Vuelta 26
The Tour of Spain in the Côte d'Azur Monaco Nice Cycling Paradise
For the first time ever, the Tour of Spain will start in the French Riviera, in the heart of Monaco. Azur Vélo is excited to join The Col Collective for another Grand Tour collaboration, offering guests our expertise organising tours in this spectacular region, and Mike Cotty’s insider knowledge of the mountains and the Grand Tours of Europe. Join us to ride on the race routes and watch the Vuelta a España Grand Départ live in VIP style this summer! August 17 – 24, 2026
Grand Salida of the Vuelta 2026
Monaco is home to some of the most talented pro cyclists in the world. You’ll get a chance to experience their training playground first-hand and watch them live at the Vuelta. Our cycling itinerary will include the routes of the initial stages of the Tour of Spain, as well as the final stages of the 2024 Tour de France. You’ll ride iconic local climbs including the Col d’Eze, the Col de la Madone, the Col de Braus, and the Col de Turini. We’ll watch the Grand Départ of the Vuelta live in VIP style from Monaco and from the stunning roads of the Côte d’Azur.
Mike Cotty & The Col Collective
There are few that know the mountains of Europe better than your ride guide Michael Cotty. As founder of The Col Collective, Mike has made a career out of riding, filming and telling the story of epic rides and mountains across the continent. Mike is based in the Côte d’Azur and his engaging character, curious mind, and friendly nature bring a unique perspective to the roads and mountains on every ride. Mike also brings a wealth of experience as a Grand Tour cycling trip host with The Col Collective Tours. Our cycling tour will take you on the spectacular routes of the Vuelta a España start stages, as well as the 2024 Tour de France arrival stages, and includes many of Mike’s favorite local mountain passes.
Watch The Col Collective’s videos about our French Riviera roads and climbs to get familiar with your guide and some of the mountain passes featured in our Vuelta 26 tour.
Included:
- Premium seaside accommodations in Nice
- 8 days / 7 nights: August 17 - 24, 2026
- Airport transfer to/from your hotel
- Welcome meeting & assistance with bike set-up
- All breakfasts included
- 6 lunches included (for cycling participants)
- 5 dinners included
- Route information with GPX files
- Vehicle assistance & mechanical support
- Refreshments and snacks during rides
- VIP Vuelta viewing: TBA
- Complimentary Azur Vélo / The Col Collective jersey
- Activity planning for non-cycling companions
Your Seaside Accommodations
Your seaside hotel is conveniently located in Mont Boron – a quiet neighborhood just next to the port of Nice. You can easily walk to the Old Town and city center, and beautiful beaches are just across the street from the hotel. We have a range of different rooms available for our tour, all with stunning sea views.
Our Itinerary: Epic Climbs Stunning Roads Vuelta a España
We hope you’re ready for an unforgettable journey through the French Riviera as we take on the best local climbs and the roads of the 2026 Tour of Spain departure with your host Mike Cotty! Our itinerary includes the Col de Braus, the Col de Turini, the Col d’Èze, Mont Chauve, the Col de la Madone, and the Time Trial routes of the Vuelta 2026 and Tour de France 2024. The routes below should give you a good idea of what to expect during your week of cycling and live race viewing – though some details may be altered according to group needs, weather conditions or other factors. As we get closer to the trip date, we will provide GPX files for anyone who would like to upload the routes. Non-cycling activity suggestions will also be provided for our off-the-bike companions in the group, as well as information about lunches and dinners. Details about our final tour stages and VIP race viewing will soon be finalized, so please stay tuned!
Day 1 - 8/17/26
Welcome to the Côte d'Azur!
Day 2 - 8/18/26
Col d'Èze + Col de la Madone
Day 3 - 8/19/26
Aspremont + Mont Chauve
Day 4 - 8/20/26
Col de Braus + Col de Turini
Day 5 - 8/21/26
Ride Route TBA
Day 6 - 8/22/26
Vuelta a España Stage 1 LIVE!
Day 7 - 8/23/26
Vuelta a España Stage 2 LIVE!
Day 8 - 8/24/26
Au Revoir et Bon Voyage!
Climb With Us
We will ride these classic climbs of the Côte d’Azur, with our Queen Stage on the roads of the 2024 Tour de France, coming in at about 2500 meters of elevation gain.
- Col d'Eze: 10 km / 4.9%
- Col de Braus: 10 km / 6.6%
- Col de Turini: 20.7 km / 5.7%
- Col de la Madone: 13.6 km / 6.7%
- Mont Chauve: 10.7 km / 7.2%
- Aspremont: 11.4 km / 3.9%
Pricing
Pricing is per person, based on double occupancy, with single supplement indicated below. Places are limited to 12 cycling participants. Non-cycling companions are welcome to join at a 10% discount. Sea view suites may accommodate 3-4 guests per room. Please select your room preference from the drop-down menu when requesting your reservation. We have a limited number of each room type available.
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Sea View Room D/O $5950
Sea view room; double occupancy. Please specify 2 single beds or 1 double bed
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Sea View Room Single Supplement $1100
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Sea View Suite D/O $6650
Junior sea view suite; double occupancy. Triple occupancy $5750 PP; Quadruple occupancy $5500 PP
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Sea View Suite Single Supplement $1750
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Non-Cycling Companion 10% discount
Applicable to non-cycling companions staying in the same room as a cycling participant. Included: Accommodations, airport transfer, breakfasts and dinners, and 1 day of Tour of Spain viewing.
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Rental Road Bike TBA
More information coming soon on our selection of rental road bikes.
*If you wish to reserve a place on the Vuelta 26 Tour, a 30% deposit per person is required to secure your reservation. Priority in room selection is given in the order of bookings. Receipt of the trip deposit is considered confirmation of booking, and your room selection is confirmed once the deposit is received. The remaining balance is due on May 15, 2026. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for more information about our reservation and cancellation policies, and required travel & medical insurance.
reservations
If you would like to reserve a place on the Vuelta 26 Tour, please fill out the reservation request form below and we will get back to you shortly with confirmation of room availability and instructions for the deposit payment. If you have any questions for us regarding the tour, please contact us via the form below or by email: info@azurvelo.com
