The Route 2025: Lille to Paris

Sales for 2025 are OPEN! To sign up, hit the Red BOOK FOR 2025 button in the top right corner .

Fri 27th June - Mon 21st July

2025 Route Map 100px sq

For individual stage descriptions, scroll down

 

Total Climb: not yet published

This is an almost flat stage with limited challenge aside from 3 small climbs, the second of which is cobbled (the three climbs are 165m, 144m and 143m respectively – small fry for a Tour stage) and the obvious challenge of any stage that tops 100 miles.

For the pros, today is for the sprinters but for us, it’ll be the perfect Tour Stage 1; a chance to ride in groups and get to know each other.

Despite starting in Lille and quick visits to Lens and Bethune, it’ll be majority quiet, rural cycling with a lot of agricultural views, villages and atmosphere.

You might not think of north east France as your dream cycling destination but we’d urge you to think again… the Tour is coming here for a reason, namely a really strong cycling culture and that will be palpable as we ride the roads where the pros will follow a week later.

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Lille hotel
Finish: Lille hotel

 

Total Climb: 2,500m

While you could never describe this as a mountain stage, it’s a bit bumpier than stages 1 & 3 and you’re definitely going to know you’ve climbed some hills, even if they’re short. The stage length is of note (it’s likely to be among the longest 1 or 2 stages of the whole Tour) but the sea views in the last 30km will provide great reward. 

There’s a lot of variety hidden in this stage which combines some spectacular castle and historical monument views with forests, coast and a series of lovely villages renowned for their flower-decorated squares.

Being so close to England, this area saw a lot of development during the 100 years war in the 1300s which means there are plenty of fortifications and castles for us to marvel at as we zoom past!

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Transfer to Lauwin Planque

Finish: Boulogne hotel

Total Climb: not yet published

This is another fast, flat day, designed for the sprinters and, skirting the area just to the west of the Belgian border, a slightly different feel from the two preceding stages.

We cross paths with the stage 1 route, revisiting Mont Cassel from the other side as we head for the Dunkerque beaches, known for their significance in the First and Second World Wars.

Amongst the fascinating places we’ll pass today, while we soak up the feel of the this region (frites vans everywhere!), is the town of Isbergues. Not only is it home to the Grand Prix d’Isbergues (a UCI race founded in 1947) but as a centre of the French metal industry, it’s also home to a very impressive monument to steel processing!

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Transfer to Valenciennes

Finish: Dunkirk hotel

Total Climb: 2,000m

Imagine the sort of ride you’d plan as a Sunday treat if you lived in France, had a whole day to spare and wanted a relaxed but long day out with your mates – this is that day! It’s very French, full of variety, tough but not too tough and overall just a really great ride.

We start with big skies and wide-open farmland but come late morning we descend into the gorge of the river Seine at Les Andalys, where we spend a kilometre or two riding in the shelter of Val Saint-Martin’s magnificent chalk cliffs. This is far from a flat stage and it’s here that the climbing begins in earnest, starting with the precipitous Côte de Thuit, where we climb out of the river valley.

We then make our way across the countryside to Romilly-sur-Andelle, where we encounter the Côte Jacques Anquetil (named after France’s colourful 5 times Tour winner). It’s a climb of just under 4km, which starts steeply, levels out, and then ramps up again just when your legs are starting to tire! This is Tour riding and you can spare a thought for the pros who follow you one week later.

The final kilometres of the route skirt Rouen, treating us to the short-but-punchy Côte de Bonsecours, Côte de Grand’Mare and Côte Saint-Hilaire (much of which is 15%, ouch), before finally allowing us to descend into the city.

This stage will feel punchy but manageable, with a lot of French feel and atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Transfer from Dunkirk to Amiens
Finish: Rouen hotel

Total Climb: not yet published

For the Tour de France racers this will be a monumental effort, but for us a 33km stage offers the opportunity for a more restful ride.

The route is pan-flat and transports us swiftly from Caen to a cycling paradise of perfect tarmac, lined with golden fields of rippling wheat. Caen is known to many Brits solely as an arrival town for ferry trips to France – but the town and surrounding countryside have much to offer; Caen itself has a beautiful historic centre and its significance during the 2nd world war is presented proudly.

Soon after leaving town we visit the small village of Colomby-Anguerny, which contains several monuments to the Canadian regiment who liberated this area in 1945. Then for historical contrast we pass through the quiet settlements of Thaon and Cairon with their ancient stone cottages.

