This year I fancy a trip to Europe to ride my road bike in the mountains for a few days. I’d hire a car but would probably prefer to base myself somewhere for a few days than be driving around a lot.

Anyone got any recommendations for nice bases with decent circular routes, taking in a few of the classic TdF passes? (If there are circular routes that don’t involve 200 miles and 10000m of climbing).

Obviously the Alps spring to mind but open to suggestions.

Borg d ‘Oisans SE of Grenoble is a good place – loops will always be long if you want to do the bigger cols (or 2-day rides with a B+B between stages) but from here you can ride a number of famous tour cols, it’s central between the Izoard and Croix de Fer, 20 miles or so down the road from the Lautauret / Galibier. The Ornon is a nice warm-up climb just outside town and Alpe d’Huez is on your doorstep. Good bike shops and places to eat / stay there.

Morzine is good, no need for a car and has one of the hardest tdf climbs, col de joux plane. One of the few climbs lance shown signs of weakness. Also has 2 ways up to avoriaz and if you check out the tdf from 2 years back (the tdf stayed in morzine for 3days) you’ll find more hills to go over (think it was the ramaz)

Bourg d’Oisans is good,stay at kingofthemountains or I like Bourg St Maurice stay at Bikevillage.BsM gives you the Cormet de Rosseland,The Iseran,Petit st Bernard,Arc 1600,1800,The Madelaine,TdF finishes at Courcheval,La Plagne,Meribel.Rides can be out and back or you can do loops eg BsM,Moutiers,Beaufort,Cormet,BsM

being based at bagniere du luchon and doing some of the midi pyrenees climbs you might enjoy.

Italian Alps will probably **** all over the smelly French ones.

What Jameso said.

Email me if you want some specific restaurant or accommodation suggestions.

Thanks all, very helpful.

if you end up in morzine, check out velovation – it’s their 1st year, but know the area really really well, and are top people!