Italian charm and heavenly cycling

Piedmont Bike Tour

Overview

Fabulous Piedmont Bike Tour

Our Piedmont cycling tour focuses on the beautiful and historical region of Langhe, on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its cultural landscapes, particularly the wine-growing culture. The area is also known for truffles and hazelnuts (home of Nutella!), and of course the food is fantastic.

We have chosen our accommodations with care and each hotel you stay in offers a unique experience, whether it’s in the heart of the city (Cuneo) or on top of a hilltop with panoramic views (Monforte).

Your HighRoad Piedmont tour begins in Cuneo, a city with rich history and close proximity to the Alps, which we’ll dip into on our first ride! From here we travel east towards to vine-draped hills of Langhe, where we will ride through the famous vineyards of Barolo, Dolcetto d’Alba and Barbaresco, among others.

We spend our last few days here, riding out of two bases, so we experience as much as we can of this magic region. Most rides will finish to allow us to have a relaxing late lunch, while others will be on the road. Dinner restaurants have been carefully selected for their variety, local ingredients and atmosphere.

Total Tour Length: 475 km

Total Climbing: 7600 m

HighRoad Piedmont cycling tour is one of our ‘Moderate‘ bike tours. Distances range from 70km to 90km (44 to 66 miles), with few long climbs, but still a significant amount of climbing. Riders should be experienced and have good confidence in their fitness and abilities on the bike.

INCLUDED

Tour Price

  • Double occupancy: €3700
  • Single supplement: €600
  • Deposit: €500 per person

Accommodation and Dining

  • 6 nights accommodation
  • All breakfasts, lunches and 5 dinners
  • Energy bars, gels, snacks and water on your ride

Support

  • Pick up and drop off at Milan airport
  • All baggage transport
  • Owner-operator guides to see to your needs
  • GPX files of all routes for every cyclist
  • Support van that will be on the road with you, offering assistance, encouragement, and food and drinks.
  • 44|5 Cycling Tours jersey and water bottle

 

NOT INCLUDED
  • Transportation to Italy
  • Alcohol outside dinner
  • Hotels before and after your tour
  • Personal expenses, such as mini-bar, telephone or souvenir purchases

Day to Day

A typical day on your Piedmont cycling tour begins with a healthy buffet breakfast, followed by a ride in this wonderful region of northwestern Italy. Most rides will end back at your hotel or a local restaurant for a post-effort lunch. You will always have a few hours in the afternoon to relax and explore your surroundings before we meet for a dinner of delicious local fare.

Transfer to Hotel and Shake-out Ride

We will pick you up at Milan airport (MXP) at noon and transport you north to our hotel in the center of the old Savoy stronghold of Cuneo. During the afternoon, we’ll do a short ride out of town to ensure that everything is in working order!

In the evening we’ll all settle in to get to know each other better and review the upcoming week over a satisfying welcome dinner at a local trattoria.

Ride: Gesso Valley. Approximately 90 km and 1300 m of ascent

We start our tour with our longest ride, but this long dip into the Parco Naturaleof the Maritime Alps is a perfect way to experience a little of the Alps without actually climbing over them! We ride up the lovely Gesso Valley till our road dead-ends, meaning it’s lunch time at our forest valley restaurant!

You will be back with plenty of time to relax and explore Cuneo before your one dinner on your own this evening.

Cuneo to Monforte d’Alba. Approximately 78 km and 1000 m of ascent

Today we transition from the plains of Cuneo to the green hills of Langhe, with a route that progressively gets lumpier as we make our way east. If we have time, we’ll stop for a visit and espresso at the impressive Sanctuario della Nativita di Maria on our way.

After our final climb to the hotel on top of Monforte d’Alba, we’ll enjoy a delicious buffet lunch before checking in.

Dinner is down the road at a local agriturismo restaurant.

Barolo hills loop. Approximately 71 km and 1400 m of ascent

We begin today’s loop with a perfect descent down to Dogliani, where we turn right and start our first 10km climb of the day. Don’t worry, it’s gentle and scenic! A series of ups and downs and panoramic ridge roads bring us north to the wine region of Barolo, arguably the best wine in Italy. A last long climb brings us back to Monforte, where we’ll stop in the main square for a local pasta lunch.

We walk down to dinner at a town center osteria this evening.

Monforte to Canelli. Approximately 75 km and 1200 m of ascent

On our second transition day, we move from the Barolo wine area to Monferrato, one of the most important wine regions in Italy.

We’ll have a casual lunch at our hotel before checking in, then dinner at a local restaurant.

Monferrato loop with Roccaverano climb. Approximately 70 km and 1560 m of ascent

After a sharp descent from our hilltop hotel, we start our riding with a Giro d’Italia climb from a few years ago. This quiet road descends to a valley full of hazelnut orchards, which transports us to the major challenge of our day – the climb up to the village of Roccaverano (8km at 6.6%). A very long and meandering descent brings up back to the valley, before our final rise back to the hotel.

Our final celebratory dinner tonight is in Canelli, right after a UNESCO wine cellar visit.

 

Transfer to Milan airport

Today we drive you back to Milan for your connection home or your local hotel if you are staying in Italy.

Waving bike tour clients

Accommodations

Your accommodation for HighRoad Piedmont begins with a traditional family-run hotel located right on the giant Piazza Galimberti in the center of town. In the wine areas of our tour, your hotels are both stylish and well-appointed hill-top villas with excellent dining opportunities, luscious grounds and swimming pools with views. 

Hotel Principe, Cuneo

We begin our Piedmont cycling tour at the only hotel facing one of the most magnificent squares in Italy – Piazza Galimberti. Hotel Principe has been welcoming guests for over 75 years to this former palace in the heart of Cuneo.

Villa Baccaris, Monforte d’Alba

This villa from the 18th century has a privileged position, overlooking both the wonderful village of Monforte and the endless Barolo hills. The views from the breakfast room are divine!

I Tre Poggi, Canelli

Until quite recently, I Tre Poggi was a local farmhouse. After extensive renovations, it has transformed itself into a charming hotel that has unparalleled views over the Monferrato hills. We will also enjoy a meal or two and perhaps a couple of glasses from their extensive wine cellar!

Dates & Prices

Tour Dates – June 15-21, 2024

Tour Availability – Places available

Price Per Person – €3700

Single Supplement – €650

Not the best date for you? Contact us to create a custom trip.

Travel Details

Arrival Airport – Milan (MXP)
Pick-up Point – Airport or airport hotel. 11:00 am
Departure Airport – Milan (MXP)
Flight Time – Book a flight out for early afternoon or later

Gallery

What our Guests have to say about our HighRoad Bike Tours

Best Tour Company

I have been riding with John and Gerry, the co owners of 44|5 Cycling Tours, since 2014. Since then I have been back to France every year to ride with them. I have done their tours in the Cevennes Mountains, the Alps, and the Pyrenees. I have done their Provence Breakaways and Ventoux Breakaways. I… Read more “Best Tour Company”

Rich - California

Do It

Eddie Merckx said, “Don’t buy upgrades; ride up grades.” While that may be good advice when it comes to hardware, I’m here to tell you that John and Gerry’s guiding is an upgrade that will improve your cycling experience so much that it transcends all notions of economy. Hell, forget your cycling experience; this is… Read more “Do It”

Tony - Maine

One of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever ridden

Having just completed my first (of hopefully many more) tours with Gerry through this region, I can attest to this being hands down the most rewarding and immersive “French” riding experience. This is truly one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever ridden. Only been back for a couple of weeks and already working on… Read more “One of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever ridden”

Dave - USA