Returning along fast, flat roads, we finish our brief outing at the Hippodrome de Caen – the city’s famous horse racecourse.

For those who’d like to ride a bit further, or those riding the Tour de France Adventure Loop, it’s a scenic 35km ride to our Bayeux hotel if you’d prefer not to get back on the bus!

Tour logistics
Start: Transfer from Rouen
Finish: Ride or transfer to Bayeux hotel

Total Climb: 3,500m

Every year we swear that Christian Prudhomme won’t be able to stretch the definition of a ‘flat’ stage any further, and every year he proves us wrong. The director of the Tour gleefully claims this to be “the most challenging flat stage in the Tour’s recent history.” It features 3,500m of ascent, and passes through a rugged inland area that the French call ‘Suisse Normande’, in honour of its vertical scenery.

Our road rises steadily as we bid farewell to the pretty medieval streets of Bayeux, and head into the wilder landscape of Normandy. There’s barely a metre of flat road on this stage, as the ground ripples beneath us, thanks to a series of rivers that have carved their way through the ancient rocks of the Armorican massif.

After passing Mont Pinçon, the highest point in Normandy, we visit Clécy, a small town nestled amongst the rocks of the Orne gorge, with possible sightings of paragliders and rock climbers if the weather’s fine.

We encounter six categorised climbs (and many others!) on this stage including the Col de Berjou, site of a popular annual hill climb race.

Later in the day, we tackle the 12% Côte de Mortain, and as we arrive in Vire we’ll meet possibly the toughest climb of the day: the Côte de Vaudry. Don’t underestimate the difficulty of this short but brutal ascent – its gradient peaks at over 11%, and by this point you’ll have almost 200km in your legs. There’s only the finishing straight to go – 700m at 10% – and then you can finally get off the bike and comfort yourself with a glass of Calvados and some camembert. Hooray for France!

Tour logistics
Start: Bayeux hotel
Finish: Transfer to St Malo

 

Total Climb: 2,450m 

Today’s stage takes us through Hinault country, and if you’re very lucky, you may ride past the five-times Tour winner, who still owns a farm in the area. The earlier part of the day will have a maritime feel, as we leave the port of Saint-Malo and skirt the Rance estuary en route to the medieval ramparts and half-timbered houses of Dinan.

From here we strike out through the quiet villages of Brittany, appreciating Brittany’s lovely relaxed vibe and marvelling at how French it all looks! Eventually we rejoin the coast to admire the pine-shaded villas and sandy beach of Pléneuf-Val-André. This area is famous for its mussels, and very popular with French holidaymakers.

The next hour or so will be scented by sea breezes as we follow the coast, catching the occasional glimpse of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, passing through Yffiniac, where Hinault was born. Saint-Brieuc itself is another pretty seaside town, with a spectacular harbour, cobbled streets and an imposing medieval cathedral. From here we turn inland, and follow quiet roads south towards our final challenge of the day.

Mûr de Bretagne (Brittany’s Alpe d’Huez according to locals) is 1.6km at 7.5%, and dead straight. There’s no hiding, and as you approach it from the village of Guerlédan, it looks like a vertical wall in front of you. And – sorry – we’re going up there twice. Following our first ascent, a 10km loop will take us gently downhill, along wooded valleys, and then deliver us back to the Mûr for a second encounter, ending this long ride on an undeniable high point.

Tour logistics
Start: St Malo hotel
Finish: Transfer to St Meen

Total Climb: not yet published

This stage promises to be not only flat but also relatively sheltered, meaning that the wind will hopefully present less of a challenge than it often does on sprint stages. We set off from Saint-Méen, an ancient Roman crossroads, and birthplace (and final resting place) of the elegant Louison Bobet, who won the Tour three times in the 1950s.

Our ride should be a relatively fast one, since there are no significant hills to contend with, and no big cities to slow us down – just miles and miles of smooth tarmac, winding its way through the peaceful Breton countryside. This is a big dairy producing area, so expect to be cheered on by a lot of cows.

Along our route lie the historic village of Montauban-de-Bretagne, fringed with ancient woodland, and the tranquil Lac de la Cantache, which is popular with fishers and birdwatchers. We pass through Vitré, one of Bretagne’s best preserved medieval towns, whose cobbled streets are overlooked by handsome timber-framed buildings and the fairytale towers of its distinctive triangular castle – and Craon, another architecturally fascinating place, whose strategic position on the river Oudon has ensured its prosperity for many centuries.

