Côte d'Azur Gravel Tour
Get ready for an epic adventure!
Our tour will feature the most iconic gravel routes of our region, giving you a fully immersive experience of the mountains with special guest host Ernesto Mendoza, local resident and current Masters UCI Gravel World Champion! You’ll begin your adventure in Nice – the heart of the French Riviera – to experience a few of our favorite local gravel rides that come with breathtaking coastal and mountain scenery. We’ll then head west towards the Massif de l’Esterel forest with its stunning red rocks and winding trails – widely considered some of the best gravel in the South of France. This tour is available for private groups from 8-12 participants. June 17 – 23, 2026
French Riviera Gravel Tour
Join us in June 2026 to explore the breathtaking gravel routes of the Côte d’Azur with special guest host Ernesto Mendoza – who is currently the UCI Gravel World Champion in his category.
- 6 Nights premium accommodations
- 2 Locations: Nice & the Esterel
- UCI AG Gravel World Champion Host
- Iconic French Riviera gravel routes
- Advanced level required
Your Host: Ernesto Mendoza
Ernesto Mendoza is a highly experienced coach and elite cyclist who will be hosting your Côte d’Azur gravel tour. Originally from Cuba, he raced for eight years with the Cuban national road team, competing in prestigious tours across South America and Europe that include multiple editions of the Tours of Venezuela, Táchira, Cuba, Martinique, and more. Since settling in France, he has built over 30 years of high-level cycling experience across road, mountain bike, and gravel disciplines and has been a coach at the Pôle Espoir Cyclisme de Nice since 2010, shaping the next generation of riders. In 2025 he claimed the Gravel Master World Championship title and also won the French MTB XCO Master title, underlining his ongoing competitive edge and deep technical expertise. Ernesto's valuable experience as a passionate athlete, guide and coach will give participants an inspiring, challenging, and memorable Côte d'Azur gravel experience.
Gravel Cycling Levels
Because our rides will be on challenging terrain with significant elevation gain, we recommend an Advanced Level for this tour, and require at minimum an Experienced Level. Please read the level descriptions below and make sure this tour is suitable for your group.
We consider a novice to be new to cycling both on and off-road, with less than a year’s experience riding a bike.
Beginner gravel cyclists may have road cycling experience, but are relatively new to gravel/ off-road cycling, and not accustomed to technical riding on rough terrain.
Experienced gravel cyclists have been riding off-road consistently for over a year, and have good technical skills on gravel that is rough or uneven, and on sharp turns and steep descents. They are also used to spending several hours a day on their bikes and able to comfortably complete longer gravel rides with a fair amount of elevation gain (3 hours +).
Advanced gravel cyclists have been consistently riding off-road for more than a year, have completed in gravel/cyclocross/mountain bike events or races, and have excellent technical skills on gravel that is rough or uneven, sharp turns and steep descents. Advanced riders are also able to comfortably ride 4-6 hours a day on their bikes for several consecutive days, with rides averaging 1,000 – 2,000 meters of elevation gain.
Our Itinerary: Epic Gravel Iconic Gravel Côte d'Azur Gravel
This tour will be customized for your private group, appropriate for riders with an Experienced to Advanced Level. Please see the suggested itinerary below, that may be adapted as needed for your group.
Arrival in Nice: Airport transfer and welcome reception; assistance with bike-building / rental set-up. We’ll take a short afternoon spin if time permits before a convivial group apéritif and dinner at our seaside hotel.
This first combo road / gravel ride will get your legs turning and kick up some gravel dust while you discover some of the most stunning views of the eastern French Riviera coast. Fort de la Revère + La Turbie: 30 – 50+ km | 600 – 1000 m+ | 30% gravel
Riding north of Nice will take you to a different kind of gravel playground – rugged, wild and at times unforgiving – with challenging climbs and technical descents. For those who are up for an extra-epic day, the route can be lengthened by continuing further north to Duranus and its magical valley views. Mont Férion: 75 km – 130 km | 2000 m+ – 2500 m+ | 50% – 60% gravel
After getting a good taste of Niçois gravel, we’ll head west along the coastal road towards our next destination. We’ll join beautiful gravel trails just after Cannes that will take us all the way to our hotel & spa located at the edge of the forest. Nice to the Esterel: 85 km | 850 m+ | 40% gravel
There are many incredible options for Esterel gravel rides. We will tailor the final 2 rides in this gravel paradise to your group’s needs and level. Anything is possible – from a short spin in the forest to a 100 km+ ride with significant elevation gain!
Your second day soaking in the Esterel beauty will be tailored for your group’s level and needs. Esterel Day 2: 30 – 100 km | 500 – 2000 m+
Final breakfast together and airport transfer
*Please note that in the summer, the Esterel is occasionally closed if local authorities judge that there is a high fire risk. Although this is highly unlikely in June, we want to assure you that we’ve anticipated some great alternate routes nearby in case of an unforeseen closure of the forest.
Included:
- 3 nights seaside accommodations in Nice
- 3 nights 4* hotel & spa in the Esterel
- Golfing from your Esterel hotel
- Airport transfer to/from your hotel
- Welcome meeting & assistance with bike set-up
- 5-6 days cycling
- Guest host guide: Ernesto Mendoza
- All breakfasts
- 5 lunches during rides
- 4 group dinners
- Customized ride itineraries
- GPX files with route info
- Vehicle assistance & mechanical support
- Refreshments and snacks during rides
Pricing
Our Côte d’Azur Gravel Tour is now open for reservation as a private group tour. Pricing for our private tours is based on a group of 10-12 people in double occupancy rooms. This is considered the base price, and any discounts / increases are calculated from this price. Please inquire for pricing on groups smaller than 6 people. If you would like to book this tour, please contact us via our 2026 Reservation Request Form or email us at: info@azurvelo.com.
