Alps 2026

Where do we start with the Burners inaugural trip to St Jean-de-Sixt in the French Alps ? Well, at the start it’s fair to say there was a fair amount of apprehension, but by the end of the weekend that was just a memory, such was the enjoyment we had cycling in such amazing locations.

We stayed with Bike Weekender who, as well as providing comfortable accommodation, amazing food, great bikes and stunning routes, also followed each of our two groups with support vans. Not only did that ensure that no-one got lost (well, not properly lost !!!), the vans carried all the nutrition and hydration we could possibly need.

It’s fair to say that the rides, even the ‘easy’ ones, were a bit more challenging than what we’re used to back home in Ayrshire. The climbs were longer and harder than anything we encounter (usually accompanied by the sound of clanking cow-bells), and the descents were out of this world. You may hear folk talking about the Colombiere, Aravis, Leschaux and a host of other cols over the next few days and weeks (and possibly months). They really were that memorable – mainly for good reasons. Having said that, the average gradients for the last 5 miles of the Colombiere were 7%, 8%, 9%, 10% and 11% respectively ….

We’ve had some excellent trips away, but everyone who came on this trip agreed that this was another level. The key question that remains outstanding is – when are we going back ? Watch out for a WhatsApp poll coming to a phone near you soon !!!