Tracing the Tour de France – spectacular passes in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alps
Road Cycling Collection by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme
9
Tours
32:29 h
251 mi
56,400 ft
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is an incredibly diverse region in southeast France. Large swathes of the landscape are shaped by the rugged peaks of the Alps. But you can also discover idyllic river landscapes and striking volcanic cones, as well as rich culture and delicious food. Nestled France’s border with Italy and Switzerland, the region is especially known for one thing – the Tour de France. As the location of numerous Tour de France stages, the area has become a true Mecca for racing cyclists. In this Collection, we guide you over nine spectacular climbs that you simply have to ride on your road bike.
This Collection gives you enough rides to have a really great racing bike holiday. You can really let off steam here thanks to the numerous legendary passes. You can choose to take on the passes one by one or combine them to make a really challenging Tour. Of course, a certain amount of fitness will come in handy on alpine terrain. The Tour de France routes will test you on the hills like never before. Only once you’ve ridden the passes yourself, will you understand how it feels to reach the top.
You can easily travel to the region by car, train, or plane via Geneva, Annecy, or Grenoble.
All you need is your bike, a little stamina, and basic equipment for long Tours in the Alps such as sufficient tools, a few spare parts and a first aid kit. A wind and rainproof jacket is also essential as after a long climb comes a chillier downhill ride!
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.Difficult02:3021.6 mi8.6 mph3,925 ft1,400 ft
This ascent to the 'Pas de Peyrol' has everything you could wish for as a racing cyclist: crisp climbs, wonderful views and in between a very good opportunity for a break. This tour starts in Anglards-de-Salers, where almost 35 kilometers and a whopping 1,200 meters of altitude are waiting for you. Due…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.Difficult05:4545.7 mi8.0 mph9,900 ft5,825 ft
In 2020, the Grand Colombier will be in the very big spotlight of the Tour de France for the very first time: after it was already part of the Tour in 2012, there will even be a mountain finish here in 2020. Before you can stand on the summit like the pros and celebrate, a lot of work is necessary: on…
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- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.Difficult03:3129.8 mi8.5 mph5,750 ft5,800 ft
A single ascent that is "only" 22 kilometers long, is it worth it? The answer to this question can only be: absolutely! On this tour there are actually only this one ascent and one descent in front of you, but the 1,750 vertical meters to the pass are really quite a chunk. So it's no wonder that countless…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.Difficult03:3522.5 mi6.3 mph6,625 ft525 ft
Normally it can be quite rattling on remote mountain passes somewhere in the mountains. Not so on this one: On this ascent with more than 2,000 meters of altitude, you can enjoy wonderfully smooth, almost virgin asphalt over large sections. A real dream for every racing cyclist!
But there is more: Not…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.Difficult01:5615.2 mi7.9 mph3,575 ft3,575 ft
The ascent to Alpe d'Huez is probably one of the most famous Tour de France routes. And as it is, it's entirely up to you whether you despise the legendary 21 corners as mainstream or if they are a real myth on your road bike todo list.
The fact is, however, that this driveway is full of Tour de France…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.Difficult04:4844.0 mi9.2 mph7,775 ft7,775 ft
The Galibier was once the first alpine pass to be crossed as part of the Tour de France. That is why there is a memorial stone in honor of its founder Henri Desgrange on the south side, just below the top of the pass. There is no shortage of real Tour De France flair on this ascent, which, by the way…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.Difficult04:3937.2 mi8.0 mph7,700 ft2,200 ft
At 2,764 meters, the Col de l'Iséran is one of the highest alpine passes ever. It is very close to the Italian border, or on the border with the Italian Piedmont. And he is in good company: not far away you come to the famous Galibier, the Col du Télégraphe or the Col de la Loze. In theory, you could…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.Difficult02:5918.3 mi6.1 mph5,875 ft1,000 ft
Under "normal" circumstances you would probably not even know the Col de la Croix de Fer, because it is off the usual tourist routes. But what is normal when you are a racing cyclist? This pass has already been part of the Tour de France 18 times, or even 19 times after 2020, making it a real classic…
- Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.Difficult02:4817.2 mi6.2 mph5,300 ft1,250 ft
Hardly any other alpine pass offers more variety. The path to the Cormet de Roselend leads through green forest, barren landscapes, past a beautiful lake and offers everything from a short coast to a grueling climb to make a racing cyclist's heart beat faster. This route is, so to speak, a challenge…
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Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance251 mi
- Duration32:29 h
- Elevation56,400 ft
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