Cycling "Classic Cols" Holidays

2012 Alps to the Pyrenees ride your own Tour de France

French End to End is our version of ride your own Tour De France, from Calais to the Pyrenees or the Alps to the Pyrenees for 2012 and finish on the Col du Tourmalet for 9 memorable days in France.

Our group cycling holidays covers a range of different destinations however this is a route where the destination is different each day this is an undertaking for all cycling abilities. We take care of everything - we plan the route, book the accommodation and do all we can to make sure you have a great time.

There is a support vehicle to carry your bags, and look after the group. We also have a member of our team riding with the group will be able to speak both English and French to help with mechanicals or any other problems and to make sure that no-one is left behind.

This is a 9 day classic route through France which is only for cyclists who have a very good fitness level and just like the Tour we change the route every year. Should you want to do your own Tour De France in 2012, then Calais to the Pyrenees will be one of your best rides of the year, our 1st trip starts on Saturday 5th May 2012.

All our holidays have been carefully researched to ensure the routes use quiet scenic roads and include places of interest along the way. You are also provided with detailed route instructions so you can ride at your own pace if you wanted to. Each day has a pre-arranged lunch stop where you can help yourself and have a little rest.

The holidays attract all sorts of different people, are usually a good mix of males and females, singles, couples, friends and families, and are always great fun. A summary of our trips for 2011 can be found in the Holidays packages on our cycling website.

French 'End to End' taking you all the way from the English Channel to the Pyrenees. Highlights of this years Tour de France in 2012 include the Mont Ventoux, the Massif central, Vendee and the Lot and Dordogne not to miss the Gers finishing on the Col du Tourmalet.

The holiday starts with a flight into Geneva from Edinburgh, Manchester or London-Gatwick. We will collect you from Geneva airport where you will spend your 1st night before you start the journey west. Our route takes you through the pretty farming countryside of Hautes Savoie south eastern France through the Rhone Valley on into Provence where we tackle the Giant that is the Mont Ventoux!!! Through the massive central, with its lush green wooded countryside the Languedoc and through the Aveyron the Tarn valley and finally into the Midi Pyrenees.

The last regions of excellent riding territory hilly to say the least before the last day arrives and we are fully into the high mountains of the Pyrenees. This superb ride that takes you through some of the most beautiful areas of France – it should not be missed. This is one of our favourite cycling holidays and we run it twice a year May, and September some of the most delightful times of the year when there is no holiday traffic, unlike July and August in France and when the days are not too hot. The holiday offers similar challenges to the UK ‘End to End’, but the weather is better and the total distance is slightly less.

Start dates for this years 9 day Tour de France – Alps to the Pyrenees. Travel to the event must be carried out on the day before the ride starts all 2012 rides will start at 0930 on the dates shown:-

Route and trips confirmed as:-

Trip 1:- 4 –13 May 2012 Alps to the Pyrenees Route confirmed arrival on the 4^th May Start riding Saturday 5^th finish the  13^th May depart 0930 14^th May.

Geneva to Villefranche-Sur-Soane 141kms Saturday 5^th May

Villefranche-Sur-Soane to St Vallier 133kms Sunday 6^th May

St Vallier to Vaison la Romaine 136kms Monday 7^th May

Vaison la Romaine to Carpentras 80kms Tuesday 8^th May

Carpentras to Nimes 140kms Wednesday 9^th May

Nimes to Beziers 140kms Thursday 10^th May

Beziers to Mirepoix 132kms Friday 11^th May

Mirepoix to St Gaudens 123kms Saturday 12^th May

St Gaudens to Bareges 111kms Sunday 13^th May

Trip 2 16 – 25 September 2012 Alps to the Pyrenees Route confirmed arrival on the 15 September start riding 16 September finish 24 September, depart 0930 25 September

