Photo Credit: Jere Carroll

Imagine being able tell your friends and family that you biked the Tour de France. Pretty impressive, right? By taking the latest bike tour in France offered by Backroads, you’ll be able to do just that—well, at least some of the Tour de France.

We’ve arranged a Tour de France Lite through our World’s Greatest Bike Race trip so avid cyclists can experience some of the Tour de France routes but avoid the breakneck speeds and resulting crashes. It follows the real Tour de France race live July 9-14. And Backroads travelers will cycle through France on some of the same routes as the pros, but at a more relaxed pace and not at the same time.

For the last two days of our trip, however, you’ll be able to claim a roadside spot and cheer as the Tour de France cyclists speed past. Pretty exciting, oui?

What else does this 6-day, 5-night trip include, besides bragging rights? The starting line for this Backroads bike trip is in Grenoble, France. During the first leg of the trip, you’ll work your way up to the mountaintop resort Les Deux Alpes and then spend two days biking the Alps. Beautiful scenery? Check. Hairpin turns? Check. Alpe d’Huez? Check. The next leg of the biking adventure through France includes cycling up the Col de la Madeleine. You’ll actually warm up this trail for the pros, who will bike this route the day after you do!

As always, a range of mileage options are available and you’ll take each day at your own pace. Still, you could pedal between 143 miles to 203 miles during the course of the tour. Pas mal! A minimum of two support vans are available along the routes to support riders and move luggage from location to location. We also provide highly-skilled and trained trip leaders who are paired with local guides to give you the best experience.

Don’t forget that part of the Backroads experience is authentic lodging and delicious local cuisine. We’ve lined up great places to stay and eat so you can fuel up and rest up to prepare for the next day’s adventure. While you may not be able to enjoy the winner’s champagne-filled championship celebration, you’ll certainly be able to raise a toast to what you’ve accomplished on this adventure in France and see some gorgeous sites along the way to boot.

For more details and pricing, please visit our website at www.backroads.com or call one of our tour professionals at 800-462-2848 daily between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Pacific time.