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650KM
DISTANCE
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20,000m
CLIMBING
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5/5
ESCAPE DIFFICULTY
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7 NIGHTS
ACCOMMODATION
THIS IS ALPRAID 2027
NEW ROUTE. MORE CLIMBING. MORE ELEVATION.
Welcome to Europe's most challenging cycling tour. BoC ALPRAID is a point to point traverse of the French Alps. Over 7 days, you'll face more elevation than any week on the TDF. You'll climb and descend multiple Hors Categorie climbs made famous by the Tour each day. This point to point event will see you arrive in a new Alpine town each day, making this an un-missable adventure.
Our new route for 2027 has one particularly exciting new addition. Alpe d'Huez, for the first time on any BoC Escape. Our new route strips out over 200km of flat, valley riding we faced in the 2025 and 2026 editions, and instead, adds another 3,000m of climbing to the week. And trust us, you'll feel that 3,000m! This is the toughest, most epic cycling tour in Europe. You'll be fully supported by the BoC Team, 3 support vans to carry your kit and keep you fuelled, and you'll enjoy our carefully chosen hotels, dining and breakfasts each day, plus so much more.
This is BoC ALPRAID. Take the challenge in 2027.
ALPRAID DATES
JUNE 26TH - JULY 3RD 2027
24 PLACES AVAILABLE
BOOKING OPENS
OCTOBER 20TH
3PM UK // 4PM EUROPE // 10AM NEW YORK // 10PM SINGAPORE // 12AM SYDNEY
BoC ALPRAID 2027
BoC ALPRAID 2027
BOOKING OPENS SOON
TOTAL PRICE : Early Entry: £2500 (Shared room) or £3000 (single room). Note only a small number of single rooms are available so book fast to gaurantee yours.
Escape Pricing
Escape Pricing
£300 non refundable deposit secures your place on the Escape in a shared twin room.
£800 non refundable deposit secures your place on the Escape with a single room.
Final Balance of £2200 to be paid 16 weeks before the Escape takes place.
Refund Policy
Refund Policy
Please view our cancellation and refund policy. We offer a simple and flexible policy which allows you to simply transfer to any other future Escape in the current or following calendar year (subject to availability).
Flight Recommendations
Flight Recommendations
Arrivals : Please fly into Geneva Airport BEFORE 11am on Saturday 26th June 2027, in order to join our scheduled transfer for our riders at circa 12pm.
Departures : Please book a return flight AFTER 10am from Geneva Airport on Saturday 3rd July to your chosen destination. Our scheduled transfer is based on the earliest flight time of all guests. But your flight should not be before 10am due to the transfer time to the airport (3 hours) Any flights booked before 10.00am will require a private transfer at an additional cost of £400.
THE BoC ALPRAID INTINERARY
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DAY ONE
123km + 3500m
Albertville to Bourg d'Oisans
Our first big ride of the week following a shakeout ride on day zero. We enjoy some flat tarmac for the final time this week as we ride to the foot of the Col de la Madeleine, a 25km Alpine giant. We then descend to Le Chambre, cross the town and immediately face the Col du Glandon, before we descend to Bourg d'Oisans, to our hotel for the night.
Climbs
Col de la Madeleine
Col du Glandon
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DAY TWO
103km + 3400m
Bourg d'Oisans to St Jean de Maurienne
For the first time on any BoC Escape, we're including the legendary Alpe d'Huez. With the epic scenes of the Tour in 2026, it made total sense to include it as part of Alpraid 27. From the hotel, we climb the Alpe, and descend the Col du Sarenne, then joining the Col du Lauteret, before the final climb of the day, the magestic Col du Galibier. We descend the Col du Telegraphe into St Jean, where our day ends.
Climbs
Alpe d'Huez
Col du Lauteret
Col du Galibier -
DAY THREE
95km + 3400m
St Jean de Maurienne to Briancon
Our day begins by retracing our ride from yesterday, back over the harder side of the Telegraphe and Galibier. Why? Well, can you really conquer the Galibier without doing both sides?! Our ride then follows in the footsteps of the infamous 2022 Tour, when Jumbo Visma attacked Tadej Pogacar relentlessley, eventually dropping him on the steep slopes of the Col du Granon, our final climb of the day. Our day then ends with a descent into the highest city in France, Briancon.
Climbs
Col du Telegraphé
Col du Galibier
Col du Granon
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DAY FOUR
41km + 1200m
Briancon to Briancon - Rest Day
We take a break from hotel swapping for a night as we spend our second night in Briancon. Today we reach the southern most point of ALPRAID, and take on the beautiful lunar landscapes of the Col d'Izoard. The shorter rest day will allow your legs to recover before a huge queen stage tomorrow.
Climbs
Col d'Izoard
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DAY FIVE : QUEEN STAGE
173km + 4200m
Briancon to Tignes
Words and images cannot do this stage justice. A monumental ride today, as we leave France, and enter the Italian Alps. We first climb Montgenevre to leave Briancon, and face a long desent to Susa, in Italy. From here we face two giants, the 35km long Col du Mont Cenis, and finally, the highest paved Col in Euope, the Col de l'Iseran standing at 2770m. A descent into Val d'Isere awaits, before a final climb to the ski resort of Tignes awaits, as we sleep at altitude tonight.
