Alpine Lakes Alpine Lakes

Alpine Lakes – 2 weeks
France, Switzerland & Italy

On this page, you'll find...
Our Trips
Overview Map
of all of our routes

Departure Calendar
of our regular trips
What's Included
in the Trip Cost
Additional Services
you can add to the bike trip.


A mention of the Alps evokes images of snow-capped peaks, perhaps an occasional thought of yodeling, or Heidi drinking hot chocolate. OK, but beyond the cough drop commercials, the world’s most beautiful lakes lie collected in deep valleys: Geneva, Maggiore, Lugano, Como. Clear blue, reflecting the warm summer sun, flower-covered villas, palm trees, and snow-capped mountains.

Alpine biking is not the obligatory workout you’d think. Unlike the Rockies, the Alps’ base is close to sea level, increasing vertical drops (and making slopes too steep for most cyclists!). So communication arteries, and our routes, follow the valleys. For variety, we train to the top of an occasional Alp, and roll back down, often on our bikes.

Throughout our Alpine Lakes trip you will experience incomparable and world-famous scenery. But the scenic differences between parts of the Alpine chain will more than hold your interest. Language, culture, climate and especially cuisine change with each border crossing (twice without ever leaving Switzerland).

Glacier skiing in Zermatt and an optional Venice visit for boating on the canals complete the stunning picture painted by this trip.
Alpine Lakes
2008 Dates
Baggage Services Offered**
(optional)
Trip Prices*
July 5 - 18

Daily, Half
Lite
$3,825, US or C

 2,460€
August 16 - 30***

Daily, Half
Lite

* Prices in $ and € do not include precisely the same things. Click here for details, and for prices of optional extras: private single rooms, baggage services, and (in the case of the € price only) bike rental and shipping.

** At least 4 riders must subscribe to a given baggage service for it to operate. The services listed are those currently offered on the departure in question. Services which appear in bold already have at least 3 subscribers (so, one more would ensure their operation). See here for a discussion of our baggage services.

***The August 16th departure includes an additional (independent) night, in Brig, between the Swiss and Italian Lakes rides.


Thumbnail view of the trip’s itinerary.
For details within each region, click on the name under “Region Visited”...
Days
Days of the Week
Region Visited
 Details
1
 Meet on the Lac de Joux
1 - 8
Sa - Mo
 The Jura
Mo - Th
 Lake Geneva, Alps
Th - Sa
 Zermatt, the Vispa
8 -14
Sa & Su (July)
Su & Mo (August)
 The Ossola Valley
Mo - Fr (July)
Tu - Sa (August)
 The Lakes, Ticino
Trip disbands in Como
Fr midday (July) or Saturday midday (August).
Night included in the Como Access Package for a flight or other ongoing travel (Friday night in July, Saturday night in August. An optional visit to Venice is also on offer: Fr (or Sa) afternoon train to La Serenissima, 2 nights there.
15
Sa (July)
Su (August)
Access Package travel date