Geneva to Villefranche-Sur-Soane 141kms Saturday 16 September

Villefranche-Sur-Soane to St Vallier 133kms Sunday 17 September

St Vallier to Vaison la Romaine 136kms Monday 18 September

Vaison la Romaine to Carpentras 80kms Tuesday 19 September

Carpentras to Nimes 140kms Wednesday 20 September

Nimes to Beziers 140kms Thursday 21 September

Beziers to Mirepoix 132kms Friday 22 September

Mirepoix to St Gaudens 123kms 23 September

St Gaudens to Bareges 111kms 24 September

We look forward to seeing you in 2012 stay fit see you in Geneva

How do you get to the start of the holiday?
The holiday starts with a flight into Geneva from Edinburgh, Manchester or London-Gatwick. We will collect you from Geneva airport Flying offers the quickest and easiest way to return home from your holiday with Ryanair, although for most destinations travelling by train (or coach-BIKE EXPRESS) is also an option. We will provide transport from the nearest airport Geneva for the start or Pau or Lourdes (or Train station Lourdes) to the start & finish of the holiday.

Start dates for this years 9 day Tour de France are TBA at the end of November - Calais to the Pyrenees. Travel to the event must be carried out on the Friday as the rides will start at 0930 on the Saturday morning:- The route will be announed at the end of November.

How do you get to the start of the holiday?
For most people from Dover as a foot passenger this can be booked in advance or just turn up at the port and book a single foot passenger roughly about £10.00 flying offers the quickest and easiest way to return home from your holiday, although for most destinations travelling by train (or coach-BIKE EXPRESS) is also an option. We will provide transport from the nearest airport (or station) to the start & finish of the holiday.

The support vehicle?
The support vehicle will transport your luggage to the daily destination, and also provides any additional assistance required. It doesn't follow the group closely but will meet up with you once or twice a day, so you can top up your water bottles, have some lunch or jump on board if you are feeling tired.

Accommodation
The accommodation is on half board basis, breakfast and evening meals are included in the price of this holiday. The hotels we use are mostly small family run accommodation, providing a friendly relaxed atmosphere. These are usually classed as 2* or similar. We book rooms with ensuite facilities where available, but this cannot be guaranteed due to the variety and number of establishments used. Some basic lunch items are provided and the tour leader will have a pre-arranged lunch stop about half way through the days ride (but you are welcome to stop wherever you want). Hotels are chosen to ensure that there is a restaurant in the hotel or close by, so that you do not have far to go for an evening meal.

All hotel based holidays if you are travelling alone you can either pay the "Single supplement - price for the holiday and have a room to yourself or pay the regular price and we will book you into a twin bedded room with another single member of the group of the same sex. However please note that on most holidays the number of single rooms available is limited and they do tend to go quickly.

Do I have to ride with the group all the time?
Every member of the group is provided with our detailed route instructions, so you can ride at your own pace and stop whenever you want, without the worry of getting lost. During breakfast the tour leader will go over the day's route and point out the scheduled lunch stop suggest a few places you may like to stop, but you are free to do what you want. In practice most people find they team up with other group members of a similar ability really quickly, and so ride together with a small group most of the time.

Tour Price includes:-
Experienced / knowledgeable leaders that guide you daily on the road no other Tours do this not for the price shown!!!!!

* Accommodation family run Hotels 9 days based on 2 sharing.
* Basic lunch items, bread, ham, cheese, cakes + tea and coffee
* Breakfasts for 9 days
* Evening Meals for 9 days
* Route guide should you wish to ride on your own
* Guiding for 9 stages
* Support vehicle & driver.
* Hotel luggage transfers
* Transfers to Lourdes or Pau airports or Lourdes Train Station

Tour Price does not include:
Travel to Calais or return flights home from the Pyrenees any additional snacks or drinks required during the day, and the cost of any optional excursions, entrance fees etc.

So now all you have to do is look at which week suits your requirements above, check with us for availability, then check travel arrangements for how to get to Calais search for P&O ferries or Seafrance and then Ryanair or Air France for your return Flight back to the UK or Paris for connecting flights worldwide. We can book these for you using the credit card details you have supplied to us for the booking of your holiday we will check all dates with you first before confirming any other travel arrangements. We look forward to spending time with you on the roads of France.

The cost for 9 nights is 1395.00€ - $1800.00 US - 2795.00$AUS per person. Please enquire for Single suppl.