Tour de France Femmes: Loire Valley to Puy de Dôme Ultimate Race Experience

Overview

Welcome to the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Your guides will meet you at Hôtel de Bourbon in Bourges at 10:00 AM for a 50-minute private shuttle northeast to Sancerre. The hilltop village rises above the Loire, its slopes striped with Sauvignon Blanc vines, and your home for the next three nights brings the calm of wine country to your doorstep. Over lunch at the hotel, your guides will introduce the days ahead, then fit you to your Trek bike, ready for a week of riding and race viewing. This afternoon’s warm-up ride winds along narrow farm roads through the Sancerrois, a first taste of the rolling countryside of central France, on the same day the women’s peloton races its first stage on French soil. This evening, we’ll gather for social hour and introductions, followed by dinner together at the hotel.

Overview

Today you’ll ride alongside one of the most decorated riders in women’s cycling. Lizzie Deignan—Trek Travel ambassador, former world champion, and winner of the first women’s Paris-Roubaix—joins us for the day. Together, you’ll leave Sancerre on a route that winds through the vineyards and crosses the Loire toward Pouilly-sur-Loire, where the turrets of Château du Nozet rise above the vines. A private tour of the de Ladoucette estate, in the same family line since 1787, leads into a tasting of its Pouilly-Fumé, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc known for the smoky, flinty notes of the region’s soils. Over lunch on the grounds, Lizzie shares stories from nearly two decades in the professional peloton. Afterward, ride back to the hotel along the river path, or take the 15-minute shuttle. This evening, we’ll gather at the hotel to watch the Stage 5 finish in Magnanville live on TV, glass of Sancerre in hand, as the peloton battles toward the line. Dinner is on your own, with your guides happy to point you toward their favorite tables in the village.

Overview

Morning brings a change of rhythm as you ride the Loire à Vélo, part of the EuroVelo 6 cycle route, following a level ribbon of riverside path past sandbanks and quiet villages. After time to shower and change, a 50-minute shuttle carries you to Bourges, its medieval center buzzing with anticipation as the Tour de France Femmes draws near. The afternoon is yours to explore, with lunch of your choosing among the half-timbered lanes around the UNESCO-listed Cathédrale Saint-Étienne. Later, we’ll regroup aboard the race’s official Millie Robinson VIP bus for front-row views of the Stage 6 finish, as the sprinters fight for position through to the line. Afterward, social hour brings an exclusive chance to meet representatives from Lidl-Trek before dinner at a local bistro and a shuttle back to Sancerre.

Overview

After breakfast, say goodbye to Sancerre as a private shuttle carries you on the roughly three-hour drive south to the Auvergne, a landscape shaped by volcanoes that last erupted thousands of years ago. As the land rises into the Massif Central, refuel with fresh pastries from a local boulangerie, then stretch your legs on an optional ride along quiet country roads before continuing to Royat, a spa town at the foot of the volcanoes. Here, the turn-of-the-century elegance of the Princesse Flore becomes your home for the next three nights. Lunch is on your own, with time to explore neighboring Clermont-Ferrand. Wander Place de Jaude, the city’s broad central square, or discover how a local rubber company became a global name in tires at L’Aventure Michelin. Meanwhile, the climbers go into battle on the summit finish at La Loge des Gardes, setting the stage for a decisive final weekend. This evening, we’ll gather around the table at a favorite neighborhood restaurant for a relaxed group dinner and a first taste of Auvergne cooking.

Overview

After yesterday’s first look at the Massif Central, today you’ll head deeper into the volcanoes. From the hotel in Royat, the route climbs straight into the Chaîne des Puys, a chain of some 80 dormant volcanoes recognized as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wooded slopes and open pasture lead toward Lac d’Aydat, a lake formed when ancient lava flows dammed the valley, with lunch along the way. If you welcome the challenge, you can add further climbs among the volcanic domes, with wide views of the Puy de Dôme, where the race will crown its champion tomorrow. Back in Clermont-Ferrand this afternoon, we’ll gather as a group for the Stage 8 finish, as the peloton arrives after six categorized climbs, and your guides will help you find a spot along the barriers to cheer the pros home. Dinner is on your own tonight, with the area’s restaurants yours to discover and Auvergne classics like truffade and Saint-Nectaire cheese to try.

Overview

The final stage of the Tour de France Femmes finishes on the summit of a volcano, and today you ride it first. After an unhurried morning and a short warm-up spin, you’ll take on one of the most demanding finishes in professional racing, as the road spirals around the Puy de Dôme’s flanks with gradients above 10% on the upper slopes. Every pedal stroke is earned, and crossing the same finish line hours before the race arrives makes the summit all the more rewarding. From there, descend to the official Millie Robinson VIP bus, your vantage point for the afternoon, and settle in for a picnic-style lunch as screens on board follow the action. The tension builds as the leaders reach the final climb, and you’ll be there as the women’s teams fight for every second, cheering on Lidl-Trek as the yellow jersey is decided on the volcano’s slopes. Once the final stage is won, we’ll ride back to the hotel for social hour and a celebratory dinner together.

Overview

After a week at the heart of the Tour de France Femmes, the morning brings an easy send-off. Take your time over breakfast or stroll through Royat’s old spa quarter before your guides bid you farewell at the Princesse Flore at 10:00 AM. A private shuttle then brings you to the Clermont-Ferrand train station, where trains connect to Paris. You’ll leave having stood closer to women’s professional cycling than most fans ever will, carrying the thrill of its finale wherever you travel next.