Climbs
Montgenevre
Col du Mont Cenis
Col de la Madeleine (Petit)
Col de l'Iseran
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DAY SIX
120km + 3000m
Tignes to Albertville
The Final Stage of ALPRAID 2026, brings us back our start town of Albertville over two beautiful climbs. First is the Cormet de Roselend, perhaps the most scenic climb in the French Alps. A descent to Beaufort awaits, before we face the Col des Saises, a quiet and scenic Alpine ascent with more rolling views than we've seen previously. There's still some small rolling climbs to face after the long 19km descent of the Saises, before we arrive back in Albertville at our host hotel, knowing we've competed Alpraid 2027.
Climbs
Cormet de Roselend
Col des Saises
A POINT TO POINT TRAVERSE
Beginning and finishing in Albertville, BoC Alpraid will take you on a physical journey like no other tour. With 19,000m of climbing across 7 days, you'll experience everything the Alps has to offer, and so much more.
7 Nights Accommodation
Your place on ALPRAID includes 7 nights of accommodation. ALPRAID hotels are carefully chosen for a combination of their location, services, hospitailty, and suitability for cycling. All of our hotels are 3 or 4 star rated, and breakfasts and three course dinners are all included each night at each hotel.
Van + Rider Supported Rides
ALPRAID is a fully supported Tour, with 2 ride guides from Band of Climbers on the road with you. 2 Support vans and mechanical assistance are also on hand to support your rides, and transport your kit from hotel to hotel each day. Need a break on a ride? Simply jump in the van. Mechanical issue? A full tool kit is in each van. Carry minimal kit with you as your cold weather kit is ready and waiting in the support van whenever you need it, as are energy gels, bars, snacks and water.
Airport Transfers Included
Airport transfers to and from Geneva Airport and our Hotel in Albertville are also included (at specified times) Please read our recommended flight plans below for more information.
ALPRAID CLIMB GALLERY
ALPRAID 2027
KEY DETAILS + INCLUSIONS
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN ALPRAID
- 7 nights accommodation in a shared twin room in hotels across the French and Italian Alps
- Daily breakfasts and dinners (usually 3-4 courses) (Final Night Dinner not included)
- Daily supported rides and mechanical support
- Transport of kit & clothing from hotel to hotel
- Ride Guides from Band of Climbers
- All energy gels, drinks and bars from OTE Sports
- Airport transfers to and from Geneva Airport in private vehicles
- 1 x Exclusive Band of Climbers Escape Jersey
- 1 x Exclusive personalised Band of Climbers T-Shirt
- Comprehensive Digital Road Book with all GPX / Strava Files for each ride
- Printed Road Book to keep as a souvenir
- Early access to book any BoC Escape the following year
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Flights
- Personal Travel or Bike Insurance
- Spare parts or equipment
- Medical Cover
- Bike hire
- Coffee or lunch/cafe bought snacks during rides
- Dinner on the final evening at a local restaurant
- Drinks over dinner
- Additional nights accommodation if arriving early or departing late
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT PLANS
Arrivals : Please fly into Geneva Airport BEFORE 11am on Saturday 26th June 2027, in order to join our scheduled transfer for our riders at circa 12pm.
Departures : Please book a return flight AFTER 10am from Geneva Airport on Saturday 3rd July to your chosen destination. Our scheduled transfer is based on the earliest flight time of all guests. But your flight should not be before 10am due to the transfer time to the airport (3 hours) Any flights booked before 10.00am will require a private transfer at an additional cost of £400.
ACCOMODATION ITINERARY
Alpraid Full Itinerary:
Day Zero : Saturday : Arrival Into Geneva and Transfer to our base hotel in Albertville. Shake Out Ride Planned for 4pm.
Day One : Sunday : Overnight stay in Bourg d'Oisans.
Day Two : Monday : Overnight stay St Jean de Maurienne.
Day Three : Tuesday : Overnight Stay in Briancon
Day Four : Wednsday : Overnight Stay in Briancon : 2 nights in the same hotel.
Day Five : Thursday : Overnight Stay in Bourg St Maurice.
Day Six : Friday : Overnight stay in Albertville.
Day Seven : Saturday : Departure Day. Transfers back to Geneva Airport. Non riding Day.
IS THIS ESCAPE FOR ME?
Our Escapes are designed to be very challenging. They're adventures, not races. You don't need to be race fit, but you do need to be prepared to be challenged physically.
Our Escapes are not designed for beginners to cycling. Typically our Tours are ridden by riders who train year round, averaging at least 5 hours per week on the bike, year round.
On our Escapes, you will ride more hours than a typical pro rider during a week on the Tour de France. You will climb as much elevation as a Grand Tour week too. So here's some things you should be capable of:
1. Riding up to 5-7 hours per day, on back to back days. Being able to recover and go again day after day.
2. Climbing up to 4000m per day, on back to back days. In reality, very few people can train for this, but being used to climbing gradients of around 7% for around 90 minutes without stopping is key.
