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
- 02:3021.6 mi8.6 mph3,925 ft1,400 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
This ascent to the 'Pas de Peyrol' has everything you could wish for as a racing cyclist: tough climbs, wonderful views and a very good opportunity for a break in between. This tour starts in Anglards-de-Salers, where almost 35 kilometers and a whopping 1,200 meters in altitude await you. Due to the…
- 05:4545.7 mi8.0 mph9,900 ft5,825 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
In 2020, the Grand Colombier will be in the very big spotlight of the Tour de France for the very first time: After being part of the Tour in 2012, there will even be a mountain finish here in 2020. But before you can stand on the summit and celebrate like the pros, a lot of work is needed: On this 73…
Sign Up To Discover Places Like This
Get recommendations on the best single tracks, peaks, & plenty of other exciting outdoor places.
- 03:3129.8 mi8.5 mph5,750 ft5,800 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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 is actually only this one ascent and one descent ahead of you, but the 1,750 meters in altitude to the pass are really quite a chunk. So it's no wonder that countless…
- 03:3522.5 mi6.3 mph6,625 ft525 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
Normally it can rattle quite a bit somewhere in the mountains on remote pass roads. Not so on this one: On this climb with more than 2,000 meters of altitude difference, you can enjoy long stretches of wonderfully smooth, almost virgin asphalt. A real dream for every racing cyclist!
But there's more…
- 01:5615.2 mi7.9 mph3,575 ft3,575 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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 curves as mainstream or whether they are on your road bike to-do list as a real myth.
The fact is, however, that this driveway is full of Tour…
- 04:4844.0 mi9.2 mph7,775 ft7,775 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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 on the south side, just below the pass, in honor of its founder Henri Desgrange. So there is no lack of real Tour de France flair on this climb, which is also the fifth highest…
- 04:3937.2 mi8.0 mph7,700 ft2,200 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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…
- 02:5918.3 mi6.1 mph5,875 ft1,000 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
Under "normal" circumstances, you probably wouldn't even know the Col de la Croix de Fer, because it's off the usual tourist routes. But what is normal when you are a road 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. But…
- 02:4817.2 mi6.2 mph5,300 ft1,250 ftExpertExpert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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 that makes a racing cyclist's heart beat faster, from a short coasting to a murderous climb. This route is, so to speak, a challenge…
Like this Collection?
Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance251 mi
- Duration32:29 h
- Elevation56,400 ft
You Might Also Like
Road Cycling Collection by Sofiane Sehili
Road Cycling Collection by Michele Pelacci
Bike Touring Collection by Tölzer Land
Bike Touring Collection by NORTH STAR PEDALING