Get ready for a thrilling 10-day MTB odyssey from the French Alps to the French Riviera. Traverse three national parks and ten mountain ranges, descending a total of 26,000 feet along 180 miles. Experience the thrill of enduro-style riding, emphasizing exciting descents and utilizing lifts. Experience the remarkable change of scenery and immerse yourself in local culture. Every detail is seamlessly managed—accommodations, meals, luggage transfers, and expert local guidance. It's the ultimate MTB adventure from Alpine peaks to the Mediterranean shores.
Bonjour! Welcome to Geneva, the starting point of your adventure. From Geneva Airport, transportation is arranged for you, your bike, and your luggage to Thonon-les-Bains—a charming spa town nestled on the shores of Lake Leman. As the sun sets, gather at the hotel to kick off this epic journey. Break the ice over a delightful dinner, pack essentials, and ensure bikes are ready for the incredible ride ahead.
Meals: Dinner
Your adventure starts in Chatel, traversing trails that have sculpted the global reputation of this region. Riding through Avoriaz, Morzine, and Les Gets, spend the night in anticipation of the alpine crossing through the Chablais massif. This lift-assisted day serves not just as a warm-up but as an opportunity for our expert guide to fine-tune your skills, ensuring you embark on the journey with utmost confidence.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 24.8 miles (40 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +984 ft / -13,123 ft (+300 m / -4,000 m)
Leave Les Gets and transfer to Les Contamines, at the foothills of Mont-Blanc. A thrilling gondola ride unfolds one of the most breathtaking panoramas of this colossal giant. Traverse technical terrains to Les Saisies, then descend through the flowy bike park trails, eventually reaching Beaufort. A playful singletrack awaits, leading 1000m down and offering a taste of excellent local cheese. Spend the night in an alpine refuge amid the captivating scenery of the pastures.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 19.9 miles (32 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +2,297 ft / -9,977 ft (+700 m / -3,040 m)
Transfer to “Cormet d’Arêche” precedes a magnificent panorama with Mont Blanc, Grande Casse, Barre des Ecrins, Pic de l’Etendard unfolding before us. Bid farewell to Beaufortain with an epic 2,000m vertical drop into the Tarentaise valley. The shuttle then takes your group to the Vanoise massif, home to a trail to remember—the GOAT trail!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 24.2 miles (39 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +3,740 ft / -3,740 ft (+1,140 m / -3,790 m)
As dawn breaks, depart the Maurienne massif for the Galibier pass, revealing a mesmerizing panorama of the Ecrin National Park. A descent from the top leads to a delightful balcony trail above the Briançon valley. The adventure continues with a thrilling descent from the Granon pass through pine forests, culminating in the fortified city of Briançon. Your bike hotel awaits in the evening, promising a night of local culinary delights.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 23.0 miles (37 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +2,624 ft / -9,940 ft (+800 m / -3,030 m)
Morning transfer introduces your group to the renowned Izoard pass, marking the transition between Briançonnais and Queyras. Admire the lunar-like scenery of the Casse Déserte wilderness before descending a spectacular ridge to Arvieux village. After a short break, the shuttle takes your group to another remarkable pass. Descend through mountain pastures and technical forest trails, concluding the day in the Ubaye mountain range.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 27.9 miles (45 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +4,265 ft / -13,123 ft (+1,300 m / -4,000 m)
Welcome to the Ubaye region, the gateway to the Mercantour National Park. The landscape evolves into arid beauty. From Allos pass, embark on an incredible trail with varying speed and flow, transitioning into challenging technical sections, ultimately reaching the medieval village of Allos. A unique spot where the Tribe 10000, the first mountain bike enduro competition, took place in 2002. A second descent awaits from another pass, with an optional extra descent above the village—revealing a curiosity known as the “gray earth.”
