Alpe d’Huez and Mont Ventoux
Two legends, one week — the 21 bends and the Giant of Provence, fully supported.
Alpe d’Huez · Mont Ventoux · Col du Galibier · Col du Glandon · Gorges de la Nesque — and more
7 nights · Alps & Provence · Small groups · From €1999
The Trip
Two of the most famous climbs in cycling, in a single week — and a proper sense of journey between them. You’ll start in the high Alps around the Oisans, ticking off Alpe d’Huez, the Galibier and the Glandon, then transfer south into Provence for the one climb every rider wants in their legs:
Mont Ventoux, the Giant, by its hardest and most storied face from Bédoin. It’s a two-centre holiday, with the transfer between the Alps and Provence handled for you, so all you carry from one legend to the next is the memory of the last.
Fully supported from the van throughout — luggage moved, routes on your GPS, and me out on the road at the climbs and junctions that matter.
At a glance
- Duration: 7 nights, Saturday to Saturday
- Riding: 5 days plus a gentle final spin
- Regions: the Oisans (French Alps) and Mont Ventoux (Provence)
- Signature climbs: Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, Col du Galibier, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Glandon, Lacets de Montvernier, Col de Sarenne, Gorges de la Nesque
- Format: two-centre, with the Alps-to-Provence transfer handled
- Support: full van support, luggage transfers, GPS routes
- Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch (not on transfer days) and dinner daily
Day by Day
Saturday — Arrival
Arrive in the Oisans any time from 5pm. Settle into your base, meet the group over dinner, and I’ll walk you through the week ahead — the routes, the two legends, and how the support works. Bags unpacked, bikes ready, nothing to think about but tomorrow.
Sunday — The Oisans: Alpe d’Huez & the Col de Sarenne
Straight in at the deep end, with the climb half the tour is named for. Twenty-one numbered hairpins up the legendary Alpe d’Huez, each one ticking down to the top. Then, rather than descend the way you came, you slip away over the wild, silent Col de Sarenne — a world apart from the crowds, and one of the finest quiet roads in the range. A perfect first day, and you’ll sleep in the Oisans tonight.
Monday — Into the Maurienne: Col du Glandon & the Lacets de Montvernier
A proper Alpine crossing. The Col du Glandon is a long, wild climb through high pasture and hairpins before a fast drop into the Maurienne valley. Down below waits the Lacets de Montvernier — an extraordinary staircase of tightly stacked switchbacks that’s become one of the most photographed corners in all of cycling. Tonight you stay in the Maurienne, poised for the queen stage.
Tuesday — Back to the Oisans: Col du Télégraphe & Col du Galibier
The big one. The Télégraphe warms the legs before the mighty Col du Galibier, one of the highest and most storied passes in the Alps, its final ramps opening onto a view worth every pedal stroke. From the summit you descend the long way home via the Lautaret back into the Oisans — a genuine point-to-point mountain day, and a fitting finale to the Alpine half of the week.
Wednesday — South to Provence
A change of scene. Today we transfer from the high Alps down to the foot of Mont Ventoux, near Sault, as the mountains give way to lavender fields, warm stone villages and the scent of the south. The afternoon is yours — unwind, explore, or simply rest the legs. Tomorrow, the Giant.
Thursday — Provence: Gorges de la Nesque & Mont Ventoux from Bédoin
The day you came for. You’ll warm up through the spectacular Gorges de la Nesque — a breathtaking balcony road carved along the canyon walls — before turning to the Giant of Provence itself. Ventoux from Bédoin is the classic ascent: relentless kilometres through the forest, then out onto the bare, lunar moonscape of the summit, the white cap visible for miles. One of cycling’s true rites of passage, and one you’ll never forget.
Friday — Back to the Alps & the Allemond loop
We transfer back north to the Oisans in the morning. For those who want to loosen the legs after Ventoux, there’s an easy 35km loop around Allemond in the afternoon — a gentle, beautiful spin by the lake beneath the big peaks, with no pressure and nothing to prove. A relaxed way to round off the riding.
Saturday — Departure
Breakfast, and away by 10am. Two legends in your legs, and a week you’ll be talking about for a long time.
Included
- 7 nights’ accommodation on a shared twin-room basis
- Breakfast, picnic lunch (not Wednesday or Friday) and dinner every day
- Full van support throughout — I’m out on the route all day at the climbs and key junctions
- Luggage transferred between bases, so your bags are always waiting for you
- Detailed GPS routes for every ride
- Free pick-up and drop off from Grenoble train station (subject to availability)
What’s Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Airport transfers (Lyon or Geneva can be arranged at additional cost)
- Bike hire (available locally — see additional info)
- Drinks and alcohol
Accommodation
Comfortable, well-placed accommodation in two bases — one in the heart of the Oisans, one near the foot of Ventoux in Provence. Rooms are shared twin as standard, with a single-room option available (see pricing). Your bags travel in the van, including on the transfer days, so you’ve always got everything with you each evening.
Additional Information
Bikes
Bring your own, or hire locally — I work with trusted partners in Le Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez, and both traditional road bikes and e-bikes are very welcome. E-bikes are a brilliant way for mixed-ability groups and couples to ride the same roads together, so don’t rule them out. Just let me know when you enquire and I’ll sort the details.
Getting there
The easiest arrival is by train to Grenoble, where I’ll collect you free of charge (subject to availability and time of arrival). Flying in to Lyon or Geneva also works well, and I can arrange a transfer from either at additional cost. I’ll help you plan the best option once you’ve booked.
Prices & booking
Priced in euros — pay in your own currency at checkout.
€1,999 per person, based on shared twin rooms, including all accommodation, meals and full support as above.
- Single supplement: available if you’d prefer your own room — €500 for the week
- Deposit: just 20% to secure your place
- Balance: due 10 weeks before departure
- Pay monthly: spread the cost in instalments if that’s easier — just ask
- Early-bird discount: book before 1 December for the following season and save 5%
Common questions
How fit do I need to be? These are real Alpine climbs, so a good level of cycling fitness and some hills in your legs will let you enjoy them properly. You ride at your own pace, though, with the van never far away — so it’s the climbs, not the clock, that matter.
Will I get lost? No. You’ll have detailed GPS routes to follow, and I’m out on the road all day at the junctions and climbs that count. It’s the freedom of riding at your own pace with the reassurance of full backup.
I’m travelling solo — is that ok? Absolutely. Plenty of riders come on their own; you’ll share twin rooms with the group, or take the single-room option if you’d rather your own space.
What if I have a mechanical, or a bad day? That’s exactly what the van’s for — spares, a top-up, or a lift to the top or back to base, no questions asked.
Ready to ride the climbs you’ve always dreamed about? Book your place with a 20% deposit, or drop me a line and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.