The Great Crossing of the French Alps by bike

Program

Travel conditions

• Luggage

  You only carry the business of the day and the picnic. Luggage is carried by vehicle (or assistance vehicle). 1 piece/person and limited to 15kg/piece.

• Formalities

  • A valid official ID
  • We recommend travel insurance with repatriation included

• DEPARTURE AND MEETING POINT

  The first day at Thonon les Bains (74).

  How to get there:
  By car: N5 or D903.
  By train: Thonon les Bains SNCF Train Station.
  By plane: Geneva Airport then taxi or shuttle bus/assistance vehicle.

• Accommodation

  7 nights with full board

  Friendly accommodation in stopover lodges: selected in particular for the quality of their welcome, these lodges offer a warm and pleasant atmosphere.
  Most of the time, you will share dormitories with 4 to 6 beds.
  Bed linen (sleeping sheet or light sleeping bag) and towels are not provided, so please remember to bring them in your luggage. Blankets are provided.

  Night in a hotel in Nice in a double or triple room.

• Food

  With support vehicle:

  Dinners and breakfasts are taken at the accommodation.

  For lunch, we offer three options depending on your preferences:

  • A picnic, to be enjoyed at the spot indicated each morning by your logistics driver. It includes a seasoned cold salad made with starches (slow-release carbohydrates for the effort) and fresh vegetables, cold cuts and/or cheese, and fruit.
    Note: for those who prefer, it is possible to choose a lunch basket handed out by the logistics driver in the morning (please bring a backpack).
  • For those who do not wish to stop for a picnic: race food (energy bars, dried fruit) provided in the morning.
  • Not taking lunch with our organisation, allowing you the freedom to stop and eat wherever you like (restaurant, snack bar, food bought along the way—bakeries, grocery stores, etc.).
    In this case, a discount of €6 per day applies.

  We pay particular attention to the quality, freshness, and variety of your meals, always keeping in mind that they must be suited to your physical activity.

  Please indicate your choice for lunch on your registration form. If we do not receive this information, we will assume you opt for the “picnic” option.

  Basic cereal bars are offered each morning before departure. You are responsible for bringing any more specific energy bars as well as energy drinks.

  For the self-guided package without a support vehicle, picnics will be prepared by your accommodation.

   

• Attendees

  Individual registration:
  1-5 people- You can register for the dates already planned by La Rébenne with the option with assistance vehicle double bedroom.

  Group registration:
  You are in an organised group of at least 6 people- You can register for the dates planned by La Rébenne or your own dates (contact us).

• Difficulty level

  You are in good physical condition and go cycling on roads, over long distances, at least once a week.
  Stages vary from 80 to 130km per day with positive altitude differences of 2000 to 2700m per day.

• Options

  • Physiotherapy: recovery session with a physiotherapist at the end of the stage
  • Leader: a qualified instructor guides the group (+ sports advice)
  • Mechanic: a mechanic cycles is responsible for repairs during the circuit and maintenance of the bikes at the end of the stages

• Options

  Package accommodation and navigation: we organize accommodation, meals, guidebooks, maps and GPS tracks and you make your own assistance and luggage transport, consult us.

  Important information regarding the first date of the season, from 14/06 to 21/06/2026:

  Due to the G7 Summit taking place in Evian and Thonon-les-Bains, the trip will depart from Annecy on day 1 (14/06/26), instead of Thonon.
  Extra nights before the trip available on request in Chambéry, with the transfer to Annecy on day 1 (approx. 1h drive, 50 km) included in the price (subject to availability). A major film festival hinders hotel reservations in Annecy on the 14th.

  The revised programme:


  Day 1 Annecy - La Clusaz:

  - Climbing to the Col des Glières (1,670 m) and crossing the Glières plateau, one of the main sites of the Resistance during the Second World War (level 3)

  - The Col de la Colombière: the first difficulty of the week, and first real mountain pass of the Alps... (levels 2 and 3)


  Distance and altitude gain:


  Level 2: approx. 85 km and 2300 m  

  Level 3: approx. 100 km and 2800 m (including 2 km on an unpaved road on the Glières plateau)


  Days 2 to 8: Programme unchanged
  Extra nights:
  Extra night in Chambéry in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast : 145 € /pers
  Extra night in Chambéry in 3* hotel, double or twin room, including breakfast : 95 € /pers 
   

