UPCYCLE YOUR VACATION
When it comes to merging serious riding with high-end hospitality, Leblanq isn’t the only game in town. Here, a few others to consider.
The Slow Cyclist
The reassuringly named
Slow Cyclist was founded by British author Oli Broom, who spent 412 days riding—via 23 countries—from London to Brisbane, Australia, to watch a few games of cricket (and raise money for charity). The company is part of the “slow travel” movement, which aims to minimize your impact on local communities while maximizing your engagement with them— and what better way to do so than arriving by bike? The Slow Cyclist will put you on two wheels in locations you might never have considered, from the mountains of Transylvania to the volcanoes, lakes, and gorilla-filled wilds of Rwanda.
Cycling for Softies
As its name suggests,
Cycling for Softies focuses unabashedly on the luxury hotels and Michelin-starred dining that punctuate its easy trips (e-bike optional)—“a gâteau in every château,” in the words of author and client Kathy Lette. The company operates in five European countries, with itineraries traversing the regions with the best comestibles, whether Provence or Portugal’s
Douro Valley. Your bags are transported between hotels each day, and you ride at your own pace, following an app that even details the best cake stops en route.
Sportive Breaks
If you want to go harder than even Leblanq can offer, Sportive Breaks will fast-track you into the most sought-after events of the year. From L’étape du Tour, in which “civilians” take on a hard mountain stage of the Tour de France, to the roughly 195-mile-long Mallorca 312 and other spectacular closed-road, mass-participation events (known as sportive rides), this specialist eases the logistical pain, if not the physical. Our pick? The slightly gentler annual
Strade Bianche, whose 54- and 88-mile routes over the whitegravel roads of Tuscany are bucket-list stuff for many.
Butterfield &
Robinson
Established nearly 60 years ago, Butterfield & Robinson is the OG of the luxury cycling world. A coterie of loyal and well-heeled clients has followed the Canadian company into new fields, from safaris to superyacht charters, but bike trips remain its beating heart.
Don’t bother packing energy gels or even your wheels: The aim here is seamless, stressfree travel, with itineraries curated by a firm with moreexperienced hands and likely a broader range of destinations— covering Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa—than anyone else.
Trek Travel
The travel wing of the behemoth Wisconsin-based bike maker is your go-to for North American trips, with itineraries in 18 U.S. states and one in Vancouver. But it can also take you farther afield—other destinations include Australia, Chile, and Japan—and organize custom private vacations for as few as one rider. As an official affiliate of the Tour de France and a team sponsor, Trek also offers excursions that follow the greatest race at a gentler pace: For $11,000, you get six nights in top hotels in Nice and Saint-jean-cap-ferrat, with VIP access to the final stage of this year’s event.