ef tours grand tour of france

Grand Tour of Europe: London to Rome

4.7 out of 5 stars

You have up to 60 days to get a full refund

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Sample the continent’s most culture-packed, historically rich regions.

On this sweeping tour, world-famous sights like Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the Colosseum are just the beginning of what you’ll experience. Get a taste of several languages and cultures as you journey from Great Britain to France to the Netherlands, travel across Germany, and continue through Switzerland and Italy.

Your tour package includes

• 14 nights in handpicked hotels
• 14 breakfasts
• 4 dinners with beer or wine
• 11 sightseeing tours

Included highlights

• Trafalgar Square
• Buckingham Palace
• Eurostar train ride
• Eiffel Tower photo stop
• Amsterdam canal cruise

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Day-by-day itinerary

Board your overnight flight to London today.

Welcome to England! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

View the regal landmarks of England’s vibrant and cosmopolitan capital on a guided sightseeing tour.

• Pass the grand Trafalgar Square and Baroque-style St. Paul’s Cathedral, perched atop Ludgate Hill.
• See Westminster Abbey, the setting for royal coronations, weddings, and funerals.
• View icons like Big Ben, the London Eye, and the Tower of London.
• Stop by Buckingham Palace, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard.

Spend a free afternoon in London or add an excursion.

Windsor Castle

From $125 per person

Board the famed high-speed Eurostar train and travel beneath the English Channel as you journey to Gare du Nord in Paris, France.

Enjoy a free evening in Paris or add an excursion.

Please note: Travelers should be prepared for an early morning train departure. Porterage is not included for the train transfers. Travelers must be comfortable lifting and carrying all luggage over steps, onto platforms, and into luggage storage

Dinner in Paris & Seine River Cruise

From $129 per person

A guided tour introduces you to the architecture, scenery, and history of the City of Light’s many neighborhoods, called arrondissements.

• Drive down the sycamore-lined Champs-Élysées to view the Arc de Triomphe.
• Pass Pont Neuf and the legendary Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on an island in the Seine River.
• See the Eiffel Tower, the Palais Garnier opera house, and Place de la Concorde, the city’s grandest square.
• Marvel at the iconic architecture of the Louvre and Hôtel des Invalides.

Spend the afternoon exploring Paris on your own or add an excursion.

Versailles Palace & Gardens

From $139 per person

Ride a high-speed train to Amsterdam. Then, take to the water with a local guide who will introduce you to the the Dutch capital’s iconic canals and unique character.

• Cruise by icons like the Dutch National Opera house and the Skinny Bridge.
• Reflect on the city’s history as you pass by a former Jewish neighborhood.
• See the dancing houses, the narrowest houses in Amsterdam, and “flower bikes” decorated by a local known as the Flower Bike Man.
• Disembark near the Rijksmuseum, and stroll to the iconic Van Gogh Museum for a tour with an audio guide.

Please note: Travelers should be prepared for an early morning train departure.

Spend a free day in Amsterdam or add an excursion.

A Day in Charming Delft

Cross into Germany on your way to the Heidelberg region today, making several stops along the way.

• Enter Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Marvel at views of six ancient castles during a cruise on the Rhine River, which takes you from Boppard to Sankt Goar.

Please note: From mid-October through March you will enjoy a German wine tasting in Boppard instead of the cruise.

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Discover the medieval charms of Heidelberg on a guided sightseeing tour.

• Walk through Heidelberg’s Old Town, passing Market Square and Heidelberg University.
• Take a funicular ride to top of Heidelberg Castle for panoramic views of the Old Bridge and the Rhine River below.

Then, cross into Switzerland this afternoon.

A local guide introduces you to Lucerne, a charming lakeside city located in the Swiss Alps.

• Pass hand-painted facades along the cobbled streets of the Old Town.
• View the Lion Monument, a tribute to the Swiss Guards who sacrificed their lives in Paris during the French Revolution.
• See the Jesuit Church, the first large Baroque building of its kind to be built in Switzerland north of the Alps.
• Cross the medieval Kapellbrücke, a covered wooden footbridge spanning the Reuss River, and view the Water Tower.

Enjoy a free afternoon in the Swiss Alps or add an excursion.

Mount Pilatus

From $135 per person

Head out on a morning trip to explore the Lake Como area where you'll have a chance to admire the beautiful architecture, breathtaking views, and cruise the crystal-clear turquoise waters.

• Transfer to the beautiful Villa Carlotta to soak in spectacular views from the elaborate villa gardens.
• Embark on a scenic cruise on Lake Como and soak in some of Italy's most beautiful estates and gardens.
• Float past charming lakeside towns to Bellagio, a village whose scenery has inspired poets and young lovers for centuries.
• Enjoy free time in Bellagio to grab lunch, shop, and explore at your own pace.

Return to your hotel in the Lake Como region and enjoy a free evening.

En route to Venice, stop in Verona and walk through the city with your Tour Director.

• Stroll through the city’s UNESCO-recognized historic center.
• Admire the Roman arena, Piazza delle Erbe, and the balcony of Shakespeare’s Juliet.

Enjoy free time before continuing on to Venice, where you'll sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Admire historic churches, winding canals, and picture-perfect piazzas on a guided tour of the city known as the Queen of the Adriatic.

• Step into the iconic St. Mark's Square and view the impressive St. Mark's Basilica.
• View the stately Doge's Palace, built in the Venetian Gothic style in 1340.
• Marvel at the Bridge of Sighs, the link between Doge's Palace and the New Prison.
• See a glassblowing demonstration to learn about the city's most celebrated art.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Venice or add an excursion.

Gondola Ride: Venice Canal Cruise

From $89 per person

Private Gondola Ride: Canal Cruise for Two

From $165 per person

Travel to Rome by train, crossing the Apennine Mountains for sweeping views of the Italian countryside. Upon arriving in the Eternal City, take a guided walk to discover its beautiful, centuries-old squares and fountains.

• Stroll past the Spanish Steps, where Bernini’s Baroque-style fountain has stood since the 1600s.
• Walk to the intricately carved Trevi Fountain, and toss a coin for good luck.
• Step inside the Pantheon, home to the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
• Learn about the engineering skills of the ancient Romans and how they created this well-preserved temple.
• End at Piazza Navona and see the Fountain of the Four Rivers.

Enjoy a free day in Rome or add an excursion. Then, join your group at tonight’s farewell dinner. Tonight, as you dine, you'll be treated to a multi-course traditional Italian meal with a live musical entertainment.

Iconic Sights: Vatican City

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or continue on to Florence.

Travel north to Florence this morning, arriving in time for a guided tour.

• View the legendary Florence Cathedral, known as the Duomo.
• Pass Giotto’s Campanile, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
• Walk past Piazza della Repubblica to the medieval Ponte Vecchio.
• Stroll along the Arno River and through the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery to Piazza della Signoria, center of Florentine life.

Enjoy a free evening in Florence or add an excursion.

Villa Machiavelli Dinner

From $99 per person

Spend a free day in Florence or add an excursion.

This evening, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members.

Siena & San Gimignano: Tuscan Hilltowns

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Book for just $99 down

That’s all it takes to secure your spot on tour with AutoPay. Then, pay for your trip in interest-free, monthly installments.†

Overall rating 4.7 out of 5

5 out of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars

If you are looking for a trip that gives you an understanding of all the wonderful things there are see and do in the major cities of Western Europe (along with getting a taste of the different countries you visit) this is a great tour. You can enjoy all the highlights of the cities while gaining ...

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My husband and I decided to celebrate our 35th anniversary by taking this trip. It was even more fun than I anticipated. Our tour guide, Lexi, was outstanding, very knowledgeable, and friendly. I'd highly recommend going on a trip with her. There were about 31-32 people in our group, and everyone w...

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Traveler photos

Hotels, flights & FAQ

This stylish hotel is located in London's Hammersmith neighborhood. Guests enjoy the fitness center, lounge bar with rooftop terrace, and spacious roo...

This contemporary hotel is located in Montmartre. Guests enjoy on-site dining options, an outdoor terrace, and spacious rooms. Nearby, you’ll find Sac...

This trendy hotel is located in the Oost district of Amsterdam. Guests enjoy comfortable rooms, a lounge-bar, and easy access to the tram. Nearby, you...

This comfortable hotel is located in the Mannheim city center. Guests enjoy a pool, restaurant, and free Wi-Fi. Nearby, you’ll find Schloss Mannheim, ...

This Belle Époque hotel is located near the lake promenade. Guests enjoy a restaurant, bar, and outdoor terrace. Nearby, you’ll find Lake Lucerne, Cha...

This scenic hotel is located in Lecco, on the shores of Lake Como. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, a gym, and restaurant. Nearby, you’ll find walking paths, ...

This charming hotel is located in the Cannaregio district in central Venice. Guests enjoy a private courtyard, pool, and billiards area. Nearby, you’l...

This peaceful hotel is located just outside of Rome's city center. Guests enjoy the swimming pool, relaxing garden, and fitness center. Nearby you’ll ...

This classic hotel is located in the San Lorenzo neighborhood of Florence. Guests enjoy the on-site coffee house, spacious rooms, and convenient locat...

• Round-trip flight for your tour
• Airport transfers at your destination
• A great price locked in today
• 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
• Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
• Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
• Find out more about flights
• This tour visits the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. In order to enter these countries, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
• Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
• Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center .
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact each country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code EUR.
• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in London and depart from Rome (or Florence on the tour extension).
• Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost if they are arriving or departing on the standard day.
• When you arrive in London, a driver from a private chauffeur service will be standing at the arrival hall with your name on a message board. If you do not see your driver, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.

Physical Activity Level

This is a high physical activity-level tour. You can expect to be on the move on a regular basis throughout the course of the tour.

Tour Pacing

This is a brisk-paced tour. The pace of a tour itinerary considers how often you’ll switch hotels, the amount of planned daily activities, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:

• Two 1 night stays
• Most days full of included activities (more if you add excursions)
• Most transportation by motor coach
• Some transportation by train and boat
• Daily bus time varies and can be lengthy

Walking, Terrain & Physical Requirements

• Travelers should be prepared to walk 2-3 miles per day - this includes city streets, cobblestones, stairs, and hills.
• Cobblestone streets can become slick when wet.
• The city of Venice is fully pedestrian with 3-5 steps leading up and down the many bridges throughout the city.
• The terrain around the Roman Forum and the Colosseum includes inclines and uneven stairs.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
• Please Note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on tour.

Climate Considerations

• In London, travelers can expect cool, cloudy, and rainy days throughout the year, with occasional heatwaves in the summer months (June-September).
• For most of central Europe, temperatures range from 40sF in winter to low-80sF in summer, with occasional heatwaves in the summer months (June-September).
• In Italy, temperatures range from 50sF in winter to 90sF in summer. In the summer months (June-September), travelers can expect heatwaves with temperatures consistently above 90F.

