Best of the Alps 2024

The Western Alps. The border between Italy and France. The Alps are the highest mountain range in Central and Southern Europe. They extend in an arc 745 miles long and between 90 and 150 miles wide, from the Ligurian Sea to the Pannonian Basin. The entire Alpine region covers an area of roughly 120,000 square miles.

Itinerary

Day 1 • Gathering in the Mountains – Our starting point is in the Grenoble region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Easily accessible via Paris by plane, train or rental car. Here we meet in the afternoon for the trip briefing and the vehicle checkup. In the evening we‘ll have dinner together in a traditional local accommodation. Early the next morning we will start our adventure together.

Day 2 • Following the Path of James Bond -After about 1.5 hours of driving through the beautiful French mountains, we will drive via Val-d’Isère where we will see the dam known from the movie “James Bond – Golden Eye” – which we will cross, of course. Here, we are already at one of the absolute highlights of the Alps: the Col de l’Iseran. A high alpine pearl that gives you a first feeling for altitude and curves. On-road, but a masterpiece of road construction. From here, we will continue to higher altitude for switchback training off-road. Col de la Met. Whoever masters this one-way road is “ready for the Alps”.

Day 3 | 4 | 5 • All the Alps have to offer – We will do nothing but ride the best trails in the Alps – up to nearly 10,000 ft. elevation – the highest (legally) passable point in the Alps. We have a great regional hotel in Italy and change borders with France several times a day. Areas such as Col de Sommeiller, Assietta High Ridge Road, Monte Jaffreau, Col du Parpaillon, and many more… We visit old forts, drive through long tunnels, and on very narrow roads.

Day 6 | 7 • Effort is rewarded with beauty – We move to the Ligurian Alps – another highlight. Here, we will drive popular trails such as the Maira Stura Ridge Road and the Ligurian Border Ridge Road. Our last night will be spent in Cuneo, a beautiful city in Italy.

Day 8 • All good things come to an end – We have the chance for a little side trip directly to the Mediterranean Sea. How about going to San Remo? From there, we drive back to Grenoble and say goodbye in the afternoon.