2012 Etape du Tour Bike Tours, Biking Trips, & Bicycle Vacations of a Lifetime

Months	July \| View Dates»
Price (USD)	From $3,495 \| See Pricing»
Start & End	Varies, see trip itinerary
Trip Length	Varies, see trip itinerary
Rider Type	4 \| Learn More»
Daily Rides	Options from 18 - 87 miles
Beyond Biking	Ride Pro Race Course
Trip Options	Make It Private or Choose Your Own Date
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With Trek Travel as an Official Tour Operator for the Etape du Tour you can experience a day in the life of a pro and ride an entire stage of the 2012 Tour de France. Our partnership with Trek Bikes, an official sponsor of the race, puts Trek Travel in a unique position to deliver the industry's best support along the route. All you have to do is ride and leave the rest to us!

Reserve Your Trip Today!
Book now—some trips are already sold out! Don’t miss out on your chance to ride like the pros with Trek Travel!

Trip Wow’s

Ride the industry's best, Trek's 5.2 OCLV Madone bike (always included in the price) or upgrade to the 6.5 - a lighter even higher performance ride.
Guaranteed entries to the event with all the logistics and support covered so all you have to do is ride and attack the climbs.
Private Trek Travel rest stops with a range of food and energy products to fuel your ride, as well as guide and mechanical support on the course.
Our famous finale picnic feast and party at the finish villages with the race sponsor Trek Bicycle Corporation.

2012 Trip	Dates
	July 5
	July 11

2012 Trip Etape Race Entry Only	Dates
	July 8
	July 14

Act 1: The Alps

Map of Etape du Tour Bicycle Tours

Add on a Tour de France Alps Package, Contact Us for Pricing
Days 1 – 3 | Annecy
Stay at Le Palace de Menthon
Prepare for your challenge in the foothills of the Alps | Enjoy the sweeping views of Alpine peaks and beautiful Lake Annecy | Receive your guaranteed Etape du Tour race entry and explore the event expo village in Albertville

Days 4 & 5 | Annecy
Stay at Le Palace de Menthon
Participate in the Etape du Tour and ride an entire stage of the Tour de France on this bike tour | Refuel at private rest stops along race route | Climb some of the most famous Alps ascents in cycling – Col de la Madeleine, Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix de Fer, and the Col du Mollard then the final climb to the Le Corbier and La Toussuire station. Phew! | Return to your lakeside hotel for one heck of a celebration!

Act 2: The Pyrenees

Map of Etape du Tour Bicycle Tours

Add on a Tour de France Pyrenees Package, Contact Us for Pricing
Days 1 & 2 | Lourdes
Stay at Grand Hotel Moderne
Prepare for your challenge in the foothills of the Pyrenees | Enjoy the panoramic splendor of the mountain scenery

Day 3 | Pau
Stay at Hôtel Ibis Pau Lescar
Receive your guaranteed Etape du Tour race entry and explore the event expo village in Pau | Stay overnight close to the start in Pau.

Days 4 & 5 | Bagneres du Luchon
Stay at Résidence Les Jardins du Ramel
Participate in the Etape du Tour and ride an entire stage of the Tour de France on this bike tour | Refuel at private rest stops along race route | Challenge yourself with some of the most famous ascents in cycling Col du D'Aubisque, the legendary Col du Tourmalet, Col D'Aspin and finally Col de Peyresourde Phew! | Relax at your mountain hotel for one heck of a celebration!

Madone Challenge: Ride Both Acts!

Take a challenge of a lifetime and ride both Acts of the 2012 Etape du Tour.

Trek Travel Difference

Etape du Tour Official Operator

Guaranteed race entry
Enjoy private rest stops along the race route with a range of food and energy products to fuel your ride
Benefit from our unrivaled support both before and during the race route support
Feast on our famous finale picnic feast in the race village
Race day transportation

Trek Gear

We provide the widest selection of high-tech race ready bikes and gear to ensure you have the best and lightest ride
Use of Trek's OCLV Madone 5.2 road bike is included in the price of your trip
Options to upgrade your ride to a lighter OCLV Madone 6.5 or a set of XXX Lite Carbon wheels
Our highly trained guides, combined with a broad selection of stems, saddles, seat posts and other equipment ensure your bike is fit to you

Le Palace de Menthon | Menthon, France
This chateau-like hotel is ideally located between the lake and the mountains. Le Palace de Menthon sits on the shores of Lake Annecy, the cleanest lake in all of France and directly beneath the Col de la Forclaz. It is a perfect location to base yourself for “L' Etape du Tour Act1.”