Physical Activity & Tour Pace Questions

• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The rest of the group cannot miss any scheduled activities because of the needs of an individual.
• Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers will be difficult to use and are not recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring these on tour with you.
• If you have mobility concerns or tour pace questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team. We’re here to help!
• This tour includes various modes of transportation, including train, boat, and private motor coach. Some modes of transportation will have raised platforms or steps and often not provide access to ramps or lifts.
• Train rides from London to Paris, Paris to Amsterdam, and Venice to Rome are included in the price of your tour.
• All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
• European train stations typically operate similarly to airports where security measures, such as baggage and body scanners, are common. Platforms are often spread out across large distances and require travelers to manage their luggage on escalators or stairs. Porterage services are not offered on train transfers and luggage storage on trains is extremely limited. Please keep in mind that trains may only be stopping at the stations for a few minutes; speed with loading and unloading may be imperative.
• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and trains.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• Travelers must manage their own luggage throughout tour as porters are not guaranteed. This includes at hotels, airports, and boarding trains.
• Luggage storage on trains is extremely limited, and often requires travelers to lift their suitcases onto storage racks, sometimes above the seats.
• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
• We recommend packing a reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastic waste.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
• We recommend packing your Insurance Card (from your primary insurance provider) in your carry on luggage.
• Go Ahead handpicks every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm.
• Accommodations are typically three to four star hotels.
• All accommodations include a private bathroom.
• Most rooms will include a safe for valuables.
• Your hotels will have Wifi, but it may be limited to common areas.
• Elevators in hotels are not guaranteed.
• Some hotels on this tour require travelers to walk with their luggage a few blocks as buses cannot drop travelers off right out front.
• Please be advised that the strength of the air conditioning in European hotels/buildings is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada.
• England operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses a Type G plug with three large, flat pins.
• France, the Netherlands, and Germany operate on the European standard 220-240 volts and use Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
• Switzerland operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C or J plugs with two round pins or three round pins, respectively.
• Italy operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, F, or L plugs with two round pins or three round pins, respectively.
• We cannot guarantee that your hotel accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with the hotel once they are confirmed about 30 days prior to departure.
• Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.
• Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
• We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
• Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
• Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).
• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at cdc.gov .
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center for more information or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
• The water is safe to drink throughout your tour unless posted otherwise.
• This tour includes one lunch and four dinners. Included meals may be plated set menus, buffet or family style depending on the location. Dinners include one glass of beer, wine, or soft drink and water, coffee and tea.
• Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
• For traditional English fare at a reasonable price, try a pub meal of fish and chips or bangers and mash. Stilton cheese, steak and kidney pie, and Cumberland sausages are also worth a try.
• Modern-day London boasts an array of diverse international restaurants. Popular options for the adventurous palate include Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Greek, and West African cuisines. Sip afternoon tea with delicious finger sandwiches and scones at Harrods for the ultimate in English tradition.
• For a picnic with French flair, stop at a small grocery store for cheeses, pâtés, cured meats, fresh-baked bread, and fruit. In the cities, sidewalk vendors are known for their steaming crepes, while mouthwatering pastries and hot café au lait beckon from cafes. In restaurants, the prix fixe option is a popular way to enjoy a set three- or four-course menu for a good price.
• Although lunch is generally served from noon until 2pm in France, dinner is served from 7:30pm onward. Those wishing to eat earlier can stop at a cafe, where light entrées and sandwiches are available throughout the afternoon and evening.
• In the Netherlands, simply prepared meat and fish dishes, substantial soups, and hearty stews are local staples. Snack food traditionally features fish—you might try maatje, raw green herrings served with onions—but pancakes, french fries, doughnuts, and waffles are just as plentiful.
• German food is hearty and substantial. Among the specialties are dumpling stews, sauerkraut, sausages, smoked cheeses, and dark breads. Bavaria produces some of the world’s purest beers, and white German wines are exceptionally good.
• Swiss food is varied and sophisticated, and some popular dishes include sausages, breaded veal fillets, freshwater fish, and cheese dishes such as fondue and raclette. Be sure to try Swiss chocolate, which is among the world’s finest.
• Venice and Northern Italy are known for flavorful meats and pastries.
• Roman food is typically freshly prepared and varies depending on the season. Must-try bites include cacio e pepe (a simple dish of pasta, cheese and pepper) and supplí (a fried rice ball similar to Sicily's arancini).
• For more authentic meals, try local trattorias, small restaurants set away from the main piazzas. A typical Italian meal includes wines and the occasional beer, followed by a few sips of after-dinner drinks like grappa or limoncello.
• On the tour extension, Tuscany is world-famous for its wine, oil, sauces, and pasta. Menus favor subtle, lighter pastas and desserts made with nuts, fruit, and honey. Try a dish featuring the region’s Chianina beef, perhaps the most prized breed of cattle in all of Italy. For wine, popular Tuscan reds include Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which are primarily made from the Sangiovese grape. Well-known white wines are also made around the San Gimignano region.
• At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10-$12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
• The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
• You will use the Pound sterling in England, the Swiss franc in Switzerland, and the euro in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your tour director, local guides, and bus drivers. We also recommend keeping coins in the local currency on hand, as some public bathrooms may charge a fee for use.
• To ensure you feel prepared before traveling on tour, we strongly recommend you download the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. The app is free and provides important deadlines, entry requirements, your detailed itinerary, packing tips and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the chat feature in the app.
• Wifi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There is no Wifi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
• Your Tour Director will be leading your group throughout your journey. You will have the same Tour Director throughout your tour.
• The role of the Tour Director is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each days’ activities and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and cannot provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is our on tour emergency support team.
• Our extensive network of offices around the world, and our integration of ISO 31000: Risk Management Guidelines, help our dedicated 24/7 Emergency Service teams anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible and iterative way.
• This team supports travelers and Tour Directors using a combination of extensive training, simulations, incident response planning, and decades of experience to help manage emergencies if they arise, ranging from personal health concerns or injuries to major world events.
• As needed, On Tour Support can facilitate additional support for travelers on tour, arrange assistance from outside specialists, and liaise with local and international authorities to help solve on-the-ground issues. In addition, the team is dedicated to supporting and facilitating communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency while on the road or at home.
• England is on Greenwich Mean Time Zone (GMT) and is five hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• All other destinations on this tour are one hour ahead of GMT and six hours ahead of ET.
• When it’s noon in New York, it’s 5pm in England and 6pm in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.
• When you travel with EF Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit, and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer.
• Travel, when done responsibly, can make an enormous socio-economic impact to communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at local businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend.
• Prepare for your trip: be aware of the monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market, learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette, and take some time to learn a few words in the local language.
• When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind.
• EF Go Ahead Tours encourages our travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single use plastics. You can avoid single use plastics by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle.
• Environment: On this tour, we recommend the use of a reusable water bottle, as the local drinking water is safe for travelers. Your Tour Director can provide additional guidance on local water standards. Make sure to bring a reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastics.

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Unforgettable.

“A fantastic trip for those who are looking for a genuine French experience. This tour allows you to go beyond the tourist traps and truly see the beauty of the entire northern part of the country. History lovers this is a trip for you!”

–Marissa, traveled on France: Castles, Coasts & Croissants Jul. 2022

Prepare to be amazed

“The amount of times I caught myself thinking, “wow I can’t believe I’m here and seeing this,” during this trip were too many to count. This is one of those trips that’ll stay with me for life. Incredible sights. Incredible experiences. Incredible people (including our fantastic, 5-star tour director, Roberta). If I could relive these two weeks again, I’d do it in a heartbeat!”

–Sean, traveled on Italy, France & Spain Jul. 2022

Holy crêpe.

Know before you go

It’s fun and helpful to try your hand at the local language, French! Try out some of these popular words and phrases:

• Hello: Bonjour
• Goodbye: Au revoir
• Thank you: Merci
• Where is...?: Ou est..?
• Cheers!: Santé

As you prepare to spend time in new cities, countries, and cultures, here are some expert tips to help you live like a true European.

• Public transportation is very popular in Europe. In Paris you’ll take the Metro! Taking public transportation is a great way to get to know a city
• Public restrooms in Europe sometimes require a small fee – hold on to your coins!
• Unlike the U.S., everything (hotels, meals, appliances) is smaller. After all, less is more!
• Practice the local language when greeting people or ordering food - It goes a long way with the locals
• Water is an added cost at restaurants, and you have to choose between still or sparkling
• Avoid making special requests at restaurants, it’s not as common in Europe
• Feel free to seat yourself in restaurants instead of waiting to be seated, and don’t be afraid to flag your waiter or waitress over for help
• French people are often more reserved, so don’t be offended if someone doesn’t strike up conversation right away. Though, you might find more friendly faces in the pubs!
• Paris is known for its fashion. Now is the time to break out your new duds!
• Smoking is still quite popular in Europe Don’t be surprised to see large amounts of locals with lit cigarettes!

Food & Drink

You’ll sample a variety of local dishes on your trip, but read on for tips when dining out in France, and delicacies you must try:

• Baguettes: Now is your chance to walk around the streets of Paris with a baguette in hand. YOLO.
• Fromageries and boulangeries: Specialized cheese stores, and bakeries! The combination of delicacies from these two types of stores can only be improved with French wine.
• Chocolate for breakfast: Pain au chocolat, or chocolate croissant, is the perfect breakfast treat.
• Steak frites: Grilled steak with various sauces and fries will hit the spot. Guaranteed!
• Crepes, macarons, chocolat, oh my!: Try a street stand crepe as an afternoon snack, a fun-flavored macaron, or any form of chocolate you can find. It’s all delicious!
• Champagne: It’s originated in France, after all…
• Croque-monsieur: Kind of like an extreme grilled cheese, this is a crisp grilled ham and cheese sandwich usually with bechamel sauce.
• Escargot: A.k.a., snails doused in butter and garlic. When in Paris, right?
• The 4 C's of Normandy: Cider, calvados, cream, and camembert are all staples of this region's cuisine.
• Moules frites: With an abundance of coastline at their disposal, Normandy and Brittany sure know how to cook up some mussels.
• Chambord and Cointreau: These famous fruity liquors both originated in the Loire Valley.
• Beurre blanc: Maybe you've heard of this luscious made of butter, vinegar, white wine, and shallots. Having hailed from the Loire Valley, you'll find it accompanying all types of seafood here.

We plan it all. And then some.

Our group trips to France come with everything included. That’s accommodations, daily breakfasts, activities, and an expert Tour Director who knows where to snap the best pics with the Eiffel Tower.

Round-trip flights & airport transfers (or book ’em yourself)

Multilingual Tour Director & local guides

Sightseeing activities and excursions

Entrance tickets to top attractions

Metro passes in major cities

Hand-picked accommodations

New travel BFFs

Welcome Dinner & Farewell Dinner

Private deluxe motorcoaches

See everything we include →

More popular destinations

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Middle East

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EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Is EF Tours right for you?   

So your kid just came home from school with a gorgeous full color brochure about an upcoming trip to Europe with EF Tours that one of their teachers is leading.  He or she is super excited about all the cool things they get to do and is just begging you to let them go.  

It sounds great, but as a responsible parent, you want to know exactly what you’d be sending your child off to do, and how things would actually work on this trip.  

Well, lucky for you we took a 12 day visit to Europe with EF Tours, and have all the details to decide if taking an international trip with this company is right for you or your teenager.  

We’re going to start with the breakdown of how things work with EF and what to expect as a participant or a parent, and then move on to our specific experience with our tour.  

I always like to start my reviews by reminding you that I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience.

What is EF Tours? 

EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students.   

According to their website , EF Tours has been in operation since 1965 and offers trips for students and teachers designed to “provide immersive, life-changing education.”

Basically, EF Tours organizes international trips for students to a wide variety of destinations, promising “compelling itineraries” full of “experiential learning.”

They also promise to have the “lowest price on the market” for this type of travel.  

EF, as a company, offers may types of tours ranging from group trips for adults to organized gap years for high school graduates.  While these options are available, the bread and butter of the company is the basic high school student tour which is what we took.  

How do EF Tours work?

EF Tours have a pretty straightforward process during the sign up period, prior to departure and during your trip. 

Before we get into that, it must be said that EF Tours operate fully independently of the local school district, and are not endorsed or supported by them whatsoever.  

While this may seem like a school trip, it is not.  It is a trip run by a business who just happens to recruit participants through the school system.  Your local principals, school boards, etc. have zero control or influence on these trips.  The school is only involved in the process as far as whether they allow teachers to hand out information in schools or not. 

The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First.  According to their website, EF claims to “design tours to help educators teach, and so students can learn more—about tolerance, other perspectives, and themselves.”

The Sign Up Process

EF Tours are set up to be “hosted” by a local teacher who is then designated as the “group leader.”  Teachers are incentivized with free and reduced price travel to recruit students to join their tours.  

Tours are advertised by the group leader/teacher to students at their school and to their local community.  Interested students and parents are invited to attend informational meetings either in person or virtually where the group leader/teacher goes over the itinerary and any questions potential participants may have.  

Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company.  

Trips are usually initially introduced about two years before the travel date so that participants can make smaller monthly payments to cover the cost of the trip.  Costs for these trips can range widely, depending on the destinations and length of the trip.  

EF has the group leader/teacher set up deadlines for signing up to go on the trip, sometimes including small discounts to encourage enrollment.  This tends to give a false sense of urgency to the sign up process. 

We found that participants can sign up just about any time before the trip departs.  We signed up about a year out from the trip, while another student who traveled with us signed up just a month or two before we left.  

Anyone was allowed to sign up for the trip.  We were encouraged to invite friends and family to join us on the tour, whether or not they were associated with our school or even local to our area.  

Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors.  

We were not given specific dates for our trip, but instead we were given a window of time during which the trip would occur.   Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure.  

There are usually two or three optional excursions that can be added to any tour.  These usually include some special activity or visit to an additional landmark.  

Tour participants may also choose to upgrade the insurance for the tour. 

Before Your EF Tour

Once you’ve signed up for your EF Tour, you’ll be given access to a tour portal on the EF website where you can track your payments and what steps you need take next to participate in the trip.  They also provide a fundraising page, where friends and family can pay EF directly to offset the cost of your trip.  

Our group had a few in person meetings at a local restaurant prior to our trip where we discussed issues ranging from passports to packing for our trip to Europe , and got a chance to meet our fellow travelers.  This may or may not be true or all groups that are traveling with EF.  

Each participant in our tour was required to submit a copy of our passport to EF to insure that we had the proper documentation to travel.  

Information about our flights was not available until about a month before our departure, and information about our hotels was not available until we were about three weeks out from leaving.  

EF Tours uses a wide range of airlines, and travelers do not get to indicate a preference.  EF books all travelers in economy class seats for all transportation methods.  EF will book with whatever airline has space available for the lowest price for the group.  

As for hotels, travelers know very little about where they are staying ahead of time.  Per the website, tour participants are assured that “travelers can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private bathrooms” but much beyond that the info is sparse.  

Students can expect to room with one to three other students, and possibly have to share beds.  Adults can expect to share a room with one other person.  For a fee, a single room can be requested for the tour. 

EF does indicate up front that hotels may have small rooms without air conditioning, television, or elevators, and that WiFi may not always be available.  

During an EF Tour

All transportation arrangements are made by EF Tours, including flights, buses, trains, etc.  They book all accommodations and attraction admissions for tour participants. 

Two meals a day are included in the cost of a trip with EF Tours.  Breakfast is provided each day at the hotel, usually continental style, but sometimes with hot offerings just depending on your hotel.  Dinners are are pre-arranged with a preset menu by EF at local restaurants.  EF will make accomodations for those with specific dietary needs, such as gluten free or dairy free meals.

While the teacher recruiting students is designated as your group leader, they don’t actually lead the tour once you start traveling.  EF provides a Tour Director to accompany your group through the entire trip.  

This Tour Director is supposed to handle just about everything on your tour, including all your pre-booked accommodations, meals, excursions, tickets, and transfers.  This person is there to direct the group and handle any problems with logistics you may encounter along the way.  

During the tour, your group will meet up with various local guides who will give you some sort of tour of the city or historic site that you’re visiting.  These tours are usually walking tours, but sometimes are bus tours, depending on the location.  

Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip.  

Our EF Tour Review

Our specific tour featured quite a daunting itinerary.  We toured Europe for 12 days, visiting sites in London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Pompeii and Capri, with no more than two nights in any destination.  

