French Alps to French Riviera Alp d Huez, Col du Galibier, Col d Izoard & the Col de Vars with a gran finale through the Gorges du Verdon and the French Riviera Ciclismo Classico s French Alps to Riviera trip is a one-of-a-kind ride from the heart of the mountains made famous by Tour de France legends to the brilliantly blue Mediterranean Sea. Along the way guests will have the chance to ascend Alp d Huez, the Col du Galibier, the Col d Izoard and the Col de Vars, four of the region s most challenging climbs. Other exciting adventures include a chairlift ride to the top of a glacier and a day rafting on the Verdon River. You will be escorted by Ciclismo s expert guides the whole way to the French Riviera and they will show you the best this corner of France has to offer. Other highlights include the Provençal wines and the yummy local cheeses, pastries and delicious tapenade. ITINERARY OUTLINE Trip Essence / Page 2 Daily Itinerary / Page 3-5 Arrival & Departure / Page 6 Bike Information / Page 6 Terms & Conditions / Page 7 Reserve Your Space! / Page 7 Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 1
TRIP ESSENCE Spectacular riding through the Alps, Provence and the Cote d Azur Full immersion in French culture Admire the stunning beauty of the Alps Challenge yourself on epic climbs featured on the Tour de France Discover the Gorges du Verdon by bike and canyoning, a local water sport activity Savor the local alpine cheeses, the Provencale cuisine and wines WHAT S INCLUDED Use of a carbon road bike (see page 6 for details) Service of local, professional guides throughout the program Ciclismo jersey and water bottle TRIP DETAILS 2018 Trip Dates Jul 15 - Jul 23 Aug 26 - Sep 3 Ability Level Advanced Summary of Daily Distances Day 1: 15 Miles Day 2: 62 Miles Day 3: 58 Miles Day 4: 34/47 Miles Day 5: 53 Miles Day 6: 85 Miles Day 7: 16 Miles (optional) Day 8: 73 Miles Day 9: Au Revoir! Optional extra loops available Trip Price $4,995 Single Supplement: $800 All accommodations Cycling clinics Chairlift ride to glacier Water sport activity on the Verdon River Full van support and 2 bilingual guides Shuttle at the end of the tour to Nice Airport The trip was everything I expected and more; I learned that my limits were beyond what I had expected them to be. - David W. Arlington, MA Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 2
DAY 1 URIAGE-LES-BAINS, GRENOBLE Daily Mileage - 15 mi; 1,500 ft Hotel - Grand Hotel Uriage Location: Uriage Duration: 2 Nights www.grand-hotel-uriage.com DAY 2 MONTAGNE DE LAUZIER AND COL DE MUILLE Welcome to France! We meet at 1 pm at the hotel for a light lunch and introductions, then we will have a warm up ride starting from Uriage-les-Bains, about 3 miles out of Grenoble, the gateway to the Alps. Grenoble is a lively town situated on the Isere River and is one of the most important scientific hubs in Europe as well as home to an ancient university with more than 60,000 students. The 4-star Grand Hotel is located in the heart of Uriage. While the authentic character of the building has been preserved, modern facilities have been added in order to improve its comfort. All of the luxury rooms offer a special atmosphere inspired by the great names who have stayed at the hotel: Coco Chanel, Sendhal, and many others. Today we tackle the Col de Muille, a very scenic road along the Montagne de Lauziere, with the option to take the extra loop to Chamrousse, a quiet area, with several short climbs, perfect to find the right pedals stroke. Back to the hotel you can soothe your legs at the Hotel spa and pool. Daily Mileage - 62 mi; 4,260 ft Hotel - See Day 1 DAY 3 L ALP D HUEZ AND LA GRAVE Daily Mileage - 58 mi; 7,544 ft Hotel - Le Chalets de la Meije Location: La Grave www.chalet-meije.com Today we will attack our first great climb: l Alp d Huez! Cycling s great legends have made their names famous on this mountain s twenty-one switchbacks and you will ride in their footsteps today. After conquering this climb you will enjoy a very scenic descent and will reach our hotel nested in the spectacular French Alps. Le Chalets de la Meije is a charming hotel located at the foot of the mountain range of La Meije. The hotel has a hot tub and sauna, and panoramic views of the National Mountain Parc from every room. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 3
