchbacks leading up to the Furka, one of the most iconic views of alpine cycling.
The Grosse Scheidegg is closed to traffic and offers a breathtaking view of the famous Eiger North Face. “I would happily put either side of Grosse Scheidegg on any top ten list of great alpine cycling climbs”, says our good friend Will, who runs the excellent Cycling Challenge blog. On our way down, we ride through the typical village of Grindelwald and finish in Speiz on the shores of Lake Thun, where we will transfer to the famous ski resort of Gstaad.
Today, we’ll tackle two classic mountain passes of the Alpes Vaudoises: the Col du Pillon (1,546 m) and the Col de la Croix (1,300 m), which will take us into our home of Villars-sur-Ollon (1,300 m), before descending down to the valley floor, where we pass the UCI Centre and ride across into France on the shores of Lake Geneva/ Lac Leman. We then transfer to the beautiful French town of Morzine.
Three classic mountain passes – Col de la Colombière (1,613 m), Col des Aravis (1,487 m), and Col de la croix Fry (1,467 m) following the famous Route des Grandes Alpes and passes, regularly found in the Tour de France. We’ll finish on the lakefront of gorgeous Annecy making for a classic day of riding on a very special route.
Today will be a great day of riding from Annecy, by the lake and then to a little town called Beaufort (yes, the cheese) followed by an ascent of one of the most beautiful climbs in France – Cormet de Roselend (1,967 m). Our journey will include the little known but superb Col du Pré (1,703 m). The route from Beaufort to Bourg St Maurice featured in the 2018 Tour de France, and is one of our favourites in all of Europe!
Take your time over a leisurely breakfast and make sure to relax during the morning. Today, we will drive through the mountains to the village of Bedoin, found at the base of the world-famous Mont Ventoux, and a place for you to recuperate for the Challenge of climbing the epic Mont Ventoux. Located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, lovely medieval Bedoin is lined with narrow streets, old fountains, ancient doorways and small cafes which are perfect for cylclist watching as well as espresssos. We will stay here for two days / nights.
Choose from one of two routes for the today´s Mont Ventoux challenge ride . The long option is 135 km with 3,330m of climbing, and the short one is 78 km with 2,390m of climbing – both rides finish on the summit of the famous Mont Ventoux. At 1,912 m, Mont Ventoux is the highest mountain in the region, and has featured 16 times in the Tour de France. The 21.7 km climb starts in the town of Bedoin and has an average gradient of 7.3%. It is acclaimed as one of the toughest and greatest climbs on the pro circuit.
All good things come to an end and after an epic journey from Switzerland to Mont Ventoux it is time to say farewell. After a final breakfast together, we will transfer you to the airport for your journey home with tales of your achievements and adventures.
What’s Not included ?
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We look forward to riding with you!
Grand Tours Project has joined the global B Corp movement.
After a rigorous assessment and verification process regarding a multitude of social and environmental issues, Grand Tours Project was awarded B Corp certification in May 2022.
What is B Corp?
“Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
Grand Tours Project supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We are assessing our impacts, designing methods of measurement, and setting achievable short-term and long-term goals that will help Grand Tours Project become a sustainable business.
We are sure that this process will be a steep learning curve and hope that you will support and critique our work as we undertake this journey.
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