Tour de France: Epic Climbs of the Tour 2023

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll descend to the base of the mythic Alpe d’Huez, the most revered and famous mountaintop finish in France. With an average grade of 8% and 21 switchbacks, each named after a winner of the climb in the Tour de France and baiting you to ride to the next, this lion of a climb is sure to capture all of your attention. Alpe d’Huez was first included in the Tour in 1952, and it's often one of the most exciting points in the race. After ascending to the summit of the historic pass, snap some photos then fuel up over lunch while you celebrate your accomplishment and savor the astounding views. If you’re eager for more, continue up and over the mountain to attack Col de Sarenne. This quiet road is popular with locals as an understated, less traveled, and equally difficult challenge. After an exhilarating descent into the valley, choose to ride back to La Grave directly or opt for a shuttle back to the hotel. Tonight, you are free to explore La Grave to find a great restaurant to refuel before more stunning climbs tomorrow!

Prepare yourself for a gorgeous ride today, with classic sweeping views of the Alps, as you follow the route of tomorrow’s Stage 15. You'll start with a two hour shuttle to the shores of Lake Annecy where we start our ride. First up is the Col de la Forclaz Montmin. With an average grade of 6.5%, this tiny road ascends quickly and affords breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Pause at the top to snap a photo before a steep decent down to Favarges and the base of the Col du Marais. You are now on hallowed ground as these roads have witnessed Tour de France battles for years. Next up is the Col de la Croix Fry quickly followed by the well-known Col des Aravis. This col has a long Tour history, being featured over 39 times since 1949 and will be the penultimate climb in tomorrow’s mountain stage. After this spectacular day of climbing, you descend into the chic ski village of La Clusaz and our luxury hotel, Au Coeur du Village, which is perfectly situated for tomorrow’s VIP live race viewing.

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll depart early this morning to climb up to the Col des Aravis and intercept the race course of today’s mountaintop finish. You'll ride the final 25 miles of the course ahead of the peloton. Enjoy the breathtaking descent down to Flumet before a mellow climb up to Megève and the Côte des Amerands. This short but steep climb packs a punch with an average gradient of 11% over just one and a half miles. After a brief summit the climb continues another four and a half miles up to the finish line in Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc Le Bettex. It’s a race-day climb like nothing you’ve ever experienced, with VIP passes and the final stretch of the stage accompanied by an official race escort car just like the pros! Feel the incredible energy of the Tour as you crest the summit and rocket across the finish line, before climbing the Official Tour podium with your fellow Trek Travelers for an unforgettable souvenir photo opportunity! Take a moment to bask in the glory of your achievement and enjoy lunch with incredible vistas of the surrounding mountains. Afterwards, we'll watch the arrival of the racers from a unique vantage point aboard an official VIP luxury open-top bus close to the finish line. This exclusive viewing location is head-and-shoulders above the crowd and fully equipped with an open bar and large-screen TVs, so you don’t miss any of the action! Once the race has finished, descend back to Flumet where a shuttle will whisk you back to our hotel. This evening, you are free to explore La Clusaz and have dinner at one of the excellent restaurants in town.

This morning you’ll rise early, bidding adieu to the Alps with a four hour transfer to Provence and the home of Mont Ventoux. Take some time to rest, relax, and watch the scenery change from the alpine mountain landscapes to the vibrant lavender fields of Provence. This afternoon, with Ventoux as your backdrop, you’ll ride through the vineyard-covered hillsides from one small town to another. If you’d rather take a day off the bike to rest, choose to linger in one of Provence’s quaint villages or take a dip in the pool. Tonight, your home will be the Château de Mazan, once frequented by the notorious Marquis de Sade. You and your travel companions will be treated to your first Provençal meal at the hotel’s fantastic restaurant.

Prepare yourself for epic scenery and legendary riding today! The challenge is the mighty Mont Ventoux - 13.42 miles of climbing with no flat sections and an average grade of 10% through the middle 6.2 miles before you hit the top section which can best be described as a moonscape. What makes this climb challenging is not just the ride itself but also the weather. Intense winds or scorching heat can make this climb seem significantly more difficult than those found in the Alps. Your day will start early to give you the best opportunity to have a stellar climb. After taking a picture at the top to memorialize achieving this feat, you’ll descend to Malaucène to enjoy a bistro lunch where you can relax and refuel before spinning back to the hotel. This evening, you and your travel companions can explore this charming Provençal village and dine in the bistro of your choice.

You’ll rise early today and say à plus to the lavender fields of Provence. With Le Tour charging towards Courchevel and the final mountaintop finish of this year’s race, we’ll relax with a day-long transfer to your next destination — the mountains of the Pyrenees. This afternoon’s ride is a short loop through the foothills of the Pyrenees where narrow, forested roads lead from one mountain village to the next. It is the perfect way to shake out your travel legs. Upon your return to the hotel in Lourdes, catch the final sprint in Courchevel on television as the fight for the yellow jersey intensifies in this final Alpine stage. This evening, we will stroll into town to enjoy a traditional meal at one of our favorite local bistros.

This morning, you’ll appreciate the true grit and sheer determination of the pros as you tackle the Col du Soulor, often featured in the Tour de France. It begins with a gentle ascent then soon ratchets up to an impressive 9% grade. Take a break at the summit to appreciate the breathtaking scenery, before riding along a stunning balcony road that leads to the summit of Col d’Aubisque. Enjoy the expansive views as you descend back to the Col du Soulor where you can enjoy lunch at our favorite mountain bistro. This afternoon choose to continue on the race route over the Col de Spandelles where the fight for the yellow jersey took place in 2022. Alternatively, enjoy your well-earned sweeping descent and scenic ride all the way back to Lourdes. Tonight, you’re free to explore Lourdes for dinner at one of its many colorful bistros.

Today you'll confront one of the Pyrenees’ legendary mountain passes: the mighty Col du Tourmalet. Approaching 7,000 feet, this giant is the highest pass in the central Pyrenees and since its debut in 1910, has been featured in the Tour more frequently than any other. You’ll climb the same side that the pros will tackle on Stage 6 of this year’s Tour de France. The ride starts with a 25-mile warm up to the base of the climb in Sainte-Marie-de-Campan. With an average gradient of 7.3% over 10.6 miles and ramping up to 9% in the last few miles, this climb together with the spectacular views are sure to grab all your attention. Once you’ve reached the top, linger on this famed summit, and pay homage to rider Octave Lapize, the first pro to summit this climb in the Tour de France over a century ago. After refueling at the cafe of your choice, descend into the valley and back to Lourdes. Tonight, gather with your traveling companions and guides to raise a glass to the Tour, the legendary riding that makes it famous, heroes past and present, and your incredible cycling tour of the Alps, Mont Ventoux and Pyrenees!

It's truly been an amazing trip, and you're sure to return a different cyclist. Choose to rise early to take a stroll to take in the beauty of the mountains one more time, before you bid farewell to your guides at 9:00 AM at the Hotel Galia & Londres. You can also purchase the Paris Viewing package at a special price and join Trek Travel in Paris for the final stage and exclusive VIP finale viewing event tomorrow.