Our tour consisted of 26 travelers from our high school: three teachers, seven adults and 16 students.  We were combined with a group from upstate New York consisting of 14 travelers: one teacher, one adult, one child and 11 students.  There were a total of 40 people on our tour.  

What EF Tours Promised

Before our tour, the group leaded made sure every person who showed an interest in going on the trip got the glossy, full color brochure that outlined our itinerary and told us what to expect on the tour.  

The brochure promised that participants would be “surrounded by the people, the language, the food, and the way of life” of the destinations on our itinerary.  We were assured that our tour director would be “with us around the clock, handling local transportation, hotels, and meals while also providing their own insight into the local history and culture.”  

We would be spending time in three different countries, seeing some of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe.

The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature “experiential learning activities.”

Our tour left some of these promises unfulfilled, but did give us a glimpse at some fantastic destinations in Europe and some amazing memories.  

Our hotels along the trip started out stellar but seemed to go downhill from there, unfortunately ending in truly unacceptable accommodations.  

Even though this wasn’t guaranteed, all of our accommodations had some sort of air conditioning, with some that functioned better than others, and all of them had WiFi.  

For the first four nights during our stays in London and Paris, we were sent to Hilton Hotels .  They both were on the higher end of what I expected based on the descriptions provided by EF Tours of what our hotels would be like.  

The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable.  They were both located about an hour outside of the city center, but that wasn’t too much of a problem.  

When we reached Italy, things changed a bit.  

For a quick overnight in Milan on our way to Florence, we stayed at and AS Hotel in Limbiate.  This hotel was a bit older than the Hiltons we’d stayed in, but it was clean, spacious, and comfortable.  

Between Florence and Rome, we spent the night at the Hotel Villa Ricci (not pictured).  This hotel was significantly older than the other three we had stayed at, but it was still clean and comfortable.  While the room wasn’t much to write home about, some members of our group lucked out and got spectacular balconies. 

Once we arrived in Rome, the Villa Aurelia was our home base for two nights.  We learned that this hotel had once housed men studying to join a monastery, which explained the doritory feel of the place.  Again, we found these rooms to be clean and pretty comfortable.  

On our way to Southern Italy, we spent the night in Sorrento at Sisters Hostel .  This was the only true hostel on our trip.  While they still stuck with four students to a room, several of the student rooms had enough beds to sleep up to 12 people. 

Though not quite as refined as the Hiltons, and a little slap-shot with the furniture, we found this place to be clean and welcoming.  While it wasn’t quite as comfortable as some of the other places we’d stayed, it was completely acceptable and had a spectacular view of the Gulf of Naples from the rooftop terrace. 

Things took a turn for the worse on our last night of the tour, when we stayed at Hotel La Pergola in Rome.  This place was truly one of the worst hotels I’ve ever had the misfortune to stay at (and as a travel blogger, I’ve stayed at a LOT of hotels).  

Things started off badly when we discovered that the lights in all the hallways were not on, and that we had to hunt around with our cell phone flashlights to find our way to our rooms.  I asked the front desk to remedy this, but it was never addressed, and we had to repeat the blind search for our rooms every time we went up.  

Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty.  There was a layer of dusty film all over my bathroom and my pillow had an unidentified crusty stain on it.  My daughter’s room had the same layer of dirt in the bathroom, plus a shoe print from where someone killed a bug on the wall.  I checked our beds for bedbugs and thankfully did not find any. 

The front desk did not seem to care and we were told no one was available to come clean the bathrooms.

But the worst experience in this hotel went to a dad on our trip, who’s single room contained only a sofa.   Not a sleeper sofa, but just a hard couch.  There were no linens or towels available to him whatsoever. 

When he asked for these items at the front desk, he was told that we should have called earlier to request them since they were all locked up in a cabinet by the time we arrived at the hotel.   He ended up sleeping on a towel laid out on the sofa with a travel neck pillow, that had been provided to him by his daughter from her room.

The front desk attendant seemed more than annoyed anytime someone from our group would approach them, and insisted that we all leave our keys at the front desk when leaving the hotel for dinner that night.    

We weren’t left with much recourse, since this was a group trip and we were on our last night, so we decided to just grin and bear it, and did our best to get some sleep.  

Overall, I’d say that the hotels provided were quite good, with the exception of Hotel La Pergola.  For ten of the eleven nights of our trip, we were provided with clean, safe accommodations that lived up to what the EF Tours website told us to expect.  

At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond.  

Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad.  Breakfast and dinner every day were included in what we paid for our tour.  

All breakfasts were served at our hotels.  Sometimes they were just continental breakfasts with cold offerings, and sometimes we were given hot breakfasts with eggs, bacon, and such.  Sometimes it was quite obvious where our group was supposed to go, and sometimes it wasn’t. 

Overall, breakfasts were adequate throughout the trip.  

Lunches were not included in the initial price of our trip and were paid out of pocket each day.   

Lunches were always a gamble.   It all depended on where we were and what was going on whether or not we’d get to select a restaurant on our own or if the group would be directed to eat at somewhere specific, and if we’d have lots of great choices or really limited options.  

For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London.  We told to make sure we ate lunch after our tour, before rejoining the group to get on the bus.  The only options available to us were food trucks along the river right next to the Tower complex.  

It was the worst during our travel days.  We were frequently told we could just grab a bite to eat at the train station or the airport, only to be left with minimal time and very limited options.  

But some days lunch was great.  During our time in Rome, lunch came with some free time to wander, so we were able to go out and select the restaurant of our choice.  

Some days our tour guide would set up a lunch option for us, having arranged a preset menu and price with a local restaurant.  Those options were usually something like a burger, pizza or a cold sandwich.  

I’m not sure if the lunch situations were like this because of our tour guide or because of EF itself.  Sometimes it seemed inevitable, like when we were stuck in an airport or train station.  Other times it seemed like our guide might be creating these situations by not fully informing us what was available near by.  

All dinners were set up at local restaurants before our arrival.  We did not get to select from a menu and were all served the same thing each night, with the exception of those who had special dietary needs.  Each meal came with water, but we were allowed to order additional drinks at our own expense if we choose to do so.  

The worst dinners EF provided happened during the first few days of our trip.  During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food.  Our Tour Director said it was because “London is a melting pot of cultures,” but our group didn’t buy that.  

Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken.  I’m normally a big fan of Korean food, but this wasn’t great. 

The next group dinner was at a Polish restaurant where the group was served a fried chicken patty and french fries.  

When it became apparent on the second night that we weren’t going to be getting any traditional English food, my daughter and I made arrangements to go get dinner on our own, and pay for it out of pocket.  Four other members of our group chose to join us.  

We simply got information from our Tour Guide when and where to meet up with the group after dinner and selected a nearby local pub so we could have a traditional English dining experience.  

Dinners seemed to improve when we got to France. During our first night there we had a lovely traditional French meal of chicken with mushroom sauce in the back room of a small picturesque cafe with a ton of ambiance.   On the second night we had a traditional Alsatian dish called Flammekueche, which was sort of like a pizza with a creamy sauce.  

In Italy, the dinners were quite good.  Of course we were served a lot of pasta, but we also had braised beef in tomato sauce, gnocchi, and pizza.  

According to the folks on our trip who had special dietary needs, the dinners were pretty good for the most part.  Although it did seem that everywhere we went in Italy, anyone who was gluten free or dairy free was served watermelon for dessert.  

Before we left on our trip, we were told by our group leader that we shouldn’t need more that $25 US dollars per person per day for lunches and snacks.  We found that that number was not quite accurate for us, especially if we ever wanted to stray from the planned meals that EF Tours had set up for us.  

We also found that we frequently needed to buy water to stay hydrated in the high temperatures of Italy during the summer, and at most of the locations we visited, water was marked up quite a bit.  

Overall, the meals on our trip were pretty good, but could definitely have been better.  

Our Itinerary

We knew going into this tour that our itinerary would be extremely hectic.  With no more than 48 hours in any location, we expected it to be jam packed.  It was kind of like a tasting menu, where you got a little bit of each destination.  

What we didn’t expect was the significant amount of wasted time and changes to our itinerary that happened on our tour.  

Things started off poorly when our tour guide was an hour late to meet us at baggage claim and then our bus was over another hour late to pick us up at the airport.  

While our tour guide was a very sweet, personable woman, she didn’t seem to understand how to manage the timing logistics for a group of 40 travelers.  

Our group was quite good about being on time to meet up locations with a couple of small exceptions that could not be helped.  No one wanted to be the person that made us late.  

Our tour guide didn’t seem to have this mentality.  She was frequently the last person downstairs at our hotels to meet our bus 15 to 20 minutes after the time she told us to meet her, and did not budget in adequate travel time to most of our destinations. 

For example, while we were driving across Italy, she had our driver stop at a large gas station for a bathroom stop.   She told us we only had five minutes to use the restroom and get back on the bus.  It’s completely impossible for 40 people to make use of just a handful of bathroom stalls in five minutes. 

We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican.  We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome.  We were late to our appointment at the Louvre.  We were so late to our tour of Pompeii.  This significantly hindered what we were able to see at our destinations, and made the whole tour seemed very rushed every day.  

Things like this happened over and over again throughout the trip.  This resulted in our group being habitually late to most of the tours we went on, and significantly cut into our time at some really important places.

The only times it seemed like we weren’t late was when we had to catch a flight, a train, or a ferry.  

There were also some pretty significant changes to our itinerary. 

Several items listed on our initial brochure were changed before the trip due to pandemic restrictions and travel challenges, which was fine.  We had ample notice and knew what to expect.    

But there were several instances where visits to certain locations were dropped off our itinerary completely, and visits to other non-advertised locations were added.  

Sometimes this was a good thing, but sometimes it was incredibly frustrating.  

In London, a walking tour of Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Leicester Square was replaced with “free time” at the British Museum, which we really didn’t mind. 

But in Florence, visits to San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo were dropped off the itinerary with no explanation.  

On our way to Rome, our guide added a stop in Ovierto, a beautiful small town with picturesque views, wonderful dining and great little shops which we enjoyed immensely. 

But in Paris, a visit to Montmartre was abandoned, even though our dinner restaurant was within a mile of the historic location.  

The best unexpected addition to our trip in my opinion was the opportunity to see a musical in the West End of London.  Our guide was able to secure tickets (for an extra fee) for those who wanted them to a performance of Wicked during our free evening.  It was absolutely fantastic.  

But in the most frustrating example, during our time in Paris a visit to the Frogonard Perfume Museum was added to our itinerary.   No one asked to go there, and most of us seemed annoyed that we were stopping.  We were assured that the stop there would only last 30 minutes, but it ended up taking three times that, leaving us only an hour and a half to visit the Louvre before we had to be back on the bus to catch a flight to Italy.  

These added stops almost always involved additional costs as well, which we were not informed of before leaving for our trip.  This caused problems for a few kids on our trip who weren’t expecting these costs, and they unfortunately had to miss out on some of the better additions. 

There also seemed to be major sites in some of these cities that were not ever even an option to visit or see, due to our limited time in each city.   We didn’t go to Westminster Abbey or St. Paul’s Cathedral while we were in London, and there were too many things to count in Paris that we didn’t even glimpse.  While we were aware of this upfront before the tour, it really did feel like they didn’t allow enough time in any location to really see the cities we were in.  

Despite these frustrations, the itinerary did take us to some fantastic places and we had some absolutely unforgettable experiences.  We had a fantastic time seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.  We enjoyed a truly magical and unexpected sunset under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.  We were able to marvel at the unparalleled artwork inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.  We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour.  Those memories are truly priceless.  

During our trip there were extra excursions offered in any city we stayed in more than one night. 

In London, the excursion was a visit to the London Eye, a giant ferris wheel type ride that gives riders a birds eye view of the city.  In Paris, it was a trip to Versaille to tour the palace and the gardens.  In Rome, it was a tiramisu cooking class.  

We choose not to participate in the excursion in London because I’m not the biggest fan of heights, and in Paris because my daughter wanted the opportunity to spend some extra free time in the city.  

I’m extremely glad we made those decisions.   

While the London Eye excursion seemed to go well for those who went on it, it was over priced.  EF Tours charged each participant $60.  Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD.  I’m not sure what EF added to the experience to warrant that upcharge.  

By skipping the London Eye, we were able to have a bit more time to explore and plenty of time to enjoy our pub dinner that we mentioned earlier since the London Eye excursion was timed to happen right before dinner.  

In Paris, those who went to Versaille told us the experience was underwhelming because of the limited time available inside the palace, and the lack of lunch options available to those who went.  

The Versailles excursion seemed overpriced as well.  EF Tours charged $114 USD to each participant.  Tickets to the entire estate are free for those under 18 years old and cost under $30 USD for anyone else, and that’s without a group discount.  Even if every single person had to buy a ticket,  I can’t imagine that the cost for a group tour and the transportation to get the group there cost an additional $84 USD per person.  

The tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason.  I think our group leader made that choice when she set up our trip.  We paid an extra $85 USD above and beyond the base tour price to experience it.  While I could not find information about individual class pricing, I highly doubt that EF paid that much per person for us to spend an hour making tiramisu. 

I will say that the class was a fun experience at a great location, and we all enjoyed the desserts we made together.  

Overall, unless an excursion is of special interest to you, I wouldn’t recommend participating in them, simply because they seem overpriced.  Having extra free time to see the sites of your choice seemed to be the best option during our tour.  

Education on an EF Tour

EF Tours makes a big deal out of their tours being focused on education.  We were promised “experiential learning activities” during the trip.  They even claim you can earn credit for going on these tour.  

We found that there wasn’t that much education attached to our tour.  

The local tour guides who showed us the sights of each city were the most informative folks on this trip, with extensive knowledge of the history and culture at each stop, but we were forced to use amplifying devices called Whispers in order to hear the guides.  These Whispers often had glitches or were garbled, making it very hard to understand our guides.  

Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldn’t call just visiting these historic places an “experiential learning activity.”  

We also learned that our high school would not give any credit to students who participated in these trips, even though much was made of the educational credit during the pitch to get us to join the tour.  

This isn’t to say that we didn’t learn anything on our trip.  We did have some great cultural experiences while we traveled.  But learning seemed to take a back seat to just being in another country in most circumstances.  

Safety with EF Tours

As a parent considering an EF Tour for my teenager, I know safety was a big concern for me.  

When my husband and I decided to send our daughter, we felt like one of us should go with her since she was only 15 at the time we went on the trip, and had not traveled internationally like this before.  

For the most part, I felt quite safe during our trip.  

Before our trip, our group leader did make sure to advise us about pickpocketing and theft at major tourist sites in Europe, and advised us to be prepared.  She did make sure we were always wary of our passports and where we were keeping them during our travels.  

While on tour, there was only one time that I felt like our group was taken to an unsafe area.  That was during our terrible last night in Rome when we had to walk from our hotel to our dinner restaurant through some pretty sketchy areas of the city.  

Although student were allowed to go out on their own during our free time, they were asked to go in groups of three or four and were left in pretty safe areas to spend their free time.  

The biggest problem I saw with safety was when our Tour Guide would take off walking at a breakneck speed, frequently leaving half our group stuck at crosswalks or a few turns behind.  She usually did a count to make sure everyone was there when we were ready to leave, but she did leave people behind at least twice during our trip and have to go back and get them.  

Most of the time we had no idea where we were headed when we were walking to different locations.  We were never given the names of the restaurants or addresses of where they would be unless we specifically asked for them.  I think communicating with the group more about where we’re going could have avoided some sticky situations that a few of our travelers found themselves in when they were left behind.  

We also didn’t have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly.  Only a couple of people were given her contact information, which made communication confusing and difficult during our free time, especially when she got delayed during our free evening in Paris and our meeting time had to be pushed back significantly.

Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didn’t set many boundaries for our students.  

Since the legal drinking age in the areas we visited was 18, student who met this requirement were allowed to drink alcohol on our trip, but were asked to limit it to one drink with dinner.  By and large, our students respected this request and did not take advantage of the lowered drinking age to go and party it up.  

Trips like this EF Tour require students to be pretty mature when it comes to safety.  We had a wonderful group of kids who took their personal safety pretty seriously, and didn’t take unnecessary risks that would put them in jeopardy.  Had it been a different group of personalities, I’m not sure how it would have gone.  

EF Tours:  Our Final Verdict

Would I travel with EF Tours again?  That seems to be the question at hand here.  

My EF Tours experience definitely taught me a lot about group travel.  As someone who travels pretty frequently , I usually make most of my own travel arrangements, from flights to hotel reservations to activities.  It was quite nice not to have to worry about any of that.  It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. 

But relinquishing that control does require a certain amount of trust.  There were some areas that I would definitely trust EF to arrange again, and other areas where I really think they could do better.  

For this trip it really came down to adjusting expectations once we were traveling.  I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour.  I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. 

Once I realized that time would be much more limited at every destination than I expected it to be, the trip went much more smoothly.  

I think our experience would have been better with a more seasoned Tour Guide.  Ours just didn’t seem quite ready to handle all the pressures and logistics that are required for managing a group of 40 people for 12 days.  

EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience.  

Did EF Tours create the trip of my dreams?  Not by a long shot. 

Did they create a good experience for students who haven’t done a lot of international traveling?  I’d say yes.  

Do I regret going on an EF Tour?  Absolutely not.  I had some incredible experiences in some amazing locations with my only daughter, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.  

Would I go on another EF Tour?  I think I would, but I would definitely choose a slower paced itinerary with more time in each destination.  

Do you have any questions about EF Tours that I didn’t answer?  Feel free to ask me in the comments!!

EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Wednesday 29th of May 2024

We are the latest scapegoats of EF tours which is not worth 10$ for the time they make you wait doing round about trip for 40 hours for a travel worth 14 hours . THE most pathetic travel plan i have ever seen in my entire life. Instead of paying for this tour, I would have taken my entire family with much better planning saving time and money. JUST NOT worth it and am hoping to do something more than just commenting here to avoid atleast 1% of naive parents into signing up for future EF tours from school.PLEASE don't waste precious time

Tuesday 28th of May 2024

Hi Louise A great review, thank you. I am an EF tour director, though I only continue to lead tours where I have already worked with the Group Leaders (the teacher organizing). I won't defend EF, there's no getting around the fact it's heavily profit-driven and as such does not use resources on adequately training its staff, whether they are office based or TDs. They use the cheapest bus companies, negotiate the cheapest menus, the cheapest room rates but of course spend a huge budget on marketing and corporate BS - and it works, they are the biggest student tour operator out there not to mention all its other extensive enterprises. Everything is done last minute which hopefully gives some explanation as to why TDs are often beyond frazzled and they have to spend time away from the group, particularly in their hotel room each night emailing and sorting out things for the next day or next few days which should have been organized well in advance by the company. And given how early morning departures are and late finishes at hotels, you can see that they get very little sleep. More and more we complain that TDs are having to spend days and days in advance on admin to make the tour anything like acceptable - time when they are not being paid and think about it, they have chosen a job which is not office based but are being forced to do so much admin which any other company would handle in the office. We are either already on tour, so it is taking time away from our current group, or we have to spend less time with family when we are in between tours. Cheapest labor, in fact it is free labor! To say nothing of how late they pay us and even then they dispute a lot of payments so we have to wait even longer. Of course TDs should never be late, this is appalling. To play devil's avocate though, in my time I have bumped into colleagues along the way who are in floods of tears because of how their tour is going. Almost always to do with impossible itineraries, tickets not arriving and the company not supporting them, but also sadly, due to relations with travelers. The most likely is parents who have elected to travel on a student trip without understanding what they means for them (long days, staying in poor quality hotels, rushed meals etc.). And sometimes it just takes a bit longer to compose yourself before going back to meet the group. Often I have to be on a call and skip a visit that I was really looking forward to just to sort out some s*** so the tour goes well. Of course to maintain professionalism, I would never tell the group that I have been sorting out s***, they just assume I've been gorging on gelato. Sometimes we are not even provided with a ticket to go into a museum or theatre so we cannot join the group. All aspects of the job has got worse and worse over the years and many of the experienced TDs have jumped ship where they are better paid and generally treated more humanely. I think it is worth emphasizing the importance of strong leadership from the Group Leader. It s amazing that some are willing to travel with kids they have never met until they arrive at the airport. A good teacher will pick good chaperones and give them guidance to prepare for the tour. So free time can be very different between one group and the next. It may sound like kids are let lose, but it is almost always in a controlled environment and the teacher will have set up parameters the students have to keep to. Again the biggest trouble makers are typically parents who travel with the group. Regarding educational aspects of the tour, I would like to deliver more education and we certainly used to do more. But as hotels have got further and further from the centre, meaning longer and longer hours on the go with very little sleep, bus journeys means the students need to catch up on sleep. There are some EF tours which are more educational-focused such as STEM, WW2, And don't forget there is also the 'soft skills' element that should not be overlooked - for most students this is their first time travelling abroad, certainly without their families. So learning self-reliance, not losing their passport, budgeting their spending money, navigating teenage relations, meeting foreigners, starting to understand their own limitations and what they are willing to compromise on or not... there is so much that they are learning and absorbing which you will not find in a text book, but this is life learning and the most rewarding part of the job is to see the kids blossom. More often than not it is the students who are introverted, who make the biggest steps and make the most progress - starting to speak words in the local language, trying different foods, open their eyes wide. The confident kids often stick together and don't appear to grow as much. One of the biggest problems with this kind of tour is that the more things listed on the itinerary, the more people sign up. As an example. teachers often say that they offer a tour, get a few signing up, then they amend it to include Paris and boom, a full bus. Only the most experienced of travelers would look at the shiny marketing brochure and question how it is possible to pack everything in. But having everything in is what sells tours. Kind of a vicious circle. Versailles optional - this is a tricky one. It is overpriced, but is a bestseller and I would like to offer some perspectives. Don't forget to factor in the service you are getting - sure, go there alone, work out the route from which of the Versailles train stations you can work out you can get to and yes under 18s enter for free, work out how to get an adult ticket on your own, queue for a long time (just google the length of those lines), work out where the bathrooms are on your own, options to eat, what train to get back... There are more costs involved with a group. for this visit In order to skip those long queues, groups must pay for group reservation fee, whatever the age of the group. You have to pay for 2 guides if there is more than a certain number in the group, so they split the group in half and have 2 tours at the same time. The Whisper audio headsets have a fee. The bus has to have a separate fee and parking. So yes, it is very profitable, but perhaps not as much as you think. The travel business can be precarious, just look at the pandemic years. Imagine airlines going on strike or sudden weather changes. Tour companies need a little reserve to deal with emergencies and the profits from side trips like Versailles is useful for this. Of course when it is clear that this tour company makes a lot of money by being very cheap on meals, poor buses and hotels, this is hard to hear. Some side trips like the London Eye are absolutely a rip off and teachers should really be more wise to this. Now that I mainly work for companies that have a calmer itinerary, the difference is immeasurable. A good one for teachers and trip organizers to work with is Lingo Tours. Each tour is bespoke so you can bring them your itinerary ideas, they will work with you to come up with something that truly works. Meals are high quality and usually offer a choice and hotels are so much better quality and even if they are not very central, they are not far out like with EF. You will get sleep, you will get an experienced tour director (you can even bring your EF TD with you, we are all freelance after all), you won't pay more and you won't regret it! You won't feel like you are part of a factory product and you will have decisions explained to you so you know you are offering a quality product to people signing up. But, like your tour director, you need to have experience because taking students away on a tour is no easy task and it takes time to understand all that it involves. Another small company that will work with you to design your tour is Global Explorers LLC. ACIS is also good for brochure tour style, but generally works out more expensive, same with Passports. Explorica is the real rival to EF and has a similar set up and EF does not let TDs work for both companies. You have have to laugh, on the EF website it says "Reimagining student travel, one itinerary at a time". If reimagine means "providing a worse product and service than last year" then they have that written correctly. They certainly do not do one itinerary at a time, they do everything en masse and this is a problem - they never turn down business and have too many tours going at the peak season. Adjust expectations appropriately. I hope this comment helps some people to understand the challenges of student touring.

I am happy that I can be helpful. CHAOS and ADRENALINE is how these tours are run. It's a big pity, there is really enough money in the company for these to be great tours. The family who own EF are on the Forbes rich list. Their business school has a reputation like Trump's did! But the family are good at business themselves , very good. But at the end of the day, whether EF does a good job or not, we all need to understand that more people are traveling than ever and this has an impact on many aspects of trips, especially group trips.

Louise Emery

Thank you SO much for this info! Having a TD perspective is really fantastic, and does give insight to how things are run. I especially appreciate the recommendations at the end!

Friday 3rd of May 2024

Hi, I signed up for the 2025 Rome and Greece trip with this company. Was wondering what I should do there and if there is anything to not do. Let me know if I should cancel a certain hotel stay or guided trip.

Saturday 4th of May 2024

Not sure if you can cancel one portion without cancelling your participation in the whole trip.

Friday 12th of April 2024

I have gone on 4 EF tours (England and Scotland), (London and Paris), Rome, and one called Bell'Italia, which was basically a road trip through Italy. The meals are always meh, and the hotels were usually ok to good. I'm surprised at your lackluster tour guide. We have ALWAYS fallen in love with all 4 tour guides!!! They are all friends for life now. I wish you could have had that experience. The kids just adored them all. I did find the more jam packed the itinerary is, the more stressful the trip can be, but on the other hand, you get to see it all.

Thursday 14th of March 2024

Thank you so much for your insightful review! My daughter is headed to S. Korea in a few weeks and reading all these comments & your review...I'm just hoping for the best at this point. I wanted to ask about the tipping. Our group leader has requested $145 paid to her in cash, which I was completely caught off guard, considering the financial commitment of the trip itself, but reading this, it seems that it is quite normal. I contacted EF and the representative said that according to the tour itinerary, the total suggested guideline should be significantly less. Do you know what happens if there is a surplus or shortage with the tipping amount? I'm just wary about giving someone I don't even know (group leader) cash.

Saturday 13th of April 2024

@Louise Emery, I can't thank you enough for you review. My school is planning a trip to Rome, London, and Paris in June 2025. I've been honestly on the fence, and I still have time to cancel. I'm a teacher at the school, but not actually a chaperone. I have to pay the full cost for the trip, but I know I will likely still need to supervise the students during the day. I don't necessarily mind this, but I wonder if I'd be able to explore at night. What time did you typically get back to your hotel? I really hope we are not an hour away from the Rome, London, or Paris city centers. I would love to be able to go out for drinks on my own at night time once the students are in the hotels. Louise, do you think it might be better to plan my own trip to Rome, London, and/or Paris? I'm a single man with no kids hahah.

Tuesday 2nd of April 2024

I really am not sure what would be done with a surplus. I would definitely ask the group leader about the discrepancy between their request and the recommendation of EF.

Our Tour de France eight

Carapaz, Uran, Powless headline opportunistic, ambitious squad

June 26, 2023

Richard Carapaz. Rigoberto Uran. Neilson Powless. Alberto Bettiol. Magnus Cort. James Shaw. Andrey Amador. Esteban Chaves. Those eight riders will take the start of the Tour de France in Bilbao on July 1 ready to take the fight to the world’s greatest bike race.

