Escape velocity…

Perhaps you are coming down to the South of France on holiday with the family, or on business, and you’re looking to escape on the bike for a day, maybe even just a couple of hours? Perfect…hire a guide, and make the most of it!

Eight reasons to hire one of our team:

1) Local knowledge: we’ll find the quietest roads, the most dramatic views, the most satisfying climbs, the most exhilarating descents, not to mention the best coffee! We also know where all the water fountains are, so you won’t go thirsty! You may not have a lot of time available, so spend your time turning the pedals and soaking up the scenery, not studying the map to work out which way you need to go, ending up on the busy main road, or getting lost in Monaco!

2) A route to suit: Let us know the kind of ride you are looking for, and we’ll suggest a route to suit. If there is a particular climb that you’d like to do, or a place you’d like to visit, just say…it’s your ride.

3) We come to you: your guide will come to where you are staying so you can ride from your doorstep, no need to worry about transport and parking.

4) Complete flexibility: Start when it suits you, get back when it suits you. Go for one hour, go for eight hours, or anything in between, it’s completely up to you.

5) Any size of group: Whether it’s just you, or your family, or a large group of friends…whatever the size of your group, we can organise it all for you. There is no maximum group size. If the people in your group ride at different levels, you may wish to consider hiring two or more guides so that the faster people do not have to wait, and the slower people do not feel under pressure. Even when people are at a similar level, we recommend no more than 8 people per guide, but ultimately it’s your decision.

6) All levels catered for: We’re as happy guiding you on flat easy roads, as we are guiding you on the most challenging climbs in the area.

7) Language: We all speak English, one of us is fluent in Italian, we all get by in French!

8) Bike hire: We can organise bike hire if you don’t have your own.

 

Pricing:

You can choose to ride for any length of time, from one hour to eight hours, it’s completely up to you.

Per guide, the costs are 95 euros plus 25 euros per hour. For example, a 2-hour ride would be 95 + (2 x 25) = 145 euros.

The duration of the ride is measured from the time your guide meets you to the time you return to your accommodation, so includes breaks for coffee and / or lunch where appropriate.

If we need to drive, rather than ride, to your accommodation – e.g. because we need to bring hire bikes for you, or because your accommodation is too far to reach by bike – there will be an additional charge to cover transport time and cost, and parking if necessary.

The price is agreed in advance, there is no need to “clock-watch” or rush things, we will not charge extra if we get back at bit later than expected.

Tips are not expected. If you stop for coffee and / or lunch, covering the cost for the guide is a much appreciated gesture.

Bike hire not included.

 

1 hour   = 120 euros

2 hours = 145 euros

3 hours = 170 euros

4 hours = 195 euros

5 hours = 220 euros

6 hours = 245 euros

7 hours = 270 euros

8 hours = 295 euros

 

To book, just contact us and let us know:

  • Your preferred date(s)
  • Ride timings: What time would you like to start and finish?
  • Where you are staying
  • Bike hire: Do you need to hire a bike? If so, what size (or your height), and what pedal type?
  • Level: At what level do you and your group ride? What kind of ride are you looking for e.g. how much climbing?

 

The three most popular ride durations are 2 hours, 4 hours and 7 hours, and examples of where you can go, and the climbs you can tackle, are outlined below.

Example Rides Description Price
Espresso (2 hours) For the time-pressed, and 2 hours in duration, the Espresso ride gives you the opportunity to experience the amazing Côte d’Azur scenery and terrain in a short time.

 

Espresso Easy – 40km – 50m height gain

The flat coastal roads of the Côte d’Azur make this one of the most accessible rides available and, for virtually the entire distance, is ridden on cycle paths, so a good choice for the less confident or experienced bike rider. The ride takes in the Promenade des Anglais and the sweeping Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges), before reaching the beautiful and historic walled town of Antibes. We climb the ramparts, and ride through the famous covered market (Marché Provençale) before working our way back.

 

Espresso Medium – 43km – 500m height gain

This ride heads to Eze Village, but does so via a beautiful quiet protected natural park, and offering spectacular views East over Villefranche-sur-mer, the Bay of Villefranche and Cap Ferrat, and West over the City of Nice, all the way to Cap d’Antibes and even, on a clear day, the Golfe of Saint Tropez. The highest point of the ride is Eze Village at 370m, but we get there in two distinct steps with the chance to recover in the middle. There is a wonderful descent back down to the coast, and the opportunity to circumnavigate the Cap Ferrat peninsula which is populated with some of the most valuable villas on the Côte d’Azur.