From here it’s a fairly swift ride north to Laval and the associated glory of feeling fast and strong at the end of a stage.

Tour logistics
Start: St Meen hotel
Finish: Laval hotel

Total Climb: not yet published

Today’s ride is about as flat as a Tour de France stage can get, so the main challenge will be from the wind; several changes of direction towards the end of the day mean that there’s bound to be at least some time when it’s coming from an unfavourable angle. But there’s so much more to this beautiful stage than meteorology – this region has been inhabited for thousands of years, and wears its history on its sleeve, so as you ride through its verdant countryside, you’ll glimpse all manner of châteaux, churches, abbeys, and cobbled village squares.

Midway through the morning we reach Châtellerault, a former centre of sword production, where we cross the 400-year-old Henri IV bridge over the river Vienne. From here the route will undergo some gentle fluctuations as we cross into the valley of the Creuse, and from there make our way through quiet fields and woodlands to Preuilly-sur-Claise, which has buildings dating from every century since the 900s. The trees of the Brenne national park will provide some welcome shade during the heat of the afternoon, and then the landscape will open out around us as we approach Châteauroux.

Chateauroux is the location of so many of Mark Cavendish’s victories (he won stages here in 2008, 2011 and 2021) that Châteauroux’s mayor has proposed the main Avenue be renamed in honour of the Manx Missile.

Tour logistics
Start: Transfer to Chinon
Finish: Chateauroux hotel

Total Climb: 4,400m

As far as scenery goes, this will be one of the most memorable of the Tour. The Auvergne’s mountains lack the sheer stature of the Alps, but they make up for it with their utterly unique contours – this is an ancient chain of volcanoes, and there are green spikes on every horizon.

Today we ascend 4,400m, over a series of seven categorised climbs (and a few more, for good measure), beginning with the Côte de Loubeyrat, which we encounter less than an hour into our ride. This 4km climb is one of the shallowest we tackle today, and eases us up out of the valley to the small village of Loubeyrat, from which we descend back down to Volvic, home of one of France’s most popular mineral waters.

You’re likely to experience déjà vu during the first half of this stage, as the route climbs up into the Chaîne de Puys volcano ridge and descends back into the valley another four times before it finally heads west. Along the way we pass through the charming spa town of Royat, briefly visit the centre of Clermont-Ferrand, and enjoy the contrast between the bustling lowlands and the fresh air and green grass of the hilltops.

Passing close to the famous Puy de Dôme, we then set out across the volcanic plateau, gradually losing height as we approach Rochefort-Montagne, which nestles in the valley with its slate rooftops and octagonal church tower. From here it’s a steady climb up to the beautiful Lac de Guéry, a brief descent, and then another climb up to the Col de Croix Morand. You’ll want to touch your brakes on the descent, so that you can savour the views for longer, but there’s more to come. After skirting the shimmering Lac du Chambon, the route turns west again, heading for the Col de la Croix Robert – the high point of today’s ride, from which you can admire the hilltops that stretch away in all directions. The descent to Le Mont-Dore is swift and enjoyable, and at the bottom waits the river Dordogne – barely a trickle at this point – which we follow uphill to its source on Puy de Sancy, the Auvergne’s highest peak.

Tour logistics
Start: transfer to Ennezat
Finish: dinner at the finish and a late transfer to Toulouse 

Rest Day in Toulouse! Your chance to eat 9,000 calories and visit the launderette.

Le Loop Logistics
Overnight: Toulouse Hotel

Total Climb: not yet published

This is probably many people’s classic fantasy Tour de France stage. Expect vast golden fields of sunflowers, long avenues of plane trees, perfect tarmac, and vineyards aplenty.

The route leaves Toulouse via the leafy suburb of Blagnac, following the course of the river Garonne north into the lush farmland that surrounds the city. Then, after crossing the river near the charming medieval town of Grenade, we’ll head out into the vineyards. People have been growing grapes here since Roman times, and these days a new generation of hip young winemakers have picked up the torch. Moving south, we’ll cross the Canal du Midi as we re-approach the city, and if we’re lucky, we may catch a glimpse of the distance Pyrenees.