The team has a layered set of objectives and ways to achieve them. Some, like stages, are obvious goals of every team. But so often teams plan and the Tour de France laughs. Its 3,405 kilometers over serpentine roads and through teeming masses of fans are as predictable as mountain weather. Hence our lineup — it’s a team built to adapt and capitalize over a mixture of terrain and circumstance. It’s a team of racers, first and foremost.

Some fit into boxes as a climber, a breakaway man. And some don’t. We’re going to attack the race. The Tour is often a showcase of muscle and a sheer test of firepower. But there are nuances and cracks in the race this team is built to explore, and races within the race take shape.

“This Tour, this route — it’s challenging to predict, especially given the early days in Bilbao. You know certain guys will be strong, sure. I’m excited about the team we’re sending because it’s so dynamic and flexible,” said Jonathan Vaughters, team CEO. “ Richard , we know what he’s capable of, and we also know he’s great at reading a race and reacting. He’s tremendously exciting for us. We will support him in his exploits, and we’re also keeping our options open when it comes to attacking the race. Powless — he rode more kilometers than anyone in the breaks last year I think, and we hope he takes the next step this year. Magnus is a stage winner. Rigo , also a stage winner… on a single speed, no less. On paper, this is a great team. I’m excited to see how the race takes shape and how the whole team, riders and staff, come together to meet the challenge of the Tour.” Hear from each of our riders below: Alberto Bettiol It is going to be really tough. We have a super high quality team. Of course, the big name is going to be Richard because he is a champion, so he deserves to be our captain, but we also have Rigo and Neilson, riders who are in great shape right now and then we have a lot of options for one-day stages: me and Magnus and Neilson. It is a strong team, a really expert team with a lot of experience. We will try to do what we can.

My ambition will be to try to win a stage. That is for sure, because last year I was so close. It would be nice to win a stage in the Tour de France. I worked really hard. I had to adapt my season to arrive in the best shape for the Tour de France, by doing the Giro d’Italia, to be more ready. I also want to show to the Italian fans that I will be ready for the world championships, which is two weeks after Paris. For me this year, the Tour de France is an extra motivation for the new date of the world championships.

The Tour de France is for me special, a special race. It is one of the biggest events in sport on the planet. Every year, the Tour de France is one of the main goals for me and for this team for sure, so we and I have to give 100%, even more, because to win a stage in the Tour de France means a lot for a bike rider, for a team, for all of the staff that work together for three, four, five months and they all wait for this month when the Tour de France happens.

Andrey Amador I feel really good and motivated. I've made huge sacrifices to be able to be in the shape I am in physically. It had been awhile since I was last this strong.

It is very exciting to return to the Tour de France after two years of not racing it. The Tour de France for any cyclist is a dream and will remain so. There are always some nerves, but also over the years you know what you are facing and how to cope with the day to day. I always think that a great Tour has to go day by day. It’s normal that over 21 days, there are good days and some not so good days.

My goal is clear, to provide as much support as possible to the team. One of my duties is to ride out of my skin for this team that has trusted me and I will do so. We will see how things unfold over the days and how best to manage things.

It’s a great joy to be named to our Tour squad and to give my 100% commitment to arrive in my best condition. I want to give back to the team for the trust they have placed in me. I will give everything I have for the team, my teammates and the people who have always been supporting me. Esteban Chaves I heard the news that I would be on the Tour team and it is pretty exciting. After more than a decade of being a professional, hearing the news made me pumped. That means it is important and that means that I care about it and that I am still dreaming. The Tour de France is my dream. After I hung up with the DS and he had told me that I would do the Tour de France, I called my parents and I said this time you need to come, because I want you in Paris with me. They have never been. And it is a dream. It is where everything started for me, sitting on the couch, watching the Tour de France on television and just dreaming about being there and I am part of this now. I am actually living the dream. It is exciting. It is scary. It is a lot of emotions at the same time.

It is a big responsibility as well, and I am looking forward to it. We have worked really hard, with all the people around: the team, my family, my wife. Every single one is a little bit of this. And because of all of these people, so all of you guys, I can be a part of the team. Everybody works and we are looking forward to doing everything really well and playing the cards really well and making the dream come true.

We have a really nice and strong team. We can do a really nice GC. There is a lot of climbing this year: 14 stages are really tough, hard. And we can play the cards for stage wins with different riders, of course myself will be one of the riders to do that with the climbs. We can chase the mountain jersey. Why not? Why not?! James Shaw Who would have thought, eh? The Tour de France. What a bike race. I didn’t really know what to make of it. The whole thing came about at the Dauphiné when I was riding better than I have ever ridden and it obviously didn’t go unnoticed. Our DS Charly pulled me over on the last day and he said, look, we’ll put you on the long list. We’ll send you home to prepare. Don’t do Ventoux Challenge. Go home and get ready and prepare as if you are going to go and I thought, is he pulling my leg? He said he is considering me, but is it a serious consideration and stuff? So I was like oh, don’t build yourself up too much. So I prepared as if I was going to go. I put everything into it, the best recovery I could have done, that sort of jazz. And then he rang me and said we’ll crack on with it, we’ll do it. So I thought, oh, this is actually going to happen. I was a bit sort of taken aback by it. I didn’t really know what to do.

I am a bit nervous. I am a bit scared. It is obvious from the guys who are going that I am there to be the best teammate I can. We have got a hell of a roster. Starting on that start line is going to be incredible. Personally, Paris is something that I have on my mind. I want to make it all the way to, but along the way I want to make sure I am doing the job that I am going there to do and be there for the guys and Carapaz and all the boys get what they need and I can get to that finish line on wherever and whatever day and I can get on that bus knowing that I gave it everything for Neilson or whoever that job was for that day. I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I think now is the moment, now is the time to do it as well, so I am super excited.

I have this attitude in life that there are two people that you have got to make proud and they are the eight-year-old version of yourself and the eighty-year-old version of yourself. As long as the eight-year-old version of you looks up to you at the minute and thinks yeah, that guy is who I want to be and the eighty-year-old version of you looks back at you and says yeah, that is the person that I wanted to be, then it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks or feels. I think the eight-year-old version of James would be blown away right now.

Magnus Cort I am excited as always. It is not my first Tour de France, but it is still by far the biggest race, and no matter how many times I have been there, it is a race I am excited to go for and also nervous about. We’ll see how things are going and how things will be with the team and how things will be for myself.

For the most part, my role will be to support the team and especially Carapaz. My role will be to be a good teammate, but I hope there will be a day or two where I can find opportunities for myself as well. There are a small handful of stages that could maybe suit me from a breakaway, but I don’t want to say yet which ones! Neilson Powless We’re getting close. I’m ready to head to Bilbao.

I think that the prep that I have done has brought me to the right level of fitness at exactly the right time. I am really confident that I got the peak right this year and hopefully I can show that in the Tour.

Obviously if I could win a stage, that would be incredible. That would be my Tour made if that happens, but if we have Richie or Rigo up in GC and we can get someone on the podium that would be incredible as well. I am going to have to be pretty fluid with it, with what my goals are going to be, because depending on what position we are going to be in with the team it is going to change. If we have someone going for GC, I could have a really satisfying Tour helping to get them on the podium but if it looks like we have a bit more freedom, winning a stage would be incredible.

We have riders who are willing to take chances to get a really amazing result. We are definitely bringing a squad of racers and that is really exciting. It is guys that are punchy, can attack, are not afraid to attack and hopefully we can use that to our advantage and be at the front of the race throughout the Tour.

Richard Carapaz I’m excited for the Tour to finally get underway. I'm training for it and I've been away from home for a long time and I am ready for it to start, really.

This race has been the primary goal that I set for myself in October of last year and I have been working towards it. In the end, I always want to do things in the best way and now that we are at the gates of the Tour, physically I feel good. I am very well prepared and above all I have a great eagerness to start. I hope that everything turns out in the best way and that I can be there ready for everything.

It is a very tough Tour route this year. From the first days in the Basque Country it will be complicated but I also really like some of the stages. We are bringing a team that can get a nice result and that’s what we’re hoping for.

This is a team with a lot of experience. There are guys who have done several Grand Tours, who have a lot of experience and above all, they have a lot of talent. I think it's going to be a team that's going to be up to the task of meeting the objectives that we've set for ourselves. It's going to be a nice adventure with them. Rigoberto Urán I feel great, I am very happy that the Tour is about to start. It’s a race that I love. Obviously once you are there you get a little nervous and excited but I’m very happy to be part of this Tour team.

This will be my tenth Tour de France. Having a lot of experience at the Tour helps a lot. I am able to share with the team some of my experience, some happiness. Obviously every Tour is special, every Tour is hard, and experience is important but the legs are the most important.

For me the Tour de France means everything. It’s the biggest race. Every kid’s dream is to ride the Tour once. It’s always an honor to ride it, but also to ride in EF colors. I’ve already finished many Tours and that’s why I have to take advantage of every moment and every opportunity.

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Featured event, more from tour de france, alberto bettiol.

Alberto Bettiol has always been a winner. He started racing around the hills of Tuscany when he was five and won his second-ever race in his hometown of Castelfiorentino. He has been bringing home bouquets of flowers ever since.

His coaches and supporters always believed in his talent. Alberto was a strong junior and U23 rider, who signed his first professional contract with our team in 2014. But Alberto wanted to become a champion. He had grown up watching the classics and the Giro d’Italia with his father, a former footballer, and dreamed of winning the sport’s greatest races.

In 2019, he won his first Monument. Alberto’s victory in the Tour of Flanders that year changed his life. It gave him the confidence that he could beat the best riders in the world. He backed it up with an impressive string of results, including a stunning solo stage victory at the 2021 Giro d’Italia.

In 2022, Alberto earned podium places on stages of the Tour de France, Tour de Suisse, and Deutschland Tour.

He now splits his time between Lugano, Switzerland and Castelfiorentino. He enjoys all of the opportunities to travel that cycling now provides him, but is always happy to return to the Tuscan hills where he got started.

Alberto started 2023 with a prologue win at the Tour Down Under, but had a tough spring set back by injury and illness and had to miss his favorite classics. He made his return with a strong ride at the Giro d’Italia. He has great ambitions for the Tour de France.

Andrey Amador

Andrey Amador brings experience and climbing prowess to our team. We rely on the strong Costa Rican at key moments of the hardest races and learn all that we can from him. Andrey draws on 14 years of WorldTour experience. He has won a stage of the Giro and worn that race’s leader’s jersey, but above all made his name as a skilled and dedicated teammate, who is always ready to get the hard work done–with a smile.

Andrey has finished 18 grand tours so far during his career and ridden for some of cycling’s great champions, including his close friend and fishing buddy Richard Carapaz.

Andrey and Richie have been teammates ever since they were amateurs. No matter how hard the races get, they can make each other laugh. Andrey is Richie’s right-hand man. He’ll keep him out of the wind and get him water bottles and ride on the front whenever it could turn the race to Richie’s advantage.

Esteban Chaves

Esteban came to cycling through duathlon as a young teenager. His dad registered him for the race and lent him a bike. For Esteban, it was love at first ride. He bought a bike shortly thereafter and hasn’t looked back. Today, the Colombian is one of the strongest riders in the peloton. His racing victories include Il Lombardia, the Giro dell’Emilia, three Giro d’Italia stages, two Vuelta a España stages, and most recently a stage at the 2021 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.

While his results are impressive, Esteban has overcome hardships in his career. As a 22-year-old, he had a crash that nearly ended his career before he even signed his first WorldTour contract. Then in 2018, he was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus and chronic sinusitis. Throughout it all, Esteban maintained his warrior spirit and his signature smile.

Riding is about more than racing and achieving results for the Colombian, who is now in his second season with our team. In 2016, he began FUN Chaves, an organization that uses bikes as tools to help children in Colombia realize their dreams. For him, his career as a professional cyclist is proof that dreams do come true and he hopes to inspire others to follow their passions.

James loves the places that his bike has taken him, the people he has met because of cycling, and the life lessons he’s learned through the sport. But what does he love most about cycling? Racing.

While James has achieved strong results as a GC rider, especially in 2021 at the Tour of Slovenia and the Tour of Norway, his favorite races are the Ardennes Classics. He is also a keen student of cycling history and finds pride and motivation in thinking about the riders who have come before him. James finished his first grand tour at the 2022 Vuelta and is excited for more.

Through the year, he lives in England’s Peak District. When he is home, James resets by taking his dogs for long walks on the moors and riding with old clubmates. His racing and training schedule is very busy, but whenever he has time, James hitches a trailer to his bike and goes bike packing.

Neilson Powless

When Neilson Powless started racing X-Terra triathlons with his sister back home in Northern California, he just wanted to spend time outside and rip around the trails near his house. His first love was mountain-biking. It was his best discipline in those off-road triathlons, and when he got to high-school, there were all sorts of chances for him to compete in California’s mountain-bike league. Soon, he was travelling with the US national team, racing junior world cups and championships against the world’s most talented mountain-bikers. Race in and race out, Neilson proved he was one of them.

Then he decided he wanted to have a go on the road.

Neilson has progressed steadily since he turned pro in 2018, thanks to his hard-work and diligent approach to training. In 2020, Neilson Powless became the first tribally recognized Native North American to race the Tour de France. The next year, our rising American star won Spain’s greatest one-day race, the Clásica San Sebastián, and finished fifth at the world championships in Belgium. Neilson was stellar in 2022. After a strong campaign in the Ardennes, he finished fourth on GC at the Tour de Suisse and lit up the Tour de France. He finished the year off with a victory at the Japan Cup .

The 2023 season was his best yet. Neilson won his first race of the year: the Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille. He then won the overall at Étoile de Bèsseges and stormed the Flemish classics, finishing third at Dwars door Vlaanderen and fifth at De Ronde in his debut campaign on the cobbles. At the Tour, he captured hearts with a stellar run in the King of the Mountains jersey.