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 18.0 miles (29 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +820 ft / -10,499 ft (+250 m / -3,200 m)
From the pass’s summit, ride a flowy singletrack down to an old village nestled in
the mountains, then continue to the Tinée Valley. The Maritimes Alpes region offers an absolutely delightful mountain biking experience. For the second part, your group will ride the amazing trails that made the reputation of the TransVésubienne race. Be ready for a great moment of up and down riding on technical and rocky trails before the final descent in the valley.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 26.7 miles (43 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +4,003 ft / -12,008 ft (+1,220 m / -3,660 m)
Your goal is in sight! From the heights of the Menton hinterland, gaze at the Mediterranean Sea. Kick off the morning’s ride with a magnificent trail, navigating between peaks and summits overlooking the village of Sospel, well known to enduro mountain bike enthusiasts. A transfer leads to the last summit above Menton to finish directly in the sea. You’ve just completed one of the most beautiful enduro mountain bike touring adventures, crossing the entire French Alps from south to north. Now it’s time to sit on the beach terrace and celebrate with a local specialty: lemon ice cream.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Distance: 20.5 miles (33 km)
Elevation gain/loss: +2,297 ft / -8,202 ft (+700 m / -2,500 m)
After a nice breakfast in front of the sea, it’s time to leave this incredible and peaceful place. You can choose to stay a couple of days and take a flight from Nice Airport to go back home or we can drive you up to Thonon Les Bains to fly back from Geneva Airport. Say goodbye to fellow cyclists, your guide, or to France—or continue touring on your own.
Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
Enduro mountain bikes can be rented for an added fee. Contact us prior to booking to find out about the rates and make arrangements with your guide.
What’s not included:
To fully enjoy this guided MTB tour from Lake Geneva to Côte d’Azur, participants should have a moderate to high level of fitness. The ability to sustain a long but not overly intense physical effort of 4 to 5 hours is essential. Climbing between 2,300 to 3,280 feet (700 and 1,000 m) per day is part of the challenge, requiring participants to be capable of handling uphill ascents. While shuttles and lifts are extensively utilized, participants should also be prepared to climb up to 1,000m (approximately 3,280 feet) in one go or two climbs of 1,640 to 2,300 feet (500 to 700 m). Regular breaks are included in the itinerary to ensure a balanced pace and to accommodate the fitness of the group.
Participants are expected to have a substantial mountain biking background to join this guided French Alps MTB tour. Riding a mountain bike several times a week for at least three years is necessary, demonstrating a solid foundation in the sport. Proficiency in handling technical trails with different surfaces, such as stones, loose soil, and roots, is essential. The ability to ride with precision and control in various situations, including steep and sustained descents on singletrack, is crucial. Familiarity with obstacles like roots, steps, scree, and switchbacks is assumed. Participants should be prepared for technical challenges, but the option to walk on a few of the hardest sections is available. Keep in mind that the guided experience allows you to learn from the guide and improve your techniques.
Here’s what you’ll need:
This MTB trip follows a route through the French Alps. In the summer, the Alps benefit from a generally warm and sunny climate, temperatures can reach 30°C (86°F). But in the mountains, the weather can change quickly and it is not impossible to have a lot of rain, or even snow at high altitude the next day. Therefore, even if you will ride most of the time wearing a T-shirt, we recommend packing warm and waterproof clothes in case of bad weather. Arriving in the south alps, you can expect a hot temperature in summer. A comprehensive packing list will be sent to you upon booking.
If you want to avoid the hassle of bringing your own e-bike, you can rent one from your guide. Additionally, your guide can loan you a jet helmet at no extra cost. You can add the bike to your booking upon checkout.
Group sizes and prices:
Mountain biking in the French Alps can be arranged for private groups. Contact us prior to booking.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has riders under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Fly into Geneva International Airport (GVA), where you’ll be met by your guide on Day 1. They’ll then transfer you and other fellow mountain bikers to your first accommodation in Thonon-les-
Bains, a charming spa town on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The exact meeting point and meeting time will be given to you once the tour is confirmed. Keep in mind that it may depend on the arrival time of other participants.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain trails, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. For more information on travel recommendations and restrictions in France and Switzerland, please refer to the foreign travel advice for France and Switzerland.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!