Ranging across the watershed between the rivers Tarn and Garonne, this route isn’t completely flat, but a lot of it should feel enjoyable to ride, with fine tarmac, easy gradients, and gently rolling countryside. This changes as we move into the final 50km, which Christian Prudhomme has promised will include some “testing sections,” in particular the 20% ramps of the Côte de Pech David, 8km from the finish.

Tour logisitics
Start: Toulouse hotel
Finish: Toulouse hotel (no moving today)

Total Climb: 3,850m

Today’s stage is a tale of two chainrings. We have around 100km of relatively flat riding, to get us to the start of the Soulor climb at Ferrières, during which we can gear up, get into formation, and draft each other along the plane tree avenues of Occitanie, watching the mountains draw closer and closer on the horizon. Then the climbing starts, and we all click down into the easiest gear we can find, the better to haul ourselves over the three Pyreneen giants (of increasing gradient) that lie ahead.

First is the Col du Soulor, whose occasional 9% sections can’t quite detract from the fact that this is a beautiful climb. A quiet strip of tarmac wiggles its way up out of the leafy valley, and slowly takes you higher and higher up the side of the mountain, until you’ve left the trees behind, and are at eye level with the magnificent peaks that surround us. Welcome to the Pyrenees.

From here there’s a quick descent to the start of Col des Bordères, which is slightly steeper, but mercifully shorter, and has an enticing ‘back road’ feel. And then, after around 17km of descent, we meet the big one: Hautacam, a 13km monster, that steepens cruelly in its higher stretches, and delivers you to a high, windswept finale.

The top of the Hautacam has very little infrastructure so you’re really arriving to a couple of sheds in a field – but what a field! Hautacam (originally just a ski station but with a recent diversification project aimed at making it a year-round destination) is famed for its panoramic views which you’ll want to savour before you roll back down the hill to our hotel for the night.

*LITE: We’ll give you a lift to our second feedstop at approx. 100km, leaving you all your energy to tackle the two big climbs. The day becomes 2600m of climbing over approx. 80km. 

*only available to those who have signed up for either the Pyrenees/Pyrenees Lite Loop options.

Tour logisitics
Start: Transfer to Auch
Finish: Cycle back down from Hautacam to our hotel in Argeles Gazost

Total Climb: 650m

Short and sublime, this 11km ride takes us from the pretty lakeside town of Loudenvielle, up a whopping 650m to the vertiginous altiport at Peyragudes, famous for appearing in a James Bond film in 1997, and for terrorising the quads of the pro peloton with its gradients.

Luckily we’re not racing (or are you?!), and a shorter stage gives us plenty of time to appreciate the panoramic views of the Louron valley as we ascend past its fragrant meadows on immaculate tarmac. The road steepens in its final kilometres, and the small resort of Peyragudes is visible for a long time as we battle our way towards it up the 15% final slope. This being a shorter day, there’s plenty of time at the top to breathe the sweet mountain air and admire the line of peaks stretching away towards the Spanish border.

Tour logisitics
Start: Transfer to Loudenvielle
Finish: Transfer after the Time Trial to Pau

Total Climb: 4,950m

Today we ride a replica of Stage 14 from 1986, where Greg Lemond turned the tables on Bernard Hinault and went on to win the Tour. It’s a challenging stage, with almost 5,000m of ascent, the majority of which is packed into its second half – so we depart Pau on relatively flat roads, following the Gave de Pau river south towards the mountains. After admiring the fairytale architecture of Lestelle-Bétharram and the pilgrimage sites of Lourdes, we begin to gain height, and the mountains close in around us as we approach Luz-Saint-Sauveur, where our longest climb of the day begins.

The road up to the Col du Tourmalet is long, and very steep in places, with the highest gradients in its final stretches. It’s never a boring view though with open vistas of the road wiggling up ahead of you to the col. We recommend you take it steadily and adopt a gear that (if possible) makes it almost feel easy; there’s still a lot to come of this stage and you’ll need to remember that the Tourmalet is the first, not the last, of four!

At the top we’ll have a moment to savour the triumph of completing one of the Tour’s most famous climbs, and then there’s a long descent to enjoy, via the brutalist ski resort of La Mongie. Next we climb up out of the remote Payolle valley, to the ethereal Col d’Aspin: a much shorter ascent than the Tourmalet, though it’s slightly steeper.