Neilson lives in Nice, France with his wife and baby girl during the racing season. He enjoys exploring their new city and relaxing on the beach after hard rides through the Alps.

If he can find time in his schedule, Neilson would like to get back to his roots, and do some off-road alternative racing in 2024.

Richard Carapaz

Richard Carapaz races with grit and without fear. The Olympic champion and Giro d’Italia winner hails from the high mountains of Ecuador, where he started racing as a 16-year-old kid for his local club. He returns there each winter to help the next generation of children from his hometown of Playa Alta get started in the sport they dream of conquering like him.

Richard has stood on the podium of all three grand tours and won 19 professional races. When Richie wins, he wins with style. He is never afraid to attack and can sense exactly the right moment to go. When he goes—on Richie's day, the best riders in the world can’t hold his wheel.

That is how he won his Olympic gold medal and his Giro d’Italia. That is how he wants to race for us.

After a difficult 2023 season, Richie is ready to attack 2024. Quiet, determined, he is more motivated than ever.

We can’t wait to watch him race in pink.

Rigoberto Urán

There is now a Colombian TV show about Rigoberto Urán’s life. It is about more than Olympic medals and grand tour podiums, fashion shoots, and appearances in the celebrity pages of newspapers.

Rigoberto’s dad was killed by a paramilitary group three months after he introduced Rigo to cycling. Rigo was 14. All of a sudden, he had to work to support his mom and his sister. He took over his dad’s job, selling lottery tickets to support his family, while going to school and trying to race. He still won a lot.

At 16, it was too much. Rigo told his cycling team that he would either have to turn pro or quit and go back to selling lottery tickets. Technically, he was too young to become a professional. To get around that fact, the team offered his mother the contract. Three years later, Rigo traveled to Europe for the first time to race for a small Italian team.

He has never looked back. An Olympic silver medal and podium finishes at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France are highlights from his illustrious career. Rigo is still a contender. In 2022, he won stage 17 of the Vuelta , completing his trifecta of stage wins in each of the grand tours, and was a force in the autumn classics.

Rigo continues to inspire his teammates and a whole generation of cyclists with his laid-back, fun-loving approach to the sport.

• As it happened: Breakaway triumphs as Yates take GC control on Tour de Suisse stage 4

Tour de France 2024 – Comprehensive team-by-team guide

A full rundown of all the teams, their leaders and the riders to watch at this year's race

Alpecin-Deceuninck

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As the 2024 Tour de France rolls out from Florence, Italy on June 29, there will be 176 riders competing across 22 teams – some with a target on overall victory, others looking for stage wins and more still pleased with any opportunity that comes along their way to gather publicity on the biggest cycling stage in the world. 

All 18 WorldTour teams, plus the two best-ranked ProTeams – Israel-Premier Tech and Lotto-Dstny – got their automatic invitations to race while organisers ASO handed out wild card entries to Uno-X Mobility and TotalEnergies.

Crashes, form and Olympic goals have shaped the selections and ambitions for the teams but regardless all will be fighting to make an impression as the 21 days of racing over 3497.3km from Tuscany to Nice in the south of France unfolds.

Cyclingnews has pored through every squad, assessing their leaders, objectives and chances of success to bring you this comprehensive team-by-team guide.

• Team leader: Jasper Philipsen
• Objective: Stage wins, points classification
• Rider to watch: Mathieu van der Poel

In the bunch sprints of the Grand Tours of recent years, one team has stood out above the rest as masters of the lead-out train: Alpecin-Deceuninck .

They were a prominent presence throughout the bunch finishes at the recent Giro d’Italia, but Kaden Groves wasn’t able to ride them to victory. However, at the Tour de France, the team will have Jasper Philipsen , the quickest sprinter in the peloton.

Philipsen was one of the stars of last year’s Tour, storming to four stage wins (as many as any sprinter has managed at a single Tour since the 2011 edition), as well as riding consistently enough to claim the green jersey. He didn't slow down this spring, either, with victories at Milan-San Remo and the Classic Brugge-De Panne, as well as a second place at Paris-Roubaix, among his very impressive results.

Not only is Philipsen the quickest sprinter in the race, but he’ll also have the quickest lead-out man riding for him in Mathieu van der Poel . The pair work brilliantly together, as seen not just at last year’s Tour sprints, but also during the spring, when Van der Poel helped Philipsen to triumph at Milan-San Remo, and vice versa at Paris-Roubaix.

Van der Poel will also go hunting for stage wins on appropriate stages, most likely on days with punchy parcours too hard for sprinters but not hard enough for climbers. For a man so untouchable in the Classics, it’s perhaps surprising that he only has one stage win to his name from three Tour appearances, but he has often ridden here with a future goal in mind, as will be the case this year as he builds towards the Olympics.

• Team leader: Arnaud Démare
• Objective: Stage wins
• Rider to watch: Kévin Vauquelin

With Warren Barguil having followed Nairo Quintana out the door, Arkéa-B&B Hotels are going in a fresh direction for the 2024 Tour with sprinter Arnaud Démare as their new talisman.

Having grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of opportunities provided him by his former Groupama-FDJ team, who selected him for only one Tour de France start in the last five years, Démare has moved to a team where he won’t just be picked but will command unified support behind him.

It’s hoped that as a winner of two Tour stages in the past, Démare can deliver the team their long-awaited first-ever following ten winless Tours, but does the Frenchman have the shape to do so? He hasn’t made the top ten of any race for almost four months, and recently fractured a finger at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, plunging his Tour preparations into doubt.

It could therefore be up to others in the line-up to deliver, from which Kévin Vauquelin has shown particular potential. The 23-year-old has done everything this year, from making the top 10 at both Itzulia Basque Country and Tirreno-Adriatico, finishing second on the Mur de Huy at La Flèche Wallonne and winning a time trial at Etoile de Bessèges. He could be a contender for a variety of different stages though specialises in climbing hills and mountains.

• Team leader: Mark Cavendish
• Rider to watch: Alexey Lutsenko

At last, it's nearly time for the race that Astana Qazaqstan 's whole season has been building up towards.

Since signing Mark Cavendish in January 2023, they've made it their foremost mission to deliver the Manxman to the elusive win number 35, move clear of Eddy Merckx, and thereby become the outright record holder for most stage wins at the Tour de France.

It had initially been intended as a one-year plan, but after the heartbreak of last year’s race, where Cavendish crashed out at the end of the first week , he and the team have decided to have one last shot at history this July.

Unlike last year, when he went into the Tour off the back of a final-day victory in Rome at the Giro d’Italia, Cavendish has shown only sporadic signs of form this season, confined to smaller races. He won a stage during his first race of the season at the Tour of Colombia in February but had to wait another three months for a first victory on European roads at the Tour of Hongrie.

The Astana team is set to be built entirely around him. Veteran lead-out master Michael Mørkøv was signed exclusively to deliver him in the sprints, while Cees Bol and Davide Ballerini will sacrifice their own sprinting ambitions to form part of his lead-out train.

One rider who might be granted some freedom to ride for himself is Alexey Lutsenko . He showed great form by winning Il Giro d’Abruzzo before abandoning the Giro d’Italia and finishing seventh and eighth on GC in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He has two Tour de France GC top 10s, as well as a stage win in 2020, on his palmarès, so another top showing isn't out of the question.

• Team leaders: Pello Bilbao
• Objective: GC, stage wins
• Riders to watch: Santiago Buitrago, Matej Mohorič

What Bahrain Victorious lacks in a single stand-out GC contender, they make up for in strength in depth. Following Antonio Tiberi’s fifth place at the Giro d’Italia, they’re hoping to extend their run of top-six finishes on GC to a fifth consecutive Grand Tour and have several riders potentially capable of doing so.

Their best candidate is Pello Bilbao , based on his performance at the Tour last year and in stage races so far in 2024. He was sixth place last year and has been building nicely towards that level again this year with sixth-place finishes at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Itzulia Basque Country, plus third at the UAE Tour in between.

Santiago Buitrago is poised to make his Tour debut. He brings with him considerable expectations off the back of his stage wins and top-ten finish at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, respectively, as well as his impressive showing at Paris-Nice earlier this year.

It’s also hoped that Jack Haig can rediscover some form ahead of the race, while even veteran Wout Poels could post a high GC finish based on his recent third and sixth-place finishes at the Tour de Hongrie and Tour of the Alps, respectively.

Poels and Bilbao were two of the three different riders to win a stage at last year’s Tour, along with Matej Mohorič, who will again be using his nous and engine to target breakaways. The Slovenian has three Tour stage wins on his career palmarès and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him add another win here.

With Phil Bauhaus , a debutant last summer, also posing a threat in the bunch sprints, Bahrain Victorious has the resources to target a win on almost every stage.

• Team leaders: Guillaume Martin
• Riders to watch: Bryan Coquard, Ion Izagirre.

For the first time in many years, Cofidis can go into a Tour de France without being badgered about questions of whether this will be the year they at last manage to claim a stage win.

By triumphing on stage 2 of last year’s edition, Victor Lafay ended the team’s 15-year drought and then Ion Izagirre added another stage a week later.

Lafay has since left for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale but Izagirre remains and is set to ride, with stage wins on hilly and mountainous days again likely to be the target.

Guillaume Martin will ride his eighth consecutive Tour de France and will be the team’s leading GC hope. He’s placed eighth, 10th, 11th and 12th in past appearances, but has never won a stage, so he may prioritise trying to take one from a breakaway.

Bryan Coquard is another rider without a Tour stage win to his name despite many near misses, including a couple of fourth-place finishes last year. He’ll be the team’s man for the bunch sprints, especially on hillier days that weaken the specialists.

While these riders bring experience, 25-year-old Axel Zingle has form and potential. He’s been consistently in contention for multiple semi-Classics over the last few months and could win from a breakaway if he picks the right move.

• Team leader: Felix Gall
• Rider to watch: Sam Bennett, Benoît Cosnefroy

In the middle of an exceptional season, in which they have already racked up more victories than they managed in the last two seasons combined, expectations are high for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale as they head into the biggest race of the year.

Although the men who delivered stage wins (Valentin Paret-Peintre and Andrea Vendrame) and fourth overall (Ben O’Connor) at the Giro d’Italia will sit this one out as they rest and recover, the core of the other names who have made 2024 such a success are set to be present.

Benoît Cosnefroy has been the team’s biggest contributor with seven of their 23 wins (as of the end of May) and will target the hilly stages, while Dorion Godon will be a candidate in reduced bunch sprints, having won two sprint finishes at the Tour de Romandie in late April.

In the pure flat finishes, Sam Bennett will still be their main candidate, having recently shown signs of returning to form with a haul of wins and GC at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque.

Felix Gall might have had a quieter season to date, but he'll still be the team’s main man for the mountains and their GC candidate.  He finished eighth overall last year after breaking through with a series of good performances in the spring, while he'll also be hoping to replicate his breakaway stage win at Courchevel.

• Team leader: Fabio Jakobsen, Romain Bardet
• Rider to watch: Warren Barguil

For the Tour de France, DSM-Firmenich PostNL are making the unusual move of deploying the same two leaders as they did at the Giro d’Italia.

In the bunch sprints, Fabio Jakobsen will again line up as he continues to rediscover his mojo. The Dutchman still only has one win to his name (at the Tour of Turkey) since signing for the team this year, and he failed to get involved in the Giro bunch sprints before abandoning during the second week. However, the team still retains faith that he can reach the level that saw him win a stage on his Tour debut two years ago.

Romain Bardet fared better at the Giro than Jakobsen, finishing ninth overall while coming close to a stage win on Bocca della Selva. Though he has made the top 10 in all but two of the eight Tours he has finished throughout his career, his excursions in Italy may mean he targets stage wins this time instead.

With 11 wins to their name – including just one WorldTour race and only three outside the Tour of Turkey – DSM need some big results. That means that another French climber, Warren Barguil , will likely be given the freedom to attack and get into breakaways.

• Team leader: Richard Carapaz
• Rider to watch: Neilson Powless, Ben Healy

Last season was the first in EF Education-Easy Post ’s 16-year history that they did not place a rider in the top 10 of any of the Grand Tours. That run continued at the Giro d’Italia last month, where they aggressively targeted stage wins rather than GC via constant attacks, and were eventually rewarded in the final week with success from Georg Steinhauser in the Dolomites.

Nevertheless, they intend to strive to finish as high as possible at the Tour with Richard Carapaz as their leader. The 2021 podium finisher and 2019 Giro champion was signed in 2023 to do precisely that but he endured an under-par season last year and is only just showing signs of some form recently, with a stage win and seventh overall at the Tour de Romandie. 

With Carapaz’s form still uncertain, there ought to be plenty of scope for the rest of the line-up to chase their own personal ambitions. Neilson Powless , for instance, could either chase GC as he did in 2023 (when he finished 12th), or stage wins and the polka-dot jersey as he did last year.

Irish puncheur Ben Healy is set to make his Tour debut, and if his Giro debut from last year and performances in the Classics are anything to go by, we can expect him to attack at every opportunity.

Alberto Bettiol ’s form during the spring suggests he could add a Tour stage win to the one he managed at the 2021 Giro, while Marijn van den Berg has also earned a spot on the team thanks to his impressive early season performances.

• Team leader: David Gaudu
• Rider to watch: Stefan Küng

A new dawn awaits Groupama-FDJ as they embark upon the first Tour de France of the post-Thibaut Pinot era. Before retiring at the end of last year, Pinot had been the fulcrum of the team, appearing for them in all but two of the last 12 editions — sometimes with great success, other times with great heartbreak.