3. Basic bike self sufficiency. You should be able to change your own punctures, assemble and disassemble your own bike on arrival and departure. Our team are there to help, but you should have the ability to be self sufficient should our team be a few KM's away mid ride.
4. Self sufficient riding. We have 2-3 ride guides on every Escape, with up to 20 guests. So at some stage, you will find yourself riding alone. You must be comfortable riding alone, in potentially extreme conditions such as high altitude, heat, cold, and rain.
Our support van is available on most escapes (Excludes Mallorca) but this is not a taxi service. It's designed to rescue riders in the event of injury, mechanical problems or extreme fatigue. If you're unable to complete an entire route due to your physical fitness, we may suggest you retrace your ride back to the hotel, rather than ride in the support van all day, depending on your location at the time, and the weather conditions.
5. Ride in a small group. We try to ride together in groups where possible, typically on flat roads to the starts of the climbs. So having the ability to ride in groups helps.
6. Being able to follow routes. You MUST have a GPS head unit or means of following a route on your bike. This is to ensure you follow our planned, safe routes, and to avoid getting lost, and delaying the group whilst we try and find you.
Completing a BoC Escape is an amazing feeling. The sense of accomplishment is huge. But it helps to prepare for our Escapes physically, as you'll enjoy it so much more.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ'S
How fit do I need to be?
BoC Escapes are not races, they're an adventure. We ride socially, with a cafe/coffee stop midway through each ride.
That said, BoC Escapes are tough. You'll ride 6 back to back big days with up to 4000m of climbing (13,000ft) per day.
We would suggest you should be capable of climbing for at least 90 minutes at a gradient of 7% without stopping. Average speeds are very difficult to gauge, but most riders on our Escapes will average at least 10kph per hour (6mph) on a climb of 7%. Some will ride much quicker of course, but you are free to ride at your own pace.
We would suggest the trip is for intermediate or above level riders, or those with at least some experience of riding in the mountains and a decent level of fitness. At no point will any rider be left behind on their own for too long, as our guides will be on the road with you at all times and will always be close by.
We aim to ride as a group, although on long climbs we usually split up, before regrouping at the summits, or cafe stops if the temperatures at the summits are too cold.
Of course, some riders will be faster than others, but we try to keep any waiting times between the first and last riders reaching the summits to a minimum. You are free to ride at your own speed. This is not a race. It's a chance to test your own legs at your own pace.
Can I attend as a solo rider?
Absolutely! Around 95% of all our Escape riders come on their own. Making new friendships is a big part of our Escapes.
How do shared rooms work?
1. We do not mix males and females in shared rooms (unless booked as a couple or on request by both parties)
2. All rooms are twin beds, with en suite bathrooms
3. Rooms are allocated at random, unless booked as pairs or couples.
4. We can allocate rooms to friends on request (email us once booked)
5. If we have one single female, on a trip of 10 male riders, the female will be given a single room, to avoid sharing with a male (unless requested). Likewise, if we have a trip with 10 females, a solo male will be given a single room.
6. 95% of our guests come as solo riders. Making new friendships is a big part of our Escapes.
Can I have a Single Room?
Single rooms may be available in some locations, but cannot be guaranteed in all locations as some of the hotels we use are small, rural hotels. Once your entry into ALPRAID is confirmed, we can endeavour to provide you with a single room upon request, subject to a £75 single room occupancy charge per night of each single room.
What support is available?
You will have 2 BoC ride guides on the road with you at all times. We'll ride with the group, and ensure no rider is left behind.
We also have 2 support vans on which carry tools, spares, and your bad weather kit, plus energy gels and food. So you don't need to carry anything for too long.
If your legs decide to give up, or you need a rest, you are welcome to ride in the van and miss a climb or section if you need to, or end your ride early.
Is bike rental available?
We can help you to rent a road bike in all of our Escape Destinations.
We can offer Basso Bike Rental in Mallorca, the Dolomites and the French Alps.
We do not rent bikes ourselves, but we have recommended rental partners in each destination and we can assist in the rental, pickup and return of your bike.
Are meals included?
All of our Escapes include Breakfasts and evening meals. In most locations, a set menu is offered with a 3 to 5 course evening dinner. Wine and Beer is included in some locations, but alcoholic drinks are extra in others.
We can cater for all dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free etc...
Each day, we eat breakfast and dinner together, around one table. This allows further friendships to form away from the road. The dining experience is a big part of our Escapes!
Lunch is not included, as we stop at a cafe mid way around each ride. A typical lunch stop will take 30-40 minutes, and you are free to eat/drink whatever you choose from our planned cafe.
Cancellations and Refunds
Please view our cancellation and refund policy. We offer a simple and flexible policy which allows you to simply transfer to any other future Escape (subject to availability) should you need to cancel, even at short notice.
Who is a typical Escape rider?
Our riders travel from all over the world. We've had riders from South America, Australia, Asia, North America and across Europe. usually very keen cyclists, most Escape riders are aged between 25 and 55, although we've had younger, and older too!
Most riders travel individually, but we've had small groups of friends, married couples, and father son combos too.
Can I bring a non riding partner?
ALPRAID is not suitable for a non riding partner.