When Belle Allure, a travel agency specializing in cycling tours, takes its travelers on the Route des Grandes Alpes, it’s not just about watts, gear ratios, or lap times. Above all, it’s about human stories. Stories that often begin long before the first mountain pass.
On Monday, June 15, eight cyclists from Belgium, Switzerland, and the Vendée region gathered in Annecy for the start of their grand crossing of the Alps. It was an unusual starting point, as the route had been changed as an exception. The G7 summit in Évian, held from June 15 to 17, had made kilometer 0 in Thonon-les-Bains nearly inaccessible.
Otherwise, the spirit of the Route des Grandes Alpes® is very much alive: a week of legendary mountain passes, breathtaking landscapes, and shared efforts ahead…
In charge of logistics is Antoine, co-founder of Belle Allure. Originally from Auvergne and now based in the Chartreuse region, he has been supporting cyclists for years. “What I love is planning a beautiful route, climbing a pass, sharing a refreshment stop at the summit, and chatting with fellow cycling enthusiasts. What drives me is the pride I feel in helping people create their own memories.”
The Red Devils Go on the Offensive
On the Belgian side, there are four of them: Thibaut, Thierry, Philippe, and Jean-Luc.
Listening to them, it quickly becomes clear that even though they didn’t come here to win an Olympic medal, they’ll fight like wild boars from the Ardennes!
Thibaut, a former amateur soccer player, explains that he discovered cycling after spending too much time at the physical therapist’s office. “At some point, I realized it was better to pedal than to fix things.”
With his friends, he’s been tackling cycling challenges for several years now: Ventoux, Ardéchoise, the Pyrenees, Marmotte... This year, it’s the Route des Grandes Alpes.
His brother Thierry, a former combat sports athlete, sums it up simply: “My brother got me into cycling. Ever since, I’ve followed him everywhere.”
Their biggest concern?
“What’s impressive is the accumulation. When you look at the week’s profile, you realize that the Alps love repetition. ”
Philippe and Jean-Luc round out the Belgian quartet. They, too, already have quite a few kilometers under their belts. “The elevation gains don’t really scare us anymore. What matters is avoiding mechanical issues or a slump at the wrong time.”
Jean-Luc, known as “Jean Neymar” on his blog and to his son, is a former elite soccer player. A serious knee injury, followed by countless surgeries, ended a promising career at age 27. Today, he takes a more relaxed view of this crossing of the Alps and sports in general. “I’m no longer striving for peak performance. What interests me is the enjoyment, the scenery, my friends, and above all, savoring the passing of time.”
A philosophy that gains ground as the slope gets steeper!
The Swiss team at the relay
Philippe, Nicolas, and Camille—the only woman in the group—make up the Swiss trio.
Philippe, 66, is gradually getting back into cycling after a long hiatus devoted to ski touring and mountain biking. A serious spinal injury last November has made him more cautious. “I’m especially curious to see how my body will react over several days. ”
His friend Nicolas, 63, is already familiar with the Route des Grandes Alpes. He rode it last year with his daughter. “La Colombière didn’t go easy on us. After that, we found our rhythm. ” A free heads-up!
Camille, 30, a doctor, has been a cyclist for five years and is a triathlete. She’s approaching the adventure with confidence. “It’s not any one pass in particular that scares me. It’s more the whole thing.”
Her journey to the starting line alone sums up the spirit of the trip. Frustrated by the transportation difficulties caused by the G7 summit, she simply completed her journey from Geneva to Annecy… by bike. When you’re preparing to cross the Alps, a few extra kilometers ultimately don’t seem like a big deal.
Jean-Michel, or the Art of the Extended Warm-up
And then there’s Jean-Michel, the only Frenchman in the group.
At 61, this business owner—originally from Angers but now living in the Vendée—is discovering the mountains… but not long-distance cycling! To join the group in Annecy, he set off two weeks earlier from Les Sables-d’Olonne on his bike. He crossed France, rode the Loire à Vélo route, covered several hundred kilometers, and made a low-key arrival in Haute-Savoie before the official start.
After such a warm-up and faced with the Alpine passes, Jean-Michel has adopted a very personal strategy. “I ride with my Swiss friends, who are mountain people, and I do what they do. When they drink, I drink. When they shift gears, I shift gears... ” A method perfectly in line with the spirit of the journey, though its scientific effectiveness remains to be proven!
Much more than just a crossing
As the days go by, the group will cross some of the highest mountain passes in the French Alps. But the real essence lies elsewhere…
In the conversations “at the summit.” In the words of encouragement exchanged on the final switchbacks. In the bursts of laughter at the aid stations. In the memories forged with every kilometer.
That is precisely the promise of Belle Allure: to transform a legendary route into a human adventure.
And when you see the smiles on the faces of Camille, Nicolas, Jean-Luc, Jean-Michel, Thierry, Thibaut, and the two Philippes, you know the mission is a success!
The Last Word
The last word goes to Philippe (the Belgian Philippe), who summed up the week on the group’s WhatsApp chat as follows:
“Cycling across the Alps with our Swiss friends Camille, Nico, and Philippe, our French friend Jean-Michel, and my Belgian buddies Jean-Luc, Thibaut, and Thierry.
Not to mention Antoine, from the Belle Allure organization, who pulled off the feat of managing a bunch of tired, starving cyclists while keeping a smile on his face. Respect. 👏
Seven days of intense effort to ride from Annecy to Menton. Mountain passes, more mountain passes, and then even more mountain passes. At one point, we even started to suspect that the Alps were made up entirely of climbs.
On the agenda: breathtaking scenery… which was just as well, since the climbs were already taking care of the rest. ⛰️😅
A week of solidarity, good spirits, laughter, shared suffering (especially on the double-digit gradients), and aid stations welcomed like divine interventions.
No one was left behind on a mountain pass, no one sold their bike by the side of the road, and everyone made it to Menton with their heads full of memories and a few aches in their legs.
In short, it was grand, beautiful, intense… and incredible enough to make us forget, at least temporarily, the existence of our sore muscles.
Thank you all for this memorable adventure. The Alps are behind us, but the memories are here to stay. 🚴♂️☀️⛰️.
Looking forward to seeing you again, girl and boys! »