David Gaudu will seek to fill the void left by Pinot, as he has for several years now. Fourth overall in 2022 remains his highest finish at any Grand Tour, and though a repeat of that looks ambitious given his stuttering form this year, he’s still dreaming of a podium finish.

If Gaudu doesn’t have the legs to mount a serious GC challenge, targeting stage wins may be the team’s optimum approach, and they have plenty of riders capable of delivering on that front.

Rising star Lenny Martinez misses the race in favour of the Vuelta a España, but 21-year-old Romain Grégoire is set to make his Tour debut on the back of some very impressive results this year, including a stage win at Itzulia Basque Country

Valentin Madouas has become a recognisable face from recent Tours without quite winning a stage, though he certainly has the talent to do so. Stefan Küng will, as ever, be a candidate for both the time trials as well as select breakaways.

• Team leaders: Carlos Rodríguez
• Objective: GC
• Rider to watch: Tom Pidcock, Egan Bernal

Last year was only the second time in the last decade that Ineos Grenadiers failed to put a rider on the GC podium at the Tour de France. Even since their run of yellow jersey-winning Tours came to an end in 2020, up until then they had still managed to crack the podium through Richard Carapaz (in 2021) and Geraint Thomas (in 2022), but last year their highest finisher, Carlos Rodríguez , finished further down in fifth place.

Still, that result means Rodríguez is the obvious choice to lead the team’s 2024 GC bid, and the 23-year-old has bolstered his status with overall victory at the Tour de Romandie and second place behind Juan Ayuso at Itzulia Basque Country.

Also in the squad are other, more wildcard options for GC. Geraint Thomas would usually be a dependable candidate, but it’s unclear how fresh he will be, having dug deep to seal third place at the Giro d’Italia , while Tom Pidcock has stated that he intends to concentrate on the GC rather than stage wins, despite failing to make the top ten last year.

And what of Egan Bernal ? The 2019 champion has for the first time since his horror crash two and a half years ago shown form approaching his best, with third overall at Volta a Catalunya and top tens at Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie, but it remains to be seen if he can manage a sustained GC bid over three weeks.

Michał Kwiatkowski and Laurens De Plus will be on hand to help the aforementioned trio achieve their GC goals, even if the Belgian could harbour ambitions of his own after racing to an unexpected and impressive fifth overall at the Critérium du Daupihiné. 

• Team leader: Biniam Girmay, Louis Meintjes
• Rider to watch: Georg Zimmermann

Biniam Girmay returns to the Tour de France hoping for a positive turn in fortunes. So far his season has been blighted by interruptions, with promising form in the early spring classics halted by a crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen, and another crash spelling the end of his Giro d’Italia one day after finishing third in Fossano.

He’s since returned to winning ways with victory at the Circuit Franco-Belge , and looks on course to arrive at the Tour in form. As Intermarché-Wanty ’s star, the onus is on the Eritrean to make an impact and he has the chance to make history as the first-ever Black African to win a stage of the Tour de France. His consistency and versatility also make him a candidate for the green jersey.

Like Girmay, who failed to show his best self at last year’s Tour, Louis Meintjes will be hoping to return to the form that saw him finish seventh overall in 2022 rather than crash out last year.

Meintjes will be the team’s GC leader, but the rest of the line-up will have the freedom to get into break and chase stage wins, much as Georg Zimmermann (who was second on stage 10) did last year. Rouleurs like Laurenz Rex and Hugo Page might fancy their chances of winning a stage this way, too.

• Team leader: Stephen Williams
• Rider to watch: Derek Gee, Pascal Ackermann

Israel-Premier Tech 's high ambitions from 2021, when they gambled on signing Chris Froome in the hope that he could recover from his horror crash two years earlier and revive his Tour-winning form of old, have since been significantly tempered.

Now no longer a WorldTour team, they've instead depended upon a wildcard to earn entry into the Tour de France, and their hopes are limited to chasing stage wins rather than mixing it up in the battle for the yellow jersey.

Froome himself is still fighting for selection. He’s eager to avoid a repeat of last year when he was left out of the Tour line-up, but his hopes of proving himself worthy were compromised when a fractured wrist sustained during Tirreno-Adriatico forced him to miss almost three months of racing.

His compatriot Stephen Williams is enjoying a terrific season, winning both La Flèche Wallonne and the Tour Down Under. He'll therefore be a top contender for stage wins in the hilly terrain.

The team should have a presence in the sprints, where Tour debutant Pascal Ackermann aims to add to his Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España stage wins and complete the Grand Tour clean sweep.

The rest of the line-up will be made up of stage hunters such as Dylan Teuns (who won here in both 2019 and 2021), and Derek Gee . The Canadian, who last year burst onto the scene with a series of breakaway second places at the Giro d'Italia, makes his Tour debut in the form of his life after scoring a stage win and third overall at the Critérium du Dauphné .

• Team leader: Simon Yates, Dylan Groenewegen
• Riders to watch: Michael Matthews

For a second successive season, Jayco-AlUla leader Simon Yates has foregone his usual Giro d’Italia participation in order to concentrate more committedly on the Tour de France.

Last year, this approach turned out to be a success, as he came to the Tour with some of the best legs of his career, eventually finishing fourth overall, and only missing out on a podium finish by 87 seconds to his brother Adam. His build-up to this year’s Tour isn’t so encouraging, however, having not shown much form since winning the AlUla Tour in the winter.

Jayco-AlUla aren’t putting all their eggs in the single basket of Yates’ GC bid. Dylan Groenewegen will be led out in the sprints by the likes of Luka Mezgec to see if he can add to his five Tour career stage wins, having come close last year with a second and third-place finish at Moulins and Paris, respectively.

On days too hilly for Groenewegen, Michael Matthews will step up, and may also try to get into some breakaways as he did to win a stage in 2022. He looked in fantastic form this spring, placing second at Milan-San Remo and, before being relegated for deviating from his line, third at the Tour of Flanders.

• Team leader: Mads Pedersen, Tao Geoghegan Hart
• Rider to watch: Giulio Ciccone

As a team boasting a diverse range of talent, Lidl-Trek could feasibly compete for all three of the major jerseys.

For the yellow jersey, they have Tao Geoghegan Hart . He’s only done the Tour de France once in his career and is eager to target GC here while still in his prime years. Victory might seem implausible, but that was also the case when he triumphed at the Giro d’Italia in 2020.

Mads Pedersen finished a distant second to Jasper Philipsen in the points classification last year, though he did score his second stage win in as many years. He's shown the kind of excellent form throughout this year to suggest he could bridge that gap, as well as add to his stage win tally.

As for the king of the mountains, Giulio Ciccone won that classification last year and will now be present to potentially defend that title after saddle sore surgery forced him to skip the Giro d’Italia.

Lidl-Trek might even have had a prime candidate for the white jersey if Matias Skjelmose had opted to ride, but he plans to skip the Tour and save himself for a Vuelta a España overall bid instead.

• Team leader : Arnaud De Lie
• Rider to watch: Maxim Van Gils

Compared to other teams, Lotto-Dstny have a laser-focussed approach when it comes to the Tour de France. Not only will it be their first Grand Tour of the season, having opted out of the Giro d’Italia, but they have also narrow down their ambitions to focus exclusively on stage wins, having not placed a rider in the top 10 for 14 years.

They haven’t had success on these terms recently, though, with no stage win to their name since Caleb Ewan’s victories in the sprints during the 2020 edition. The Australian has led the team for the past five Tours, bringing much success initially with multiple stage wins in 2019 and 2020, but nothing in the three editions since then.

He’s now left the team for Jayco-AlUla, and taking his place as Lotto’s leader will be Arnaud De Lie . Much is hoped from the 22-year-old debutant based on his rapid rise over the past two years, and he'll be especially threatening on hillier days where the pure sprinters will struggle.

However, the Tour will be a big step up from the level of competition he’s used to, and he’s only recently r eturned to form after suffering from Lyme disease during the spring.

De Lie might be the most hyped name, but another young Belgian, Maxim Van Gils , has been the team’s best performer so far this season. He finished second on the stage to Grand Colombier last year and has since established himself as one of the very best puncheurs in the world following podium finishes at Strade Bianche and La Flèche Wallonne, and a fourth place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

2023 super-combativity winner Victor Campanaerts is also set to ride again, though his season to date has been a quiet one.

• Team leader: Enric Mas
• Rider to watch: Rémi Cavagna

2024 has so far been another difficult season for Movistar , with Pelayo Sánchez’s stage victory at the Giro d’Italia their only win at WorldTour level all year.

That doesn’t bode well for their prospects at the Tour de France, where they have, in recent years, laboured to reach the levels of the past. They’ve now gone two successive Tours without placing a rider in the top 10, having done so in eight of the nine previous editions.

If any of their roster is to break that duck, it’ll be Enric Mas . The Spaniard has generally been one of the most dependable GC riders of his generation, making the top six in six of his last eight Grand Tour appearances.

However, he has been forced to abandon both of his last two Tours de France, with his participation last summer ending on the first day following a crash.

So far, Mas has enjoyed a solid season without causing too much of a stir, finishing fifth overall at Volta a Catalunya and sixth at the Tour de Romandie. Considering that he normally ups his game for the Grand Tours, that’s encouraging.

New signing Rémi Cavagna is a dependable name in the time trials, breakaways and in helping team leaders on the flat, though the Frenchman hasn't scored a WorldTour win of his own since 2021. Returning star Nairo Quintana won't make the race, meanwhile, after breaking his hand in a crash at the Tour de Suisse.

• Team leaders: Primož Roglič
• Riders to watch: Jai Hindley, Aleksandr Vlasov

For the 2024 season, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe signed Primož Roglič with the primary objective of winning the Tour de France.

The team might never before have made the podium at any previous edition in their 10-year history, but Roglič has the calibre to challenge for yellow, as well as the desire, having moved from Visma-Lease a Bike for that specific purpose.

The Slovenian has left it to the last minute to show the kind of form he'll need to challenge for the yellow jersey, with his Critérium du Dauphiné victory his best showing of 2024 so far. The week-long warm-up race marked his first race since the heavy crash suffered by him, Remco Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard at Itzulia Basque Country.

His two stage wins at the late summit finishes at Le Collet d'Allevard and Samöens 1600 were his first since the opening day at Itzulia, though a shaky final stage showing – where he shed almost a minute to Matteo Jorgenson and only held onto yellow by eight seconds – could provoke some cause for concern. 

Roglič’s presence means last year’s leader Jai Hindley — who enjoyed a day in the yellow jersey after winning stage five in Laruns before back pain contributed to a slip down to seventh on GC — will be demoted to the role of super-domestique.

While Hindley’s form has tailed away since his impressive third-place finish at Tirreno-Adriatico, Aleksandr Vlasov might believe he has the results to justify potential co-leadership status. With a second place at Tour de Romandie, sixth at Volta a Catalunya and fifth at Paris-Nice, he has been among the team's top performers this year. At the Dauphiné, he proved a reliable and strong deputy for Roglič.

Elsewhere, the rest of the team is geared exclusively towards targeting the yellow jersey, with Champs-Elysées-winning sprinter Jordi Meeus missing out on selection as the team looks to domestiques Danny van Poppel , Nico Denz , Marco Haller , Matteo Sobrero , and Bob Jungels .

• Team leader: Remco Evenepoel
• Rider to watch: Mikel Landa, Ilan Van Wilder

In a drastic change of approach, Soudal-QuickStep have abandoned their usual Tour de France strategy of targeting bunch sprints and stage wins, and instead are going all in on Remco Evenepoel ’s push for GC.

This is set to be Evenepoel’s debut Tour, and it’s a hugely anticipated one, given the already enormous star profile he’s built for himself through many superb performances and major results including two Liège–Bastogne–Liège victories, the world title in 2022, and the GC at the Vuelta a España that same year.

His build-up has been compromised after a crash and fractured collarbone at Itzulia Basque Country stalled the momentum that had already seen him win Volta ao Algarve and finish second at Paris-Nice, but the plan remains the same.

His first race back, the Critérium du Dauphiné, saw him score a dominant time trial win, though he faded hard in the closing three mountain stages, losing 2:58 to Primož Roglič. That will be a major cause for concern heading into July.

As part of the team building around Evenepoel, Mikel Landa has been signed up as a super-domestique. The Spaniard has performed this role in the past – at Sky to help Chris Froome win the 2017 Tour de France, and at Movistar for Richard Carapaz’s 2019 Giro d’Italia triumph. Second at Volta a Catalunya and 10th at the Dauphiné suggests he has the legs to do something similar this year, too

Landa will be joined by Evenepoel’s familiar right-hand man, Ilan Van Wilder . The Belgian has ridden in support of Evenepoel many times, most notably during his triumphant Vuelta a España effort two years ago and should be in solid form, too, having placed fourth at the Tour de Romandie.

The team’s focus on GC means there will be no room for in-form sprinter Tim Merlier, despite his success at the Giro d’Italia, nor even home favourite Julian Alaphilippe, as the remaining spots instead go to domestiques including Yves Lampaert , Casper Pedersen , Louis Vervaeke and Gianni Moscon .

• Team leader: Mathieu Burgaudeau
• Rider to watch: Steff Cras

When TotalEnergies signed Peter Sagan for the 2022 season, they hoped the Slovakian would be the star name to make them protagonists at the Tour de France. His first edition for them was typically consistent, finishing in the top six of five different stages, but lacking the edge of his heyday; by the following year his powers had seriously waned, and he only made the top ten once.

Sagan now having retired, the team must embark on a new direction. They’ve struggled at the Tour in recent years, and haven’t won a stage since Lilian Calmejane in 2017.

