Oh Experienced Ones -
I’m looking for information on cycling tours in Italy or southern France. I’m thinking of a packaged trip about a week in duration, including lodging, on the road support, bike rental, and perhaps meals. July time frame. Has anyone done one of these? What was your experience like?
Also - did you ride with people of similar athletic ability? Did your spouse/SO also ride? How did that work out?
Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!
I’ve done BreakingAway twice (95 and 03) for the TdF (they also have non-race tours). Super organized and knowledgeable. Accommodations are nice, without being super-luxe. You get a good feel for the regions. Groups tend to pair up based on ability, and different routes and full sag means no one is left out. Couples where both biked had a great time. For the SOs who didn’t their days were spent touring the small villages. IME this took one of two forms: newbie SOs who were just thrilled to be in France, and experienced SOs who put up with it (their part of the vacay happens in Paris/Milan for a week after the bike tour).
Check into these companies
Cinghiale - Andy Hampsten’s company http://cinghiale.com/
InGAMBA - Former Cervelo Test Team pro Jao Correia’s company based in Tuscany http://ingamba.pro/
Thompson Tours - http://www.thomsonbiketours.com/
Erickson Tours - https://www.ericksoncycletours.com/
There are others of course, but these are companies that I’ve heard lots of good things about.
I highly recommend the Italian Alps and Dolomites. I know that Cinghiale does a nice tour that mixes those two areas over a week. A few days in Bormio (Stelvio, Gavia, Mortirolo) and a few days in Val di Fassa (Pordoi, Mamolada, Sella Ronda loop).
http://cinghiale.com/portfolio/dolomites-italian-alps-august-30-sept-8-2014
As a bonus August 30th is “Stelvio Bike Day” where all three sides to the Stelvio are closed from 8am to 4pm to all auto and motorcycle traffic. We were there in 2010 just by chance and it was really cool. http://www.valtellina.it/eng/info/10195/stelvio_bike_day_bormio.html
Another itinerary that I’ve heard lots of good stuff about is the Haute Route from Geneva to Nice. It pretty much covers all of the classic climbs in the Alps.
If you want something a little more tame maybe check Tuscany (InGAMBA) or Provence.
Good luck.
Another vote for inGAMBA, Joao is a former TestTeam pro and good dude. I spent a few days at the inn where he bases the Tuscany trips in Chianti Classico and it’s rad. Take good tires and ride some of the strade bianche there.
Even better is Bormio, where you can ride the Stelvio, Gavia and Motirolo passes among others, right from town. I met nslckevin for a day and we did a “warm up” ride down the valley and back through Switzerland. Something like 80 miles and 8k of climbing with bonus spotting of Cadel in world champ kit. There, you can just do a tour of all Kevin’s Strava routes. He might also remember the name of a sweet hotel in town that catered to cyclists.
Burgundy is good but this past fall I spent a week in Provence, which rivals Bormio in awesomeness. My wife and I rented a little cottage on a cherry and grape vineyard, and there were tons of small towns and Cols all over. One day I rode the Giant of Provence and went over (and back over coming home) a 14k, 800m climb. I’d go back there for another week in a heartbeat.
… just MHO … if you have the mindset, it’s more rewarding, more fun, and way (way) cheaper to just do it on your own, no organized trip. Half the fun is experiencing the unknown, running into other people on the road and riding, etc. It’s not hard to find routes, and pretty easy to rent a bike. If you don’t want to haul gear from town to town then just ride from a base each day, or ‘x’ days from one base then drive to another for ‘x’ days and ride out from there.
Trek Travel is very good.
Have also heard excellent reports over the years regarding Cinghiale - Andy Hampsten’s company http://cinghiale.com/
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There are companies which cater for these cyclosportives (Pyrenees, Dolomites, and Alpes) - each about a week each
See: http://www.hauteroutealps.org
I’d also recommend the slightly cheaper Giro Delle Dolomiti
Even better is Bormio, where you can ride the Stelvio, Gavia and Motirolo passes among others, right from town. I met nslckevin for a day and we did a “warm up” ride down the valley and back through Switzerland. Something like 80 miles and 8k of climbing with bonus spotting of Cadel in world champ kit. There, you can just do a tour of all Kevin’s Strava routes. He might also remember the name of a sweet hotel in town that catered to cyclists.
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Is it this one? http://www.hotelfunivia.it/
No, this one: http://www.baitadeipini.com/en/hotel.page. Google Map it and check out the climb that starts about a block away (below).
does anyone have some experience with some european companies?
http://pages.rapha.cc/travel
http://www.sporttour.sk/en/cyklisticke-zajazdy
http://www.alpcycles.com/
or with some other?
Thanks.
Thanks for the information!
The Cinghiale tour looks like it might fit our schedule. Did you rent bikes or bring your own?
Thanks for the information!
The Cinghiale tour looks like it might fit our schedule. Did you rent bikes or bring your own?
We brought our own. I’m too picky. I’d rather rent underwear than a bike. 
We have a double bike case that both of our bikes and wheels fit into which saves money in bike fees.
A note about bike fees. It really is like playing the lottery. We’ve been to Europe twice. Both on American and both in business class with our frequent flier miles. The first time we paid on every leg. US to Frankfurt, stayed a week, then Frankfurt to Innsbruck, stayed a week, then Innsbruck to Frankfurt, spent the night and then home. We had two double bike bags (wife did the 70.3 in Weisbaden and I raced road and TT master’s worlds in Austria). It cost us something like $900 all said and done. The second time was similar, but only three legs. To Milan, then stayed 2.5 weeks, then to Frankfurt, over night and then Home. We paid 80 Euros for the Luftansa flight from Milan to Frankfurt, but on the two international flights we didn’t get charged. Another time flying a double bike bag back from Boise to SFO we got dinged for something like $300! So, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
All that said though, I would so much rather ride my own bike on the vacation of a lifetime that when you consider the money spent, it’s not a place where I want to nickle and dime.
Good luck and enjoy the vacation!
currently live in switzerland and have toured a bit in europe - can’t speak to any specific company, as i’ve always just been a do-it-yourselfer. happy to share some thoughts on specific areas, though, so feel free to message me when you’ve firmed up your plans. . .
-mike
southern France…http://www.pyreneesmultisport.com/
great time, great people! sag all the time, different groups based on ability, wife and I both rode…
I have friends who swears by this group.