DAY 4 COL DU GALIBIER, DU GRANON AND BRIANCON Daily Mileage - 34 mi; 5,136 ft Extra loop: 47 mi; 8,600 ft Hotel - Parc Hotel Location: Briancon http://bit.ly/parc_hotel In the morning you have the option to enjoy a chairlift ride to the Meije Glacier. From here you can admire the Alps in all of their snow-capped splendor and have a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc. On our way towards Briancon and Serre Chevalier, popular Tour de France stops, we will have the chance to explore more amazing mountain roads. The shorter route will certainly challenge your fitness on the fearsome Col du Galibier, but if you re looking for more you have the option to climb the Col du Granon. After this hard day we ll head into Briancon for a much-deserved beer at our hotel. Situated in the heart of the Southern Alps, the Parc Hotel offers spacious, comfortable rooms with great views. DAY 5 COL D IZOARD, COL DE VARS AND JAUSIERS Daily Mileage - 53 mi; 7,700 ft After having tested your riding ability on two of the Alps most difficult climbs over the two previous days, today we will tackle two of their smaller counterparts, the Col d Izoard and the Col de Vars. Spend the night at Ville Morelia, a 4-star hotel built in a wonderful closed park with magnificent panoramic views. Complete with a wellness center and restaurant, you will have a chance to relax and pick up your feet! Hotel - Villa Morelia Location: Jausiers www.villa-morelia.com/#/en/ accueil/ DAY 6 JAUSIERS TO VERDON Daily Mileage - 85 mi; 5,885 ft Hotel - Hotel des Gorges du Verdon Location: La Palud sur Verdon Duration: 2 Nights www.hotel-des-gorges-duverdon.fr/en/index.php Today we will leave the Hautes Alps behind and head into the Alps de Provence. Towards the second half of the ride the changes in landscape will be very evident. Although not as mountainous as the previous days, today will not be a leisurely ride either. Once away from the mountains, however, we will end at the Gorges du Verdon, widely considered Europe s most picturesque river with its gorge s stunning beauty. Hotel des Gorges du Verdon is a paradise in the heart of the Verdon Gorges! This lovely hotel with cascading terraces and swimming pool offers a unique panoramic view over the village, mountains and fields. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 4
DAY 7 VERDON REST DAY Daily Mileage - 16 mi; 2,100 ft Hotel - See Day 6 DAY 8 VERDON TO SAINTE- MAXIME Daily Mileage - 73 mi; 3,600 ft Hotel - Hotel Les Jardins de Sainte-Maxime Location: Saint-Maxime http://www.hotel-lesjardins. com/ DAY 9 AU REVOIR! Today you have the option to rest your legs or you can venture back out with the guides to explore the Verdon river valley by bike on the Route des Crêtes. Carved out over thousands of years by the Verdon river, this region is an adventure athlete s paradise. We have also the option to enjoy acqua rando in the afternoon: you will receive a wet suit, helmet and life jacket and will descend into the gorges where you will use the current to carry you along the river. You ll float, jump and swim in the clear water and maybe walk around rapids, fallen trees or any other obstacle you may encounter. It s an adventure that lets you experience the beauty of the bottom of the gorges in a very unique way! Today s ride will be the last of the trip, but this awesome adventure is far from over. One last set of hills stands between you and the Mediterranean. Working our way through and over jagged peaks, we come to a romantic and exclusive corner of the French Riviera: Sainte-Maxime, on the edge of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Nestled into the Mediterranean coastline and a mere stone s throw away from a gorgeous fine sand beach, this is the perfect location to end our tour in the heart of a tropical-looking botanical garden, just a few minutes away from Sainte-Maxime. At the foot of a hill, between pines and palm trees, this hotel combines comfort, sophistication and conviviality. You ll be won over by the attentive and personalized welcome, the open and bright spaces. Built like an amphitheatre around the outdoor and heated indoor swimming pools, the entire hotel looks out over the terraces and gardens, where you can enjoy the warm and stable climate of the Cote d Azur. After breakfast we will provide a 1-hour group shuttle to Nice airport, where you can make connections to other airports in France, as well as international airports. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 5
