Thursday 28th March 2024: Arrival Day
Today you will be welcomed by a member of our team at either Nice airport or Nice train station at 6 pm. From there, we’ll head straight to the hotel with your transfer included, which will be the Base Camp for this tour, where your hosts will be keen to share their story and make you feel at home.
The playground for our 3 days of riding will stretch from the Promenade des Anglais inland to the rustic villages of the Maritime Alps.
Our Hotel
Hotel le Saint Paul is located close to the port of Nice, with stunning sea views across the Cote d’Azur which is just across the road from the hotel. Recently renovated over the course of many years, this hotel was first established in 1840. It’s situated in a quiet location, within easy walking distance of the centre of Nice. Boasting sea views, these elegant and contemporary rooms are well-equipped with tea and coffee facilities, a mini bar, a flat-screen TV with international channels and Wi-Fi.
Friday 29th March 2024: Leg-stretch Guided Ride
Ready to roll? Your first-day ride on Friday awaits you to stretch your legs and get comfy on your trusty steed for the weekend. All under the attentive eye of a qualified guide to help you discover the thrills of gravel riding.
After setting up the bikes with our guide, we will ride from our hotel through Nice City and head North towards Mont d’Aspremont (854m), our first challenge of the day. An amazing climb, on the road, giving breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea.
After this first challenge, it is time for gravel riding between mountains and valleys of the Nice outback. Riding around Mont Chauve and discovering some amazing routes, you will be challenged by Nissa la Bella off the beaten track itinerary. Our local guides will show you some of their secret routes with exceptional views of the sea and the mountains around.
After a well-deserved break on Mont Macaron, overviewing the city, the gravel descent back in town is definitely one of the highlights of day 1. Back to the city on time for a well-deserved beer by the old port and some great local food for dinner.
Saturday 30th March 2024
Day 2 is the Queen stage of your stay in Nice. After a short transfer by van, west of the city, we will bring you to the Esterel Massif.
Volcanic mountains and paradise gravel routes for a whole day of fun. Starting off of Théoule sur Mer, by sea level, the objective is to reach Mont Vinaigre.
Some challenging climbs but rewarding descents and most important a full gravel day.
On the way back, we will let you enjoy the balcony ride above the Mediterranean Sea with those incredible ocher mountains. With the winter sun coming down, the atmosphere and the colors are just amazing.
Back to Nice for dinner in another typical restaurant and some good resting time.
And why not make the most of some downtime with yoga, meditation and relaxation, all in an incredible setting with a great team.
Sunday 31st March 2024: Departure Day
Last but not least, for the final day, we will start from the hotel and explore some secret gravel routes just above where we stay.
Heading east this time, towards Monaco, the climbs will start straight outside of the hotel gate… But views on the neighbouring cities of Nice like Villefranche sur mer, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat or Eze and la Turbie.
Heading up towards the Fort de la Revere, an ancient military fort built up the mountain to protect the city in the old times. View are spectacular, the gravel is awesome and this last day will create even more great memories from this unforgettable trip on the French Riviera.
After another fantastic day of gravel riding, it will be time to pack back up your bike and we will transport you back to either Nice airport or Nice train station at 5 pm.