  Single room accommodation (7 nights) : 395 €/pers
  
  Transfer Nice - Thonon at the end of the trip (price per person with your bike) : 145 €/pers
  Transporting a rigid bike box or semi-rigide during the trip (or semi-rigid bike bags, which are larger than typical hand luggage when folded: 56 cm × 45 cm × 25 cm) : 40 €/pers  
  Vélorizons cycling jersey (shipping not included) : 75 €  

  Return shuttle to Thonon-les-Bains
  Our support vehicle provides 8 seats for the return from the Côte d'Azur to Thonon on day 8, including bikes.
  The vehicle leaves the Côte d'Azur on day 8 after breakfast around 10am. Arrival in Thonon around 4 pm if traffic is good.
  Please specify on your booking form if you require this additional service.

  
  Extra nights
  Extra night in Thonon-les-Bains in 3* hotel, double or twin room, including breakfast : 95 € 
  Extra night in Thonon les Bains in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast : 145 €  
  Extra night in NIce in 3* hotel, double room, including breakfast : 95€ 
  Extra night in Nice in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast : 155 € 

  Massage
  Massage in Le-Monêtier-les-Bains on day 4 : 60 €  
  Massage in Beuil on day 6 : 65 € 

  Road bike rental
  Rental road bike models:
  - Standard road bike
  Carbon frame and fork, disc brakes, Shimano Tiagra groupset, 10 speeds, 50/34 - 11/32, aluminium wheelset, model Scott Addict 50 or equivalent, roughly 9 kg : 355 €/pers
  
  - Premium road bike
  Carbon frame and fork, disc brakes, Shimano 105 groupset, 12 Di2 speeds, 50/34 - 11/32, aluminium wheelset, model Scott Addict 40 or equivalent, roughly 8,9 kg : 430 €/pers 
  
  - Ultimate road bike
  Carbon frame and fork, rim brakes, Shimano 105 groupset, 12 Di2 speeds, 50/34 - 11/34, carbon Mavic or Syncros wheelset, model Scott Addict 30 or equivalent, roughly 8,4 kg : 565 €/pers 
  
  - E-road bike
  Carbon frame and fork, aluminium wheelset, Shimano 105 groupset, 11 speeds, 50/34 - 11/32 supplied with 1 x 248Wh battery (+ 1 extra battery 210Wh), model Orbea Gain M30 or equivalent, roughly 13 kg : 800 €/pers

  Rental bike equipment (for all models):
  - Repair kit included: 2 CO2 cartridges, patches, multi-tool, 1 inner tube, tyre levers
  - 2 bottle holders (except size 47 bicycles on which only one can be placed)
  - Helmets and water bottles: not included
  - Pedals: Our rental bikes come without pedals. You can either bring your own pedals or specify your needs; we can install 3 types of pedals at no extra charge: Look KEO easy, Shimano SPD-SL or Shimano SPD.

  Please indicate your choice of model and pedals as well as your height (if possible also frame size and inseam) when filling out your booking form.

  You will receive your chosen model from the tour leader on the first day of your tour. He will carry out an inventory of the bike with you, as well as a second inventory at the end of the tour.

  Bike “consumables" (tyres, tubes, brake pads, cables) are included in the rental price. Only parts and components that are broken due to a crash and/or misuse will be charged. In the event of bike loss or theft, a fixed fee will be charged (2200 € for the Standard model, 3590 € for the Premium and Electric models and 5700 € for the Super light model).

   

• Accompanying

  2 options to choose from:

  Self-guided cycling with luggage transfer. (For organised groups only):
  You set off alone, equipped with the orientation equipment provided by us: maps with marked routes and GPS tracks to discover the circuit which has been designed by our team. With the GPS fixed to your handlebars, you will be guided by the instructions we have carefully prepared with the highest level of precision.

  Self-guided cycling with assistance vehicle. (Only for individuals or organised groups):
  The assistance vehicle with bike trailer (or bike roof rack) will meet you at several points throughout the day’s stage, often at the top of the mountain passes (Cols) and will bring you your picnic, water, your extra clothes as well as a complete toolkit in case of any mechanical issues. As a result, you can fully enjoy your day with only a light bag or without needing to carry a bag at all. The driver will also give you advice for each stage, helping you to manage your ride and progress and will, most of the time, be able to answer any questions you may have about the local area.