I have a few cycling buddies that would like to cycle from the French Alps and finish at Nice. We are thinking of a trip of about 7 to 10 days. We can ride 160km flat or 100 hilly. We need some help with routing, accommodation and luggage handling. Do you have any suggestions for a tour operator that can help us?

Anybody?? Thanks.

I've never taken a tour from these people, but their information looks good, and you could ask them to custom-design a trip for you: www.randonneetours.com

thanks lexma90

My parents did it in 1948 with me in a child seat in the back of my father's bicycle. They started in Briançon and went down to the Côte d'Azur via Sisteron. I don't remember how long it took, and conditions were different then. Uphills were often hitchhiked in the back of trucks.

I found Cyclomundo when doing a web search of biking tours in France. I haven't dealt with them and I've asked here about them but got no response.

In any case, I like the fact that you can do either a "self-guided" tour or an escorted one. Plus their rates seem reasonable. I'm considering them for a Loire Valley trip.

If anyone has experience with this company, I'd like to read about it.

http://www.cyclomundo.com/index.htm

Bonjour Syv,

you can contact the Federation Francaise de Cyclotourisme through their site at http://www.cyclos-cyclotes.org/index.html

here's a list of clubs in the Rhone-Alpes region: http://www.cyclos-cyclotes.org/liens...honealpes.html and the site of the Ligue Rhone-Alpes http://cyclorhonalpin.chez.tiscali.fr/accueil.htm

There will certainly be someone who knows enough English and is ready to help you get organised, so don't hesitate to send emails.

Good luck and good cycling.

thanks everyone. I'll look up these websites & pass this info along.

If you haven't gotten a copy already, check the latest issue of Bicycling magazine. There's two-page "Adventures Guide" on page 91-92 listing a wide variety of tour companies.