Descending to Arreau, we then follow the Louron towards the base of the Peyresourde. It’s worth remembering that this valley has an elevation gain of 400m in 12km, so it may feel like a struggle, even if it appears to be flat. The struggle will intensify on the 7km climb up to the col, but we’ll be rewarded with panoramic views, and the excitement of descending into a new valley, via the Peyresourde’s scenic hairpins, and its famous avenue of trees. Passing through the stylish spa town of Bagnères-de-Luchon, we then commence our 12km ascent to Superbagnères: through the narrow Lys valley, and then along an increasingly exposed series of switchbacks until we finally put a foot down on the summit, with mountains rolling away on all sides of us.

It’s worth noting that we pass our hotel on the way to the final climb and you’re welcome to stop if you’ve run out of beans.

*LITE: We’ll give you a lift to feedstop 1 and again from Arreau (after you’ve descended from the Aspin climb) to Luchon. This means that you’ll still cycle the Tourmalet and Aspin and your day will be reduced to 2250m of climbing over approx. 85km.

*only available to those who have signed up for either the Pyrenees/Pyrenees Lite Loop options.

Tour logisitics
Start: Pau hotel
Finish: Luchon hotel

Total Climb: 2,400m

Our first hour takes us between two rivers, as we set off from the banks of the Garonne, and make our way across the watershed towards the Ariège, which we’ll meet at Auterive – an important crossing point since Roman times. We now encounter a few minor bumps as we cross the low plateau that overlooks the eastern bank of the Ariège, and descend to cross the Canal du Midi at Villefranche-de-Lauragais, best known for its historic production of pastel – a blue dye that the British might recognise as woad.

Another hour or so of quiet countryside riding brings us to Revel, where we encounter our first significant climb of the day. The Côte de Saint-Ferréol takes us up out of the town, to a pretty lakeside settlement, and with an average gradient of just over 5%, it shouldn’t bother us too much. Our next challenge, the 10% Col du Pas du Sant, may cause a little more trouble, but it takes us into the fascinating Montagne Noire – a remote highland region that was the site of significant Résistance activity during the Second World War. Look out for monuments to these brave fighters as you roll along the quiet tree-lined roads that eventually lead us south, towards the magnificent fortified city of Carcassonne. The final 40km of our ride is almost all downhill or flat, so you’ll be able to enjoy the way the landscape changes around you as you emerge from the Montagne Noire and catch sight of the vast plain on which the city lies, and the distant mountains on every horizon.

Tour logisitics
Start: Transfer to Muret
Finish: Carcassonne hotel

Following a morning transfer (not too early!) from Carcassonne to Montpellier, you’ll still have plenty of time for a huge lunch, some bike tinkering and a visit to the launderette

Tour logisitics
Morning transfer from Carcassonne to Montpellier . Overnight Montpellier

Total Climb: 2,900m

Everyone will focus on the fact that this stage finishes at the top of Mont Ventoux, but for most the day it’ll be a very different riding experience, with a gently rolling route that takes us through the delightful landscape of southern Provence. It’s an opportunity to enjoy one of France’s many cycling heartlands, and we’ll be treated to fields of lavender and rolling vineyards as we move into the fertile Rhône Valley. Provence has some of the world’s most impressive Roman remains, and the same golden stone has been used to build the region’s many hilltop villages, as well as larger towns, where you’ll want to slow down to savour the architecture.

It’s a day of many rivers: we leave Montpellier via the Lez (popular with canoeists), crossing the tranquil Vidourle at Quissac, and the Gardon at Moussac – but the one you’ll remember is the glistening Rhône, whose waters have defined this part of France for millennia. Wine buffs will be delighted to know that our route includes the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where a dramatic hilltop castle overlooks world-famous vineyards, and most of our hearts will flutter as we catch our first glimpses of the Giant of Provence, looming above the lavender fields and tree-lined streets of Bédoin.

Ventoux isn’t just famous for its looks – the wind-blasted scree slopes and the red-and-white tower – it’s also one of the most challenging climbs of the Tour. The lower stretches hover around 9-10%, and although the gradient lessens slightly as you emerge from the trees at Chalet Reynard, you’ll then have the fearsome Provençal wind to contend with, plus the cruel kicker in the final 2km, where the road ramps back up to 9.5%. The views from the top will make it all worth the struggle, and you’ll want to linger here, to cheer on your fellow riders as they battle up to the summit.

*LITE: We’ll give you a lift to our first feedstop at approx. 50km, giving you a useful head start and making this day a pretty manageable 2500 of climbing over 120k

*only available to those who have signed up for either the Alps/Alps Lite Loop options.

