Route des Grandes Alpes

You should be comfortable on the road and in tight turns: the tour is rated Intermediate. It is all paved, but the stages string together high mountain passes, with switchbacks on the way up and down. If you ride regularly, you will enjoy every pass; if in doubt, your advisor will help you decide.

Between 85 and 130 miles, about 660 miles over the six riding days. In the mountains, that makes a full day with the stops: photos at the top of the passes, coffee on a terrace, lunch on the way. Distances will be confirmed by GPS during our scouting ride in spring 2027.

A Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, light and agile in the switchbacks, rented for the six riding days, gas included. You need a valid US driver license with the motorcycle endorsement, together with an International Driving Permit, available from AAA.

No: we ride its heart, from the passes of the Beaufortain to the Cime de la Bonette, on a loop from Lyon, which saves two long transfers. You ride the most famous passes of the route, Cormet de Roselend, Iseran, Galibier, Izoard and Vars, go up to La Bonette, then ride back through the Vercors, the Gorges de la Bourne and the Combe Laval.

Yes, passengers are welcome: the whole route is paved. A passenger pays $3,790, and a seat in the support van is available for a stage if one of you needs a break.

We meet you on day 1 at Lyon airport or train station and drive you to our partner garage in Sain-Bel, 15 miles west of Lyon; the return transfer on day 8 is included too. From the US, fly to Paris and take a TGV high-speed train to Lyon, about two hours, or connect to Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport.

In August the high passes are open, but a storm or fog can make a crossing unpleasant: the tour leader then adapts the route or the timing. Pack rain gear and a warm layer: at the top of the Iseran or La Bonette, above 8,900 ft, it is often chilly even in summer.

Seven nights in comfortable 3 and 4 star hotels, in Beaufort, Val d'Isère, Briançon, Barcelonnette, Villard-de-Lans and near Sain-Bel, with all meals, in a twin room shared with another rider. A single room is available for a $530 supplement.

Not during the tour, which stays on the road. But our off-road training courses run nearby, in the Beaujolais, from March through November: a good way to extend your stay or prepare for a future tour with dirt roads.