 

Espresso Challenge – 43km – 600m height gain

The focus of this ride is the iconic Col d’Eze climb, a climb of 10km with 500m of height gain. The initial 2.5km out of Nice is a tough with 10% gradient in places, with a second steep section at the halfway mark. This climb always features in the Paris-Nice stage race either as a time trial or the climax of the final road stage, and it also featured in the 2020 edition of the Tour de France. The climb offers great views back over the City as you climb out of Nice, followed by spectacular views over Beaulieu-sur-mer and Cap Ferrat once we loop back around the coast. Once at the summit, the road levels out and there is a sublime section of fast riding to the town of La Turbie. From there, we have a choice of descents to the coast and the return to Nice.

€145
Cappuccino The Cappuccino ride is a half-day ride (4 hours) giving us the opportunity to get further afield, and see more of what the French Riviera has to offer.

 

Cappuccino Easy – Up to 70km – Up to 300m height gain

Two options:

a) an extension to the 2-hour Espresso Easy ride, this takes us around the magnificent Cap d’Antibes and up to the lighthouse with wonderful 360-degree views, and on as far as you wish to go, including Juan-les-Pins and Golfe Juan; or by-pass the Cap in order to reach Cannes.

b) this ride goes in the opposite direction, heading East along the coast through the elegant towns of Villefranche-sur-mer and Beaulieu-sur-mer, through Monaco to reach Menton and the chance for a Italian coffee just over the Franco-Italy border. The coast road this side of Nice is undulating, so there is climbing involved; it’s all about finding a pace with which you are comfortable.

 

Cappuccino Medium – 75km – 500m height gain

This route explores Les Collines Niçoises – the hills to the North of Nice – passing through hilltop villages such as Aspremont, Sainte Blaise, Levens and Tourrette-Levens. We get deep into the backcountry, and there are wonderful far-reaching views across the wide valley of the Var river to the West.

 

Cappuccino Challenge – 75km – 1200m height gain

Probably the most famous of our local climbs thanks to Lance Armstrong adopting it as his benchmark climb when he lived and trained here, and now used by the current crop of professional cyclists in the same way, the Col de la Madone (13km, +925m) is well worth the effort.

We take the coast road to Menton, and start the climb from there. There are many different potential start points, but we follow what is considered to be the classic route, climbing swiftly out of Menton towards the hilltop village of Sainte Agnès. The views back over the coast just get better and better the higher we go, before the climb turns inland for the final pull up a balcony road sitting high above the valley.

There is a lovely descent with far-reaching panoramic views to the Alps, and the opportunity to stop for refreshment in a charming, car-free village which clings to the hillside, before a fast run back towards the coast, and a choice of descents back into Nice.

€195
Lungo The Lungo ride is a full-day’s ride (7 hours). It doesn’t have to be hard…we can follow some of the more undulating roads in the region, for example exploring the coast road through Monaco into Italy, or one of the gentler valley ascents out of Nice, and we can take it at an easy pace and punctuate the ride with stops along the way.

But for those looking for a challenge, a full day gives us the opportunity to tackle some of the longest ascents in the region: the Col du Turini climbs 1250m over 25km to an altitude of 1600m (with the option of tacking on another 425m of climbing once the Col is reached!); the Madone d’Utelle offers amazing 360-degree views at the top of an 885m climb.

The Col de Braus has been featured no less than 21 times in the Tour de France, and we can combine this with another climb for a great day on the bike.

Other options include extensive riding in Italy including the stunning Colle Langan climb, or the beautiful Col de Brouis.

€270

 Optional extras
Bike hire Hire a full-carbon Trek road bike with compact 50/34 chainset and Shimano 105 groupset €55 for the first day

€90 for two days

€30 / day thereafter

Discounts available for rentals 7+ days

 

If you have a particular climb in mind, let us know, and we’ll incorporate it into your ride. Based on starting in Nice, you will need to allow the following minimum times:

Col d’Eze                     2 hours

Col de la Madone      4 hours

Col de Vence              4 hours

Col de Braus              5 hours

La Madone d’Utelle  6 hours

Col du Turini              6 or 7 hours depending on route

Col de Castillon

& Col de Brouis         7 hours

 

 

All of the above are subject to availability.

Subject to Terms and Conditions.