Grand Tour of the Vercors

Difficulty 3
Suitable for confident cyclists on a hybrid or road bike, and much easier on an electric bike. The route mostly follows quiet roads, except for the climb to St Nizier, where the road can be busy and care is needed.
30 to 50km per cycling day. There are no particular technical difficulties, apart from sometimes significant elevation gain if you are riding a hybrid bike.

Luggage transfers are included. You only carry what you need for the day in a small backpack or pannier, including your picnic lunch and snacks for the ride. Your luggage will be waiting for you at the hotel each evening, with a limit of one bag per person.

Minimum 2 people.

8 days, 7 nights, 6 cycling days.

Start on a date of your choice from May to October.

We arrange your hotel bookings and luggage transfers. We provide a travel information pack that includes a detailed route map, information about each stage and your accommodation, and booking vouchers.

Accommodation

In 2* and 3* hotels (or guesthouses), or equivalent accommodation, in rooms for two.

Hotel ratings

In France, an increasing number of hotels and guesthouses choose not to have an official rating, including establishments that were still rated one or two years ago. This does not mean their quality has declined—far from it. Many guesthouses offer charming accommodation.
If we indicate, for example, a comfort level of “3* or equivalent”: this means that the establishment does not necessarily have an official rating, but offers a level of comfort comparable to a 3* hotel.

Meals

Breakfasts are included. There are places to eat in the villages where you stay. You can usually order packed lunches from the hotels: please enquire with them directly.

Please let us know about any food allergies or special dietary requirements when booking; we will do our best to adapt your meals.

Please note: accommodation photos are for illustrative purposes only. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels offering an equivalent standard and level of comfort.

Start

On Day 1 in the afternoon in Die.

Finish

On Day 8 after breakfast in Die.

You can add an extra night in Die before or after your trip.

Bike hire

We no longer offer bike hire for this trip.

By train

Getting to Die:
From Paris (Gare de Lyon): TGV + TER, 1 change at Valence, approximately 3 hours 40 minutes.
From Lyon (Gare Part-Dieu): TGV + TER, 1 change at Valence, approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.
This information is provided as a guide and must be checked before departure on the website: Oui.SNCF.

By car

You can plan your route on Via Michelin

A number of our trips offer opportunities for swimming, either along the day’s route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame not to make the most of them. However, we stress that you alone must decide whether it is appropriate to swim; you therefore swim at your own risk and responsibility.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to encourage everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As members of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and enjoy meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible practices in environmental protection, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainable development policy

• If your bike does not have a pannier, bring a comfortable small 40-litre backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day. If you have a luggage rack, you can secure your bag to it with bungee cords. Rental bikes come with a pannier for your belongings. Even so, bring a small backpack; this makes it easy to carry your belongings when you stop to visit places along the way
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack or travel bag in good condition

For cycling

• Cycling shorts or tights, depending on the season
• Cycling gloves
• A helmet
• Sunglasses (to protect against the sun, wind and small insects)
• A windproof jacket
• T-shirts or cycling jerseys
• A handlebar map holder
• A water bottle

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting odours from perspiration (brands include Icebreaker, Ruka, etc.)!
As a general rule, avoid cotton, which makes you cold when wet.

For sun and rain protection

• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat (helmet)
• A windproof jacket
• A rain cape or a “Gore-Tex” jacket

For picnics

• Plastic bowl or plate
• Cutlery (fork, knife, spoon)

• A jumper or fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers
• A pair of shorts
• A tracksuit or change of clothes
• A lightweight, long-sleeved cotton shirt
• A pair of trainers for the evening
• Spare clothes and underwear
• Toiletry bag
• Swimwear
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, Elastoplast, Biogaze or “2nd skin” dressings, gauze, antiseptic, arnica granules and aspirin for minor aches and injuries …

Country: France
Capital: Paris

Travel documents

Travellers, including minors, must carry a national identity card or passport (EU nationals).

Health

Bring your Carte Vitale health insurance card and enough of your usual medication for the duration of your stay.

Pays Diois Tourist Offices
Die office
Rue des Jardins
26150 DIE
0475220303

Trièves Vercors Tourist Office
Chichilianne information point
Le Village
38930 CHICHILIANNE
Tel: 0476344495

Gresse en Vercors office
43 route du Grand Veymont
38650 GRESSE EN VERCORS
Tel: 0482626350

Autrans Tourist Office
2 rue du Cinéma
38880 AUTRANS
Tel: 0476953070

Vercors Drôme Tourist Office
La Chapelle en Vercors office
Place Pietri
26420 LA CHAPELLE EN VERCORS
Tel: 0475482254

International dialling code for calling France from abroad: +33.

No time difference: GMT +1.