Tour logistics
Start: Montpellier hotel
Finish: Malaucene (Ventoux) hotel

Total Climb: not yet published

Don’t get too complacent about this so-called flat stage. We’re too close to the mountains for the Tour to be able to resist adding a few lumps and bumps, though in many cases we’ll be riding between the hills rather than over them, making this a scenic ride that offers a lot of bang for relatively little buck.

The morning involves a fair bit more up than down but as Valence is only 60m higher in altitude than Bollene, the good news is that the latter half of the day will seem much easier on the legs.

Our morning ride takes us through the arid landscape of northern Provence, with wide views over sweeping vineyards and the occasional burst of yellow gorse. We steadily gain height (over 500m in the first 50km) as we move out of the Rhône valley and into the Baronnies Provençales. This small range of limestone mountains, perched on the edge of the Alps, is known for the wide variety of herbs that are grown and harvested here, so we can expect to inhale the scents of thyme, rosemary and lavender as we make our way through its quiet valleys.

We’ll briefly descend out of the hills for visits to the historic stone villages of Marsanne and Cléon-d’Andran, passing small hamlets and very few cars on the way. And then a scenic climb of around 5km takes us up the rim of the valley, and over the top via a luscious descent to the river Drôme. The rest of this stage will pass quickly as the final hour of the ride is on fast, flat roads, so you’ll arrive in Valence full of the joys of cycling .

*LITE: Many will choose to ride the full stage but if you’re riding the Alps Loop and would like to save your legs for what’s to come, we’ll give you a lift from the first to the second feedstop, cutting out the hilliest part of the stage and reducing your day to 1200m of climbing over 120km

*only available to those who have signed up for either the Alps/Alps Lite Loop options.

Tour logistics
Start: Short transfer to Bollene
Finish: Valence hotel

Total Climb: 5,500m

Welcome to 2025’s most demanding stage. It includes 5,500m of vertical gain, over three massive climbs, and finishes at the highest point of the whole Tour – the 2,304m Col de la Loze. You’re right to be nervous about tackling this monster, but what the route profile doesn’t tell you is how beautiful this ride will be, and how many happy memories you’ll take home with you.

Setting off from Vif, in the shadow of the Vercors massif, we’ll follow the Romanche river into the high mountains, beginning our first climb as we skirt the glittering Lac du Verney. The road up to the Col du Glandon passes through some of the wildest scenery you’ll see on this stage, following a narrow valley upwards until it emerges alongside another beautiful mountain lake. Look out for marmots as you leave the trees behind you and approach the windswept summit of this magnificent climb. The gradient varies significantly over 21km, and you’ll want to save some energy for kilometre 10, which averages 11%.

From here there’s around 25km of delightful downhill into the Maurienne Valley, and then with very little ado we set off up our next big ascent, towards the Col de la Madeleine. For better or for worse, this road offers fewer variations in gradient than the Glandon, so you may find it easier to get into a rhythm, but there’ll be fewer easy stretches to rest on. The col, when you reach it, is an exhilarating 2,000m above sea level.

After another long descent, and a 15km roll along the Isère valley to Brides-les-Bains, it’s time for the 26.2km up to the Col de la Loze, via Courchevel – a journey like no other, as you’ll ascend the best part of two vertical kilometres, from the bustling valley floor, to the rarefied atmosphere of the Tour de France’s highest point. The last 5km are closed to all traffic but bicycles, which should help to soften the blow of the 11% section you’ll meet shortly before the top.

The first time Le Loop rode up the Col de la Loze was in 2023 and our Alumni still talk, joke and cry about it. These may be some of the toughest kilometres you ever cycle but that’s no reason not to give it a go.

(As an aside, the route passes our Courchevel hotel on the way to the top so if you’ve already had plenty of challenge, you do have the option to stop).

*LITE: We’ll give you a lift straight to our second feedstop in La Chambre which cuts off the Glandon climb. This leaves you with the col de la Madeleine, the climb up to Courchevel and the decision as to whether to continue up the Col de la Loze or stop at the Courchevel hotel. Assuming you stop at the hotel, your days is a mighty 3000m of climbing packed into 80 delightful kilometres!

*only available to those who have signed up for either the Alps/Alps Lite Loop options.