Grand Hotel Moderne | Lourdes, France
This stately and elegant hotel offers privileged access to the Sanctuaries. Rich in history, it was completely restored in 2008, and the new owners have taken great care to preserve the precious heritage and soul of this Baroque masterpiece.

Hôtel Ibis Pau Lescar | Pau, France Bagneres du Luchon, France
Located along the route between the Col du Lautaret and Alpe d’Huez, the charming Auberge Edelweiss is run by a family passionate about cycling. Accustomed to housing cyclists and even a stage winner or two, this hotel knows how to cater to active travelers and has the appropriate facilities, including a whirlpool and sauna. Additionally, the hotel’s terrace offers the ideal setting to enjoy a cold beverage and spectacular views of the Meije glacier after a great day of cycling.

Résidence Les Jardins du Ramel | Bagneres du Luchon, France
This apart hotel is has a convenient situation close to the finish line in the town of Bagneres du Luchon.

What’s Included in the Trip Price

Various nights of accommodation
Daily breakfast, please check trip itinerary for other meals, and all snacks and drinks for each day
The knowledge, support, and camaraderie of experienced guides
Daily route support
The use of a Trek Madone™ 5.2 carbon road bike, or Trek Madone™ 5.1 Women’s Specific Design carbon road bike (limited selection), or Trek 7.5 FX™ hybrid bike
The use of Trek bike helmets and other gear and equipment to make your ride comfortable
Trek Travel water bottles
Private tours
Entrance fees to all group events/activities
All luggage transfers
All transportation during the trip, including private coaches
Comprehensive trip literature and complimentary Trek merchandise
All gratuities for special events, local guides, transfers, hotels, and restaurants
$300 Discount on a 5 or 6 series Trek Madone purchase at your local Trek retailer

Not Included

Airfare to and from the trip
Transportation to the trip pick-up location
Lodging before and after the trip
Gratuities for Trek Travel guides
Personal items purchased during the trip
Some meals are not included in each destination, which allows you the opportunity to explore regional cuisine on your own. Your guides are happy to make recommendations should you so desire.

Bourg d’Oisans, France Weather Forecast

What is the weather going to be like?
The summer months in the Alps and Gran Massif can bring warm days, ranging from the mid 60s to mid 80s, with evenings dropping to the mid 50s to mid 60s. When traveling in the Alps, it is best to be prepared for variable conditions, as weather can change very quickly. We recommend always traveling with rain gear, as well as breathable layers, to provide warmth when the temperature drops.

What are the daily rides like?

Rider Type \| 4	Average Daily Mileage \| 24
Terrain \| mountainous	Average Daily Elevation \| 1,100

On all of our vacations, Trek Travel strives to find quiet, paved secondary roads or bike paths to experience a region; busy roads are avoided as much as possible. Etape du Tour is best suited for our Type 4 Riders. Our Trek Travel guides can also easily accommodate Type 3 Riders, who seek less mileage or fewer uphills, with a boost in the van.Type 4+ Riders will enjoy the extra mileage the avid route options offer. The terrain is See Itinerary for specific daily ride distance and elevation options.

What are the options for a non-rider travel companion?
This destination is best suited to guests who want to cycle every day. Because of the terrain and/or remoteness of the hotels and riding routes, there are few, if any, non-riding options available. If a non-rider wants to accompany a rider guest on this trip, they would need to spend many hours in the van and/or at the hotels on the trip. Due to this, we strongly discourage non-riders from this destination.

As an alternative, call a Trek Travel Trip Consultant at 866.464.8735 for trip suggestions where more non-rider activities are available, such as South Australia, New Zealand, or Vietnam & Cambodia.

How do I train for my trip?
We work with Vision Quest Training to give you that little boost before your Trek Travel bike trip. Vision Quest offers custom training plans that will get you ready to tackle your trip with confidence. The coaches consider the amount of hours you can train per week, what you need to focus on based on your goals and milestones you need to hit in order to achieve them. They develop a detailed write up and training plan just for you!

General FAQs
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out our General FAQs section. You will find answers to all the most common questions that don’t necessarily pertain to a specific trip.

2012 Trip	Dates	Price(USD)
Act 1: The Alps	July 5	$3,495 per person \| $900 single occ.
Act 2: The Pyrenees	July 11	$3,495 per person \| $900 single occ.
Madone Challenge: Both Acts	July 5-9, 12-16	$5,995 per person \| $1,300 single occ.
Etape Race Entry Only Act 1	July 8 (Limited availability)	$150 per person
Etape Race Entry Only Act 2	July 14 (Limited availability)	$150 per person