Polka Dot Alps & Ventoux

We will be picking up at the Geneva airport (GVA) mid-morning and will hit the ground running. The riders will get fitted for their bikes and change into their kits. We will make our way into the Alps. We will stop in Bonneville, about 24 kilometers before Le Grand Bornand, so the cyclists can ride up the climb (with 500 meters of elevation gain) and will cross the finish line. After that, the entire group will get pictures taken on the podium.

After the podium, we will find a place for lunch before entering the Izoard VIP venue, where we will watch the finish of this mountain top stage. This VIP venue has air-conditioning, food, drinks, TVs and restrooms. This VIP is a great way to watch the race live and on TV. After the race, we will drive to our hotel in Chamonix, a quaint ski town at the foot of Mont Blanc.

Our guides are excellent cyclists and mechanics and will assist you throughout the trip. The majority of our guides live in Europe and have some of the best experience cycling these mountains in the industry.

We will get acquainted with our fellow group members over a welcome dinner. The guides will go over the plan for the coming days. Each guest will receive a gift bag with gifts from le Tour and a jersey from Custom Getaways.

We begin the day at the start village in Cluses. Our VIP passes allow access to the sponsor area with food and coffee and preferred access to the sign-in stage. This is your best chance to see riders and get pictures.

After grabbing a light lunch, we will start our ride back to Chamonix. This ride will be 70 kms of hilly terrain with gradual, but consistent rise.

You will have time to explore Chamonix, with its breath-taking views of Mont Blanc and find a place for dinner.

This morning we will take a train up Mont Blanc and hike around the world famous glacier. The views are outstanding and the ice and snow are amazing in the month of July.

After the tour, we will drive to Annecy, one of the most beautiful towns in France. We will ride around the lake for a bit, then 60 kilometers to Chambery. This is a hilly ride, but no big climbs as we head west through the Alps to our next hotel.

We will enjoy another meal together in Chambery before the Tour heads through town tomorrow.

Today we have another fun day of riding in the Alps.  We have made this day flexible and the group can choose whether they want a flatter ride around Lake Bourget or a more difficult day doing some of the climbs around Chambery.

After our ride, we will check out of our hotel, grab some lunch and find a place to watch the racers pass through town. Chambery is often featured in the Tour de France and is a fun place to see the race.

After the race, we will drive south to Avignon in the Provence region of France. We will be staying is a small property outside of Avignon, surrounded by vineyards.

We will ride approximately 54 kms and climb 1,500 meters in elevation gain as we have our most demanding day of climbing up Mont Ventoux. This world famous climb is a great test of cycling and offers spectacular views of Provence.

Most of you will remember the drama on Mont Ventoux in 2016 when Chris Froome had to run up the mountain until he got a replacement bike. We will stay on the mountain and find a place amongst the crowd to view the racers pass by. This is a very unusual stage as the racers will climb Ventoux twice, from different directions.

Today we ride in Provence on flatter terrain. We will ride approximately 60 kms and climb over 600 meters in elevation gain to a VIP venue called Relais Etape.

Relais Etape is a hospitality tent set up along the course. The caravan throws out fun prizes before the racers arrive to build an electric atmosphere. The racers and their entourage (team cars, motorcycles, media, sponsors, etc.) will pass live in front of us. We will be served an excellent, 4-course lunch with wine and other beverages. Champagne will be served at the end to toast the stage winner. Each Relais Etape guest will receive a gift from le Tour.

Tonight we will enjoy our final dinner together as we remember the great cycling and race highlights with our new friends.

This morning we will drop you at the Avignon TGV train station. This location offers fast service to Paris or other destinations. We look forward to seeing you again!