Tour logistics
Start: Transfer to Vif
Finish: Courchevel hotel

Total Climb: 4,600m

The lofty ski resort of La Plagne is today’s grand finale, and there’s 4,600 ascent in total, but what you’ll really remember from this stage is the simple joy of cycling in the Alps – the green meadows, clamouring cowbells, and quaint wooden chalets lining the climbs.

Our first ascent, which we encounter around 10km in, is a relatively gentle one, up to the pretty village of Hery, which perches on the mountainside overlooking the Arly gorge. There’s only a brief descent before we’re straight into the next one – the super-pretty 13km climb up to Col des Saisies, a quiet road that twists its way through pine forests and green meadows.

After the descent comes Beaufort, a classic Alpine town famed for its cheese, and known as the gateway to one of the finest road cycling sequences there is –Cormet de Roselend via Col du Pré. The first of these climbs is a scenic-but-steep ascent on tranquil hairpins, serenaded by cowbells and overlooked by chalets. As we roll over the top we’ll be treated to views of the spectacular Lac de Roselend (everyone will want to stop for photos), before rolling downhill to cross its dam, skirt its northern shore, and begin our ascent of the famous Cormet, which at this time of year should be lined with delicate Alpine flowers.

The corkscrew descent to Bourg-Saint-Maurice is one of the most enjoyable in the Alps, and the valley that connects to La Plagne is slightly downhill too (hurrah!), so all you have to worry about now is riding uphill for 19km – the final big climb of this year’s Tour – and planning how you’ll celebrate when you reach the top.

*LITE: We’ll give you a lift to the first feedstop at the top of the Col de Saisies. This gives you all day to focus on the two remaining gruelling climbs which come in at 3000m of climbing over 80k

*The lite option is available to those who have signed up for either the Alps, or the Alps Lite Loop options only.

Tour logistics
Start: Transfer to Albertville
Finish: Dinner at La Plagne, then:
Alps/Lite, and Mountains Week Loopers transfer to outskirts of Geneva (Porte de Geneve) Hotel.
Grand Loop, 2nd Half Loopers and Paris extension, transfer to Nantua hotel.

Total Climb: 2,850m

This punchy stage showcases the Jura – one of France’s lesser-known mountain ranges which, despite being effectively Geneva’s back yard, offers a hefty dose of that middle-of-nowhere feeling. Expect to see sheer limestone cliffs, long blue lakes, and low, leafy peaks that will feel very different from the jaggedness of the Alps.

The climbing starts shortly after we leave Nantua and we’ll spend a good hour working our way up the Col de la Croix de la Serra, a leafy climb that hugs the edge of the Semine gorge, and tops out at just over 1,000m. We’ll admire a cluster of distant peaks as we speed downhill into Saint-Claude, which claims to be the international capital of pipe smoking, and has the world’s largest pipe on display in the city centre.

Climbing up again, the route undulates scenically across the green Jura plateau, and pays a visit to the pretty lakeside town of Le Frasnois, before heading north toward the Côte de Thesy. This 3.5% climb has an average gradient of just over 8% (with some stretches of 11%), and takes us up to the quiet village of Thesy, from which, on a clear day, we may enjoy views of the distant Alps. There’s still plenty of climbing during the last couple of hours of the ride, as the route bends south towards Pontarlier, but the scenery remains pleasingly rural, and a small descent takes us out of the woods, and into the outskirts of the town.

Tour logistics
Start: Nantua Hotel
Finish: Transfer to tonight’s hotel mid-way to Paris

Total Climb: not yet published

Time for our lap of honour! We set out today from Mantes-la-Ville, a small town on the banks of the Seine to the west of Paris. It’s a lovely direction to approach the capital from as most of our ride will feel surprisingly rural. We roll through the pleasant farmland and scenic villages that surround the French capital, passing Versailles – our final château! – as we enter the city’s elegant suburbs. There’s one significant climb towards the end of the ride, but a brief glimpse of the Eiffel Tower on the descent will let us know we’re nearly there, and before we know it we’ll be riding up the sacred cobbles of the Champs-Elysées towards the Arc de Triomphe.

* Note that due to some major roads that we can’t close, we’ll adapt this route more than usual. We’ll also only do one lap of the final Paris circuit (rather than 10) – and then ride a couple of kilometres from the Arc de Triomphe to our Paris hotel.

Tour logistics
Start: 2.5hr transfer to Mantes la Ville
Finish: Cycle into Paris hotel ahead of evening celebrations

Wishlist Member WooCommerce Plus - Sell Your Membership Products With WooCommerce The Right Way .