Lakes of the French Alps

(3 & 4-star accommodations)

Day 1: Arrival in Geneva
Day 2: Geneva – Seyssel, 38 miles (61 km)
Day 3: Seyssel – Aix-les-Bains, 29 miles (46 km)
Day 4: Aix-les-Bains – Albertville, 41 miles (66 km)
Day 5: Albertville – Annecy, 29 miles (48 km)
Day 6: Departure from Annecy

*All distances are approximate.

Day 1: Arrival in Geneva
Arrive in Geneva at your leisure and check in to your hotel. Take time to explore this stylish city on your own. A hub of international organizations, finance, and culture, Geneva beautifully blends Old World and New, making it a delight to discover. The crescent-shaped Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) provides stunning scenery and endless photo opportunities. Dinner is at leisure. As the culinary capital of Switzerland, Geneva offers countless restaurants and eateries to satisfy every palate.

Sample accommodation: 3* Hotel Jade

Day 2: Geneva – Seyssel, 38 miles (61 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 2,230 ft (680 m); Total descent: 2,2690 ft (820 m)
Meet your local representative in the morning for bike outfitting and your itinerary briefing. Today’s highlights include cycling along the Rhône River, admiring the charming wine-making villages of Dardagny and Satigny, and visiting historic forts. You will also reach the westernmost point of Switzerland by bike at the village of Chancy before crossing the border into France. Don’t miss the Fort de l’Ecluse, an elevated Savoyard fort dramatically built into a rock formation that guards the natural entrance of the Rhône Valley between the Vuache hills and the Jura. Your overnight stay is in Seyssel, a small “double-town” divided between the Haute-Savoie (Upper Savoy) and Ain departments.

Sample accommodation: 3* Hotel du Rhone

Day 3: Seyssel – Aix-les-Bains, 29 miles (46 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 1,410 ft (430 m); Total descent: 1,410 ft (430 m)
Today’s ride features sweeping views of the 14 summits of the Bauges mountain range, as well as Mont de la Charvaz and the Col-du-Chat. Sheer cliffs rise from the water, and the surrounding mountains create a sense of peaceful enclosure. Lake Bourget (Lac du Bourget), the largest natural glacial lake in France, was once home to the now-extinct Bezoule whitefish, which fed in the muddy depths of 70–80 meters (230–260 ft). You will cycle past the medieval Château de Montverran in Culoz, built on a rock in 1316 and later a source of inspiration for Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. Continue on to Aix-les-Bains, a historic spa town known for its thermal baths since Roman times, where you can discover many well-preserved Roman ruins.

Sample accommodation: 3* Hotel Aquakub

Day 4: Aix-les-Bains – Albertville, 41 miles (66 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 2,230 ft (680 m); Total descent: 1,675 ft (510 m)
Cycle through the heart of Savoy to Chambéry, a town rich in art and history. Nestled in a wide valley between the Bauges and Chartreuse mountain ranges and situated at an ancient crossroads, Chambéry’s old town is one of France’s most remarkable. Along your route, take in the ruins of the 10th-century Château de Miolans, overlooking the wine-growing Combe de Savoie valley, including the village of Chignin with remains of the 8th-century Sarasin stronghold and its six towers. Follow the Isère River to Grésy-sur-Isère, a largely agricultural community inhabited since the Neolithic Age.

Sample accommodation: 3* Base Camp Lodge

Day 5: Albertville – Annecy, 29 miles (48 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 1,050 ft (320 m); Total descent: 590 ft (180 m)
Roll your way from Albertville, situated on the Arly River close to the confluence with the Isere River. Albertville hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics and has become quite an industrial center, but it also encompasses the medieval town of Conflans, whose buildings date back to the 14th century. The Beaufortain and Bauges Mountain ranges will dazzle you as you cycle to the stunning Lake Annecy (Lac d’Annecy). Known as Europe’s cleanest lake, the Aravis mountain range reigns over the lake edge; its heights are famous for the hairpin turns and steep bends in the Tour de France. The magnificent town of Annecy, nestled on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, might remind you of Venice, with canals cut through sections of the historic Alpine-style village. Strolling around, you’ll encounter the Palais de l’Isle (12th-century prison on an island, the town’s symbol), the Chateau d’Annecy, the 16th-century Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, and the 20th-century Pont des Amour (Lover’s Bridge) made of iron.

Sample Accommodation: 4* Splendid Hotel

Day 6: Departure from Annecy
Departure after breakfast or extend your stay in Annecy!

(2 & 3-star accommodations)

Day 1: Arrival in Gaillard (7 km from the center of Geneva)
Sample accommodation: 3* Hotel Porte de Genève

Day 2: Gaillard - Seyssel, 43 mi. (70 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 2,430 ft (740 m); Total descent: 2,885 ft (880 m)
Sample accommodation: 2* Hotel Au Fil de l'Eau

Day 3: Seyssel - Aix-les-Bains, 29 mi. (46 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 1,375 ft (420 m); Total descent: 1,445 ft (440 m)
Sample accommodation: 3* Hotel Aquakub

Day 4: Aix-les-Bains - Sainte-Hélène-sur-Isére, 41 mi. (66 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 2,230 ft (680 m); Total descent: 1,675 ft (510 m)
Sample accommodation: 2* Hotellerie du Roy

Day 5: Sainte-Hélène-sur-Isére - Annecy, 35 mi. (57 km) | Elevation: Total climb: 1,050 ft (320 m); Total descent: 590 ft (180 m)
Sample accommodation: 2* Hotel des Alpes

Day 6: Departure