Stage 17 – St-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Superdévoluy – 133km (158km with Col Bayard)

Alps Lite: We pass through Gap at kilometre 133 en route to the stage finish, so you have the option of stopping there (reducing the stage to 133km with 1,500m ascent) or taking on the Col Bayard as an out and back (13km beyond town and 500m of climbing).

During the first 100km we’ll gain elevation fairly slowly, leaving behind the white stone buildings of Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, and setting off through the endless sunny vineyards and olive groves of Provence. The landscape will begin to cluster around us as we approach the picturesque town of Nyons, and all of a sudden we’ll be working our way up the spectacular gorges of the River Aigues, overlooked by rocky crags and bare scrubland.

Soon the hillsides open up again and we’ll enjoy a friendly false flat down to Serres, gazing at the mountains that lie ahead of us: our project for the afternoon. Another very gentle climb, and a short descent, take us to Gap, where you can head straight for the hotel (133km), or carry on for one last climb up the Col Bayard, via a smooth, well-surfaced road that swiftly elevates us above the town, and offers wonderful views of the surrounding peaks. Then it’s a short descent back to Gap to finish the stage.

Le Loop logistics
Start: Transfer to St Paul Trois Chateaux
Finish: Transfer to Gap

Stage 18 – Gap to Barcelonnette – 115km

Alps Lite: By removing most of the large morning loop via the direct route from Gap to les Allards, we can drastically reduce the distance, making it 115km with a total of 2,300m of climbing.

Although it’s not technically a mountain stage, today’s ride will look (and quite possibly feel) very much like one, as we’ll enjoy another day of Alpine scenery, with a beautiful lake, and a couple of cols to add to our collections.

After a leisurely breakfast, we leave the hotel a bit later than the rest of the group and cycle east to intercept the full-route cyclists as they descend from Col de Manse. Soon we arrive at the ancient spa town of Chorges, before setting off on a long steady climb that gains height gradually, wiggling across the hillside to the perched village of Saint-Apollinaire, with its views of the bluer-than-blue Lac de Serre-Ponçon.

From here it’s a fast descent down to the bridge that crosses the lake, and then the highlight of everyone’s day: the Côte de Demoiselles Coiffées, named after a group of rock columns that we briefly see on our left as we ascend. The descent plummets us down to the shoreline of the glorious lake, which we follow to its southern extremity, and then continue up the valley (on predominantly gentle gradients) to the finish town of Barcelonnette.

Le Loop logistics
Start: Gap hotel
Finish: Barcelonette hotel

Stage 19 – Embrun to Isola 2000 – 95km

Alps Lite: You start with a short cut from the hotel straight to Jausiers and feedstop 2 which removes 50km, making this a perfect 95km ride with a more acceptable 2,700m of climbing.

A high point of the Tour both literally and figuratively, this stage gives us the rare opportunity to ride the superlative Col de la Bonette, on only its fifth appearance in the race.

The bonus of today’s Lite route is not having to take the morning transfer to Embrun; instead enjoy a lie-in and a late departure by bike to take a direct (15km) route to Jausiers where we intercept the full-route cyclists. This is where the fun starts – the 23km climb up to France’s highest and Europe’s third highest paved road: Cime de la Bonette. The gradient averages around 7%, but of course this will feel a lot harder as we get higher – remember there’s around 25% less oxygen at 2,800m.

And then, after one of the most serious (and ear-popping) downhills of your life (in which we lose two vertical kilometres in 40km), comes the final challenge of the road up to the Isola 2000 ski resort. Starting amidst the fresh greenery of the Tinée Valley, this steady climb winds its way upwards via the peaceful Vallon de Chastillon, and delivers us to our destination at almost precisely the 2,000m mark.

Le Loop logistics
Start: Transfer to Embrun
Finish: Transfer to Nice hotel (3 night stay for Grand Loop, Second Half and those cycling the Alps and Mountains Week who have bought a Nice extension)

** A limited number of Nice extensions will be available if you’d like to add on the last two stages and join us for the celebration party. Cost £590