Geneva - Nice recommendations

[aaronhaines]

A friend is planning to ride Geneva - Nice this summer and is looking for some tips and advice.

There seem to be quite a few companies who do organised tours.
Has anyone got any recommendations or experience with any of them?

[Andrew Hewitt]

Aaron, I did Geneva - Venice with ratherbecycling.co.uk last year and it was awesome. It’s run by Gav MacDonald, an ex-pro, and his partner Chez. They’re great company and really know their stuff - and how to look after their guests well. All the places we stayed were independently owned local places, and very cycle friendly.

They also do a Geneva - Nice trip, which I am actually contemplating doing with them myself this year, in July. Here’s a link. www.ratherbecycling.co.uk/cycling-holidays/europe/the-route-des-grandes-alpes-geneva-to-nice/

Let me know if you need more info - it really was a great trip last year. And if you or your mate do get in touch with Gav or Chez please do mention that I put you in their direction!

[aaronhaines]

Thanks Andrew
I’ll pass that info along.
I might even be tempted into participating!

[john milsom]

I did this with classic tours as our organiser. We were a loose group of about 24 friends and it was the first ride we did together but have done 4 more, so it can’t have been all bad! We started in Archamps rode to Chamousset( 114k, Leschaux and Frene), Chamousset to Les Monetier les Bains (121k, Telegraphe and Galibier - we had a three course meal after the Telegraphe with a glass of wine which I do not recommend), LMLB to Jausiers, (105k, Izoard and Col de Vars), Jausiers to Roquebiliere (114k, Col de Bonette and Col de St Martin), Roquebiliere to Monaco ( Turini and St Pancrace).

All up about 530k so very doable in a week. Col de Bonette was 2800 but a real highlight, if you do it save a bit for the last turn, as I can still recall watching a rider ( not one of ours) come round the corner, look up to the top and visibly start sobbing!

We did it in early September and had good weather but it was cold in the valley bottoms, and cool at the peaks.

Have fun.

Cheers

John