Les Géants is an ultra-cycling adventure that takes riders deep into the French Alps, starting and finishing in the lakeside city of Annecy. With three demanding formats — 300 km (road), 400 km (gravel), and 700 km (road) — the event challenges cyclists to climb between 7,000 and 17,500 meters across some of Europe’s most iconic mountain passes. It’s a fully self-supported race, meaning riders must rely on their own strategy, endurance, and determination to navigate, refuel, and push through the alpine terrain and unpredictable weather.
Set against breathtaking alpine scenery, Les Géants is more than a race — it’s an endurance test that embodies the spirit of adventure cycling. Whether you ride solo or as a duo, the route delivers long ascents, fast descents, and quiet mountain roads that reward every ounce of effort. For those who crave challenge, solitude, and the grandeur of the Alps, Les Géants offers a true taste of ultra-cycling at its most spectacular.
Based on this event's terrain, difficulty and riding style.
Les Géants covers 700 km with 18000 m of climbing along the way — a steadily rolling profile from start to finish.
For Les Géants, we'd recommend a Endurance Road Bike — plan on 30-35mm Tubeless tires and a wide-range drivetrain, something like a 46/30T-50/34T (2x) chainring paired with a 10-36T cassette, to handle the terrain comfortably.
We rate Les Géants as Advanced overall. Riders should be ready for, steadily rolling, with a healthy amount of climbing elevation gain, and mild and generally comfortable conditions.
Les Géants runs on August 14, 2026, placing it firmly in the summer riding season, with long daylight hours, though heat can become a real factor.