Cycling in the high mountains. Alps, Dolomites, Pyrenees etc

I like Chambery as there are some great climbs nearby, usually on quiet roads. The Chartreuse are superb, the Mont du Chat is hard as hell and Mont Revard has a superb fast descent into Aix-les-Bains.

I remember reading somewhere that Eurostar were talking about reinstating the bike service sometime this summer.

I can't remember where and a quick google hasn't brought anything up. But in the article it said they had contacted them and they (Eurostar) confirmed they were planning to return the service.

Morzine, I hired a road bike, I think @yetidamo has experience hiring MTBs

I found it pretty hassle free, can hire in advance or just rock up. It’s got a Scott Addict (I think) for about €30 for a day it’s cheaper day-rate for a week

Why ride on the road? Long distance offroad is much nicer.

https://bikepacking.com/routes/grand-traversee-du-massif-central-gtmc/

How about Paris to Pau then on to Lourdes. This opens up Tourmalet, Peyrousourde, Aubisque and loads of other great climbs. It’s a beautiful area and much nicer than much of the French Alps imho.

Bourg Saint Maurice is excellent. Stayed near tignes les breviers in 2017, and the area was excellent, though the final 20km bonus climb to our digs from bsm was character building (part of the Col d’Iseran)….

From bourg saint maurice, you’ve some excellent climbs, though I’m not sure on bike hire.

Echo not going to south of France, Côte d'azur anything in the Provence in August (or July) it's not only freakishly hot but also busy on the roads. Which limits riding between 6am and noon.

We usually go to France in the last weeks of June or first 2 weeks of July. Swiss Alps are a valid alternative but Switzerland is crazy expensive.

Thank you everyone for the advice!

It looks like we will be driving to Lille and getting the non stop southbound train to Valence then do something like this over 6 days staying at airbnbs and get the train back from Lyon

More thoughts welcome!

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Turn left at Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne then right at Val Cenis - stay here https://www.chaletsullago.it/ in Monceniso then decend down to Susa the next day, up Colle Della Finestre - Sestriere and rejoin your route from there

Not what you asked for but here's an excellent touring loop taking in tons of the big climbs
edit: and a Lidl in Barcelonette

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30169264

Colle Della Finestre

Been so close to it 3 times on the bike NEVER rode up, excellent plan

thats actually a good plan B tbh

absolutely love the perma downhill stretch next to the lake

Annecy is heaven

http://www.laplacette.it/

Great restaurant on the far side of Finestre - well worth a stop

Go through the Vercors, rather than round it.

I can do you a better route to Lyon too, as it gets very busy around Bourgoin-Jallieu all the way into the centre.

Like this?

I can do you a better route to Lyon too

Main factor was that non stop TGV to and from Lille but I am open to suggestions.

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I advise don’t rush these routes for your lovely holiday.

you should come!!

Would be lovely, but I only ride gravel in the alps now.

make an exception for us

avoding the changeover in paris is good for your mental health.

nice plan otherwise, i wish i'd find the time to do some cycling in the Alps, i have never really been.

Switzerland is expensive, unless you stay in campsites, don't eat meat or drinks large amounts of beer on terraces... then it's pretty much uk prices. I have been repeateadly family touring for the past summers, and it's manageable that way.
for credit card touring, the austrian alps can't be beaten when it comes to price.

Yes, that looks okay. The roads in the Vercors, especially the climbs alongside the western side, are amazing feats of engineering and beautiful to ride.

On Lyon, can you get a TGV from the station at the airport back to Lille still? That cuts out the horrible last 10-15 kms through the Lyon hinterlands. As for a route, we did a route from Lac du Bourget that headed for Morestel then onto Cremieu then into Lyon (or the airport, depending on how people were getting home).

I second all this about the Vercors. Amongst my favourite climbs ever I think.

Climbs that many people swerve because they see the low altitudes and think they won't be a challenge. @amey - this gives a glimpse of what to expect:

https://www.cycling-challenge.com/vercors-five-cols-two-gorges/

Eurostar to Avignon, local train to Carpentras and then bus/hitch 15km to Bedoin which has loads of bike shops/bikes for hire then ride the Cingles du Ventoux