Cycling in the French Alps

A guidebook describes nine challenging yet picturesque cycle tours in the French Alps - eight circuits of roughly one week, plus the two-week 'Grand Traverse' from Geneva to Nice. The classic high passes of the French Alps are included, the routes covered are Tours of the Ain, Chablais-Aravis, Mont Blanc, Chartreuse-Bauges, Belledonne, Ecrins-Grandes Rousses, Southern pre-Alps including Mont Ventoux and the Grand Traverse of the French Alps. The cycle tours are divided into day stages - generally 50-80km per day, with an average of 1000-1500m height gain. Although all the tours are in mountain areas, the scenery - from the rolling hills of the Bugey to the dramatic limestone gorges of the Chartreuse or the snowy peaks of the Ecrins - is extremely varied. The route is outlined for each day stage, together with profiles and a list of facilities and services.