C'est de la bombe!
Here's a tried and tested itinerary for a self organised 7 day trip with 5 days cycling in the southern French Alps. We did this with a group of 6, driving down with our bikes. It was a perfect trip in every way. Use this as a template and you'll not be disappointed.
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| View from Col de la Cayolle |
The town:
Barcelonnette Provence-Alpes-Côte D'Azur region. A pretty market town with a traffic free town square replete with cobbled streets, fountain, bell tower and outdoor restaurants. Good supermarkets in the town. 11 hour drive from Calais.
Our accommodation:
Chamomile Villa (via AirBnB) Self catered detached house 10 minutes walk from the town centre. Spacious, secure storage for bikes with space to clean and fettle. Brick barbecue in the garden. Comfortable, slightly dated, but perfect for our group at an affordable price, and the host was friendly and helpful. We made 2 evening meals at the house and headed into town on the other 4 nights.
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| After dinner evening stroll home |
Day 1: Col de la Bonette (2802m) and Pra Loup.
90km / 2243m
Day 2: Col de Vars and Montée de Sainte-Anne.
78km / 1795m
Day 3: Col d'Allos, Gorge de Daluis, Col de la Cayolle.
172km / 3811m
61km / 1356m
Travel day: return home.
Total rides: 503km / 12,143m elevation. Scroll down for the routes.
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| Heavenly descent of Montée de Sainte-Anne |
What we liked:
Barcelonnette as a base with most rides on the doorstep. This made it simple to split into smaller groups and ride longer or shorter routes according to personal preference.
Don't miss:
Gorge de Daluis - it's simply stunning.
The cost:
Our trip for 6 people in June 2022 cost £780 per person. This included everything - channel crossings, fuel, tolls, accommodation, groceries, eating out, coffees, and of course - beers! We used splitwise to manage our expenses.
The routes (Strava):
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