14 - 22 June 2008

This nine day tour will appeal to those with “a head for heights”. During this journey we shall partially trace the route of one of the most historic automotive events that ever took place in the French Alps - The Route des Grandes Alpes. We’ll ride the main alpine passes at altitudes of between 1500m and 2800m including Col de Vars, Col de L’Iseran, Col du Galibier and Col de la Madeleine. After an early morning Channel crossing and overnight stop in the Aube region of France, we’ll arrive at our first alpine destination, a three star hotel in Annecy. Continuing through the Massif des Bauges we’ll ride the brilliant Route Napoléon to Gap where we shall stay at a beautiful lakeside hotel for a well deserved rest and an evening meal. While here we may use our day off to take a ride around the crystal clear Lac du Serre-Pancon through a tranquil alpine valley, over Col du Noyer and back to the hotel for an afternoon drink. The next four days are divided between two more Alpine destinations in the Savoie region, where we’ll stay in biker- friendly hotels. In Bourg St Maurice, free time can be used to take a short funicular ride to the nearby ski resort of Les Arcs. Join our proposed day excursion around local mountain passes and stop for a spot of lunch at lake Cenis; or if any of the above are not appealing enough you may opt to relax by the pool and enjoy the mountain scenery. From here the journey takes us back North on some great and almost traffic-free roads to our last overnight destination in the Champagne region. A final ride across rural France, still on those quiet roads, will take us to catch a late afternoon crossing back to the UK.