Cancelled Lakes and Mountains of Haute Savoie

This Ride has been Cancelled

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW
This tour was led in 2012 and 2015. This French cycling trip starts and ends in Geneva, Switzerland. We ride along the south side of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) to the beautiful medieval French towns Nernier and Yvoire on the way to famous spa town, Évian-les-Bains where we spend our first night. We then bike into the French alps for 2 nights in the small mountain ski town of La Chapelle d’Abondance, where we enjoy riding around the Chablais countryside to Champéry, Switzerland, and back. Then we cycle over the Col du Corbier to the Drone Valley of Faucigny and to Thyez. The next day we climb to St-Gervais-les-Bains and to the elegant resort town of Megève, where we spend two nights. We continue over of Col des Saisies through the village of Beaufort to Arêches, a departure point to the high mountains. The following day we ride downhill through Alberville and Chambéry to Aix-les-Bains, a gorgeous resort town at the foot of Mont Revard. We stay in Aix for a day of riding around beautiful Lac du Bourget, then ride to the another gorgeous resort town, Annecy, for 3 more nights before heading back to Geneva. 

RIDE RATING
This ride is rated 2B with the average distance 35.4 miles per day and 2478 ft. of climbing per day on required riding days. There is one day that exceeds the B rating at 60 miles with 2000 feet of climbing. There are four days that exceed the 2 rating with 3190, 3035, 3500, and 2790 ft. of climbing over 25, 38, 28 and 30 miles respectively. There are long and frequent climbs on this tour. Cycling is mostly on lightly traveled secondary and tertiary paved roads in good condition. Participants must be comfortable using maps with route sheets. Several days have alternate routes for riders wanting longer rides and there are optional routes on non-mandatory riding days. Overall, this is a hilly ride and best suited to riders who aren’t intimidated by climbs. Using the metric of the number of feet climbed per mile, a difficult ride is widely recognized as 100 ft./mi. A moderate ride is 50 ft./mi. This tour averages 72 ft./mi on required riding days.

WEATHER 
The weather can vary from 50 to 80 degrees. Extreme weather conditions are possible in the Alps so be prepared for cool weather and/or rain. Expect the unexpected and be prepared for any weather. Check your favorite weather site on the web just before your departure for a long range forecast.

LODGING
There are 5 nights in 4-star hotels, 8 nights in 3-star hotels and one night in a 2-star hotel. There are three 2-night stays in La Chapelle d’Abondance, Megève, and Aix-les-Bains, and one 3-night stay in Annecy.

GROUP DINNERS
We use your Preferences in your Profile to try and accommodate your special medical and dietary needs. In order to provide you with some choice we ask hotels to serve two main dishes to each couple. If you receive one dish and prefer the other, you may trade with others. Very few hotels allow a group to order off the menu and some insist on serving only one main dish. Participants may not wear jeans, shorts or t-shirts to group dinners.

LOGISTICS 
The tour starts on June 2 in Geneva at 6 PM and ends in Geneva on June 16 after breakfast. The hotel is actually in Ferney-Voltaire, France about 2 km from the Geneva airport, which is accessible by air and rail. There is a free hotel shuttle to and from the airport. Those who wish to arrive ahead of the tour or stay after may do so at our group rate. Bike boxes will be stored at the hotel. Maps, cue sheets and GPS tracks will be provided. All types of bikes and bicyclists are welcome, but riders are expected to bring their own bikes. The first meeting and dinner will be at the hotel on 2 June with the meeting beginning at 6 PM and dinner at 7:30 PM. The van's primary role will be to transport luggage and supplies. While it will be available to assist with any emergencies, it will not serve as as sag vehicle and participants are expected to complete the ride each day.

COST & ADMINISTRATION
Cost estimate $2580 per person double occupancy at $1.20/Euro for 14 nights including 9 dinners, 14 breakfasts, luggage van, maps, route sheets, daily socials and sightseeing information. Tickets for sightseeing are not included. This is only an estimate as it is dependent on the value of the Euro. Electronic versions of maps and route sheets will be sent, and participants are expected to print their own copies of them. GPS tracks will be provided for those who want them, but it is up to the rider to know how to use his or her GPS before the trip begins. Initial deposit is $1000 with additional payment of $790 on July 1, 2019 and $790 on November 1, 2019. Note: The final payment may be adjusted depending on currency exchange rate fluctuations. We will have a van driver. 

SINGLES & SOLOS
Singles are welcome and encouraged to find compatible roommates and/or riding partners. The Ride Directors will introduce and assist singles to find roommates, but singles must make their own rooming decision. We do not accept solos, as the number of rooms available are limited.

CANCELLATION POLICY
The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

SIGN-UP
To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit ($1000) by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.