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE GETTING TO URIAGE Option 1: Fly to Lyon Saint Exupery (LYS) and catch a 1 hour TGV train to Grenoble train station, then a 20 min. taxi to the hotel. Option 2: Fly to Grenoble Saint-Geors (GNB) from where you can take a bus to Grenoble train station, then a taxi to the hotel (taxi from the airport to the hotel is 50 min.). Option 3: Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and catch a TGV train to Grenoble (3.5 hrs). From Grenoble take a taxi to the hotel. DEPARTING FROM SAINTE-MAXIME The tour ends in Sainte-Maxime the morning of Day 9. There will be one, 1 hour group shuttle to Nice Airport (NCE) where you can make connections (by flight or TGV Train) within France or to other international destinations. BIKE INFORMATION Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/ geometry and different material combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and 11/32 cassette. Bianchi Vertigo included free ( new for 2018) on all Easy and Athletic Beginner tours. Bianchi Intenso included on all Intermediate and Advanced tours. Bianchi C-Sport 2.5 More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is a highperformance aluminum hybrid bicycle with straight handlebars. It has a sloping design for superior comfort and bigger tires and hydraulic disc brakes. Included on all tours. Tandems Cannondale RT 2: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Available for $400, limited availability. Honey bicycles: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Available for $400, limited availability. Co-motion Periscope: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400. Cannondale Hybrid MT800: Upright position with 26 c wheels and straight handlebars. Available for $400. OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations Valerie Wilson Travel Call: 1-855-780-2022 or E-mail: ciclismoair@vwti.com Travel Insurance MH Ross Call: 1-800-423-3632 http://bit.ly/mhross_insurance Transportation Rome2rio http://www.rome2rio.com ON THE BIKE Included: Ciclismo Classico water bottle Two water bottle holders Map holder on handlebars and a Garmin Edge GPS Handlebar bag Tire pump Combination bike lock Gel-padded saddle Choice of pedals Card with your tour leaders mobile phone numbers Pedal Options: Flat pedals Half-toe pedals (without straps) Toe cage pedals Things to Bring: Helmet Optional: clipless pedals with shoes Optional: your own saddle E-Bike: Bianchi Manhattan Available on all easy and athletic beginner tours, some intermediate and advanced tours. Please contact us for more information. Available for $400. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 6
INSURANCE, TERMS & CONDITIONS Insurance Ciclismo Classico will not assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage of personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance. Information on travel insurance will be sent to you via email once trip deposit is received. We recommend MH Ross, but travelers may choose the insurance carrier of their choice. Cancellations and Refunds All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing as soon as possible to Ciclismo Classico. Exceptions to their cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for unexpectedly leaving a trip early or arriving late. The purchase of short-term travel insurance policy is strongly recommended. Cancellation fees are determined as follows: Days before departure Cancellation fee 121+ days - 50% of the deposit* 91-120 days - 100% of the deposit* 61-90 days - 30% of the trip price 31-60 days - 60% of the trip price 0-30 days - 100% of the trip price *You may transfer your trip deposit to another departure in the same tour season up to 90 days before your original departure with payment of a $100 per person transfer fee. Prices quoted are subject to adjustment without prior notification. OR your deposit (currently $600) may be carried forward to the following year as a credit toward the final balance of a tour. At the time of booking, we will ask for another $600 deposit to secure your spot. Carried-forward credits expire at the end of the year to which they are applied. Alterations to the tour itinerary Sometimes modifications may be made to the itinerary. We will notify you of any changes that may affect your arrival, departure or lodging. Any changes to the program are made in the best interest and safety of the group. To review our policies, please visit http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/plan-your-trip/policies/ RESERVE YOUR SPACE! To reserve a space, call Ciclismo Classico at 800-866-7314. Or, mail your deposit and contact information to: Ciclismo Classico attn: Rosa 30 Marathon St Arlington, MA 02474 At the time of registration, a deposit of $600 per person is due, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check, made payable to Ciclismo Classico, along with your full name, mailing address, phone number(s) and email address. We cannot confirm reservations without a deposit. Final payment is due 90 days before departure payable by check, credit card, wire transfer or money order. All travelers must review and sign a terms and conditions statement and a waiver form. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 7