It will be hard for them to break that duck this year. Of the four non-WorldTour entries, they probably have the weakest roster, as reflected by the fact that they’d only won three races this season as of the beginning of June.

Consequently, they’re strategy will be to buy daily tickets in the lottery that is getting into the breakaway. Mathieu Burgaudeau is a particular specialist at this, having finished second and third on stages of last year’s race, and placed second in the King of the Mountains classification at this year’s Paris-Nice riding similarly aggressively.

The likes of Pierre Latour, Anthony Turgis, Geoffrey Soupe and Alexis Vuillermoz all provide experienced options for TotalEnergies to potentially select. And though the team don’t tend to target GC anymore, Stef Cras ’ 11th place finish at the Vuelta a España last year suggests he could become their first rider to crack the top ten since Pierre Rolland in 2015 — although his participation remains up in the air due to his involvement in the horror crash at Itzulia Basque Country.

• Team leaders: Tadej Pogačar
• Rider to watch: Adam Yates, Juan Ayuso

Phase one of UAE Team Emirates ’ great ambition to win the Giro/Tour double this year with Tadej Pogačar was a success, with the Slovenian waltzing to an enormous victory at the first Grand Tour . Now, it’s time for the hard part.

Pogačar won the Giro at a canter, almost 10 minutes clear of second place as he won a staggering six stages without ever appearing to have to stretch himself. But at the Tour, he’ll be up against a much stronger field of GC candidates, none of whom have the accumulated fatigue of having already completed a Grand Tour this season – even if Evenepoel, Roglič, and Vingegaard are all making comebacks from that brutal Itzulia crash.

UAE Team Emirates provided ample support to him at the Giro, with Rafał Majka and Vegard Stake Laengen impressing in particular, but the team is set to ring in the changes with an all-new line-up at the Tour.

On paper, it’s a much stronger group of riders. In Adam Yates , they have the man who finished third last summer, even if his form this year is in more doubt having performed only in patches since winning the UAE Tour in February. Juan Ayuso provides another potential GC option, making his Tour debut on the back of a podium finish at the Vuelta a España and overall victory at Itzulia Basque Country earlier this year. 

More climbing firepower will come from João Almeida , another rider who would slot in as a GC leader at most of the other teams in the peloton. Elsewhere, Pavel Sivakov and Marc Soler bolster the climbing line-up along with Tim Wellens and Nils Politt , the latter pairing set to feature in the engine room during flatter stages.

The team will be hoping Ayuso, Sivakov, Wellens, and Politt recover well from a mass spill at the Critérium du Dauphiné, with Ayuso forced out of the race with pain in both hips as a result.

• Team leader: Alexander Kristoff
• Riders to watch: Andreas Leknessund, Magnus Cort

After making a successful Tour de France debut last year, Uno-X Mobility have been invited back by ASO as a wild card entry again.

Last year, they impressed by being active in the breakaways, with Tobias Halland Johannessen enjoying particular success with three top-six finishes. He’s set to return this year and on the back of some good form, too, having finished sixth at La Flèche Wallonne during the spring.

This time, they’ll have more strings to their bow. In new signing Andreas Leknessund , they have a rider capable of challenging for GC, even if he hasn’t yet shown the form this season that saw him finish eighth overall at the Giro d’Italia last year. And Magnus Cort brings considerable experience as a two-time former stage winner at the Tour, and will be dangerous from an intermediate stage break or reduced bunch sprint.

They will also again have Alexander Kristoff for the bunch sprints, who, though poised to turn 37 during the Tour, has been winning regularly this past month or so and could have it in him to add to his four career Tour stage wins. 

But they are also sure to be one of the main presences in the breakaways, with Jonas Abrahamsen posing a particular threat, having recently won the Brussels Cycling Classic that way.

• Team leader: Jonas Vingegaard
• Rider to watch: Sepp Kuss, Wout van Aert

As the Tour approaches, Visma-Lease a Bike are still sweating on the fitness of Jonas Vingegaard . The defending champion’s participation was plunged into doubt when he crashed out of Itzulia Basque Country in April and hasn’t raced since. He has recently returned to training at high altitude, though his exact racing level won't become apparent before the Tour.

Given the severity of that fall, the fact he has a genuine chance of returning in time feels miraculous, but doing so with the form to win the yellow jersey again will be an even bigger ask.

Prior to that crash, Vingegaard had started the season in intimidatingly good form, triumphing at both Tirreno-Adriatico and O Gran Camiño while claiming five stage wins in total, and would surely be the overwhelming favourite for yellow were it not for his fitness and form doubts. 

Should the Dane fail to recover in time, it might be up to Sepp Kuss to fill his boots. The peerless climbing super-domestique proved himself as a Grand Tour GC rider by winning the Vuelta a España last year, though he hasn’t shown anything like that form so far this year. On top of that, he abandoned the Critérium du Dauphiné before the final day of racing as he wasn't feeling 100% .

Like Vingegaard, Wout van Aert , too, is a doubt as he tries to recover in time from the injuries that ruled him out of both the Giro d’Italia and the major spring Classics, though he has returned to racing at the Tour of Norway.

He hopes to join other stalwarts of the previous yellow jersey-winning campaigns Tiesj Benoot , Dylan van Baarle and Christophe Laporte . Matteo Jorgenson will make for a very useful addition to the line-up, bringing a diverse range of talents that has this year seen him win Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen and score a surprising second overall at the Dauphiné.

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July 14, 2022

The Tour de France menu: what the riders eat

The Tour de France and fellow Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España, are uniquely demanding on the athletes, three weeks of intense racing requires specific nutrition to both fuel the riders, and help them to rest and recover.

Our EF Education-EasyPost team nutritionist, Will Girling, shared the team's menu for their first week of the 2022 Tour de France, an insight into the kind of foods that our riders use to power their extreme efforts, day after day.

Starting the day right, nutrition-wise, is extremely important for any bike race, especially one that lasts three weeks.

Riders take breakfast several hours before the stage starts, allowing plenty of time to digest their meal.

Cereals, oats, pancakes, rice, bread, and berries are on offer as well as eggs, avocados and high-protein yogurt. The focus for the riders, and the nutrition team, is on full plates, plenty of protein and loads of lower-fiber, easy-to-digest carbohydrates to maintain energy through the day without making them feel heavy or bloated. The riders can load their plates with foods they know will suit them well for the stage ahead, eating enough to make them comfortably full.

Sample plate:

- Sourdough pancakes: Our team chef often makes pancakes using a sourdough starter he keeps throughout the Tour in his catering truck. Topped with bananas and maple syrup.

- Omlets: Most of the riders take an omlet for breakfast, its a great source of protein and easy to digest. The riders have preferences on white to yolk ratio, fillings and how they are cooked. For example Rigoberto Uran takes 3 full eggs, salt, cooked ham and cheese, cooked medium rare. Alberto Bettiol takes 2 eggs, cooked medium, no pepper, sometimes a little ham & cheese.

- Steamed rice: Many riders opt for this as a carbohydrate source over toast, oats or cereals because it’s easy to digest and low in fiber. Some add a couple of fried eggs and avocado for a little fat and protein.

- Fresh juice: To keep fiber low, riders bypass smoothies and stick to freshly-pressed juices, blended by the team chef with the fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. Carrot + ginger, or a green juice made with spinach, kale, kiwi, apple and cucumber are rider favorites for being packed with critical nutrients and minerals without the bulk of whole or raw vegetables.

-Coffee : Are you even a cyclist if you don't like coffee? Almost all of the team riders start their day with an espresso, it's not just a quick pick-me-up, caffeine has been shown to help with endurance efforts too.

As soon as the riders finish the race, recovery fuelling begins. Meals are prepared and waiting for them in the team bus as riders have about an hour to start replacing the glycogen stores necessary to start the next stage strong. These meals are full of easy-to-digest, low-salt, carbohydrate-rich foods.

- 
Fresh pasta with simple proteins : Pasta tossed with a simple sauce and protein - usually fresh chicken, is the ideal type of meal to replenish riders. The balance of carbohydrates and proteins are just what the body requires – no complicated flavor combinations, or processed proteins here, just simple good food to start the recovery process.

- Protein and carb-focused snacks: Various bars, yoghurts and shakes are available on the team bus for quick and effective refuelling.

Perhaps the most important meal of the day during the race, all the riders sit down together at the team hotel each night, as early as possible. The aim is to replenish their stores with plenty of time for digestion before getting a good sleep.

The dinner menu offers simple, fresh foods that are low in fiber, not too heavy but full of the carbohydrates, proteins and other nutrients needed to fuel the riders for the next day.

Unprocessed proteins are a must to boost recovery, along with soups, cooked vegetables and simple carbs. Cooked, easy to eat vegetables are included to provide micronutrients, while ensuring that riders have plenty of time to properly digest and eliminate the fiber before their systems are under the duress of the next stage.

Fresh pastas, noodles and rice with a light but flavor filled main course of steamed fish and roasted or grilled chicken for protein. If the riders have tackled a day in the mountains or if the day has been particularly grueling, a dessert is a sweet morale-boosting treat.

- Simply-prepared proteins : Grilled or roasted chicken or steamed fish with light fresh sauces. Processed meats are avoided for their high sodium content. Red meat is offered on rest days to help with recovery.

- Easy to digest carbohydrates : Options like rice, mashed potatoes or pasta are always available on the buffet table.

- Soup : There's always a fresh soup option on offer, these help with calming the digestive system, especially if a rider is struggling to eat. Soups are great for being low fiber while maintaining high vitamin and mineral intake.

- Steamed, grilled or roasted vegetables or a small salad : Larger salads can be very challenging to digest due to their high fiber content. Instead, riders load up on cooked vegetables or tender greens, easier to digest and assimilate but still packed full of nutrients. Beet salads are popular with the riders and nutrition team for their ability to reduce inflammation and boost recovery.

- For dessert : Nothing too heavy or full of overly processed sugars, fruit based desserts tend to be preferred. It's also a chance to get a little more protein in, with yogurt or crème fraîche on the side.

Here's EF Education-EasyPost's menu for the first week of the 2022 Tour de France.

Grand Tour of France

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Discover the many sides of France.

Travel from the culinary capital of Lyon to the iconic city of Paris, and through the plethora of charming medieval villages and coastal Riviera towns in-between. This grand tour is your chance to eat, drink, and sightsee your way through this dynamic country.

Your tour package includes

• 14 nights in handpicked hotels
• 14 breakfasts
• 6 dinners with beer or wine
• 14 guided sightseeing tours
• Expert Tour Director & local guides

Included highlights

• Pont du Gard
• Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Day-by-day itinerary

Board your overnight flight to Lyon today.

Welcome to France! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at a welcome dinner this evening.

A local guide introduces you to France’s culinary capital on a tour through Lyon’s UNESCO-recognized city center.

• Take in the Gothic and Renaissance architecture as you pass by the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.
• Step inside Lyon Cathedral and walk through centuries-old traboules, or underground passages.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Lyon or add an excursion.

Medieval Village of Pérouges

From $95 per person

Head to Vers-Pont-du-Gard and explore the area with your Tour Director.

• See artifacts, virtual renderings, and life-sized displays at the Pont du Gard Museum.
• Walk on a trail along the Pont du Gard, the region’s famed, UNESCO-listed Roman aqueduct.

Continue on to Avignon and set off on a walking tour led by a local guide.

• See the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet, the bridge that inspired the French folk tune  On the Bridge of Avignon.
• Enter the opulent Papal Palace, from which Pope Clement V reigned during the 14th century.
• Stroll through the historic Old Town, surrounded by the city’s original medieval walls.

This evening, sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Travel through the countryside toward the French Riviera, stopping to explore Aix-en-Provence, a Roman-influenced city and hometown of Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne.

• Browse the stalls at the Aix-en-Provence farmers market this morning where you'll find local specialities like honey, fruits, textiles, antiques, and more.
• Pass Aix Cathedral, built on the site of the first-century Roman forum.
• Enjoy free time to stroll the beautiful boulevards and admire the architecture and monuments.

Continue on to Nice then enjoy a free evening or add an excursion.

Evening in Monaco

From $165 per person

Get to know Nice’s many charms on a guided sightseeing tour.

• Drive along the Promenade des Anglais.
• Discover the narrow streets of the Old Town.
• Explore the Roman amphitheater.
• Wander around the gardens of the Franciscan Monastery in Cimiez.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Nice or add an excursion.

Medieval Saint-Paul-de-Vence

From $135 per person

Make your way through the Provençal landscapes that influenced the French master painters, stopping in Arles for a walking tour with your Tour Director in the lead.

• Stroll along beautiful boulevards and view the city’s old hospital, where artist Van Gogh stayed.
• Enter the Arles Arena, a two-story Roman amphitheater.

Continue on to Montpellier and sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Today, stop in UNESCO-listed Carcassonne, a medieval fortified town. Here, your Tour Director introduces you to the town's unique history on an orientation tour. Afterward, enjoy free time to explore on your own before continuing on to Bordeaux.

Meet your local guide for a panoramic tour of Bordeaux, the capital of the Aquitane region, which is well-known for its wine.

• Stop at the Place des Quinconces.
• Drive along the Garonne River, stopping at Place de la Bourse.
• Pass the lively hub of the Place de la Comédie and the Grand Théâtre.
• Sample local sweets as you go.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Bordeaux or add an excursion.

Bordeaux Dinner & Wine Tasting

From $189 per person

Make your way to the Atlantic port city of La Rochelle, home to a charming harbor and medieval towers, and explore with your Tour Director in the lead. Later, arrive in the Loire Valley where you'll sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Get to know château country on a sightseeing tour today. Step inside the extravagant Château de Chenonceau, where you’ll discover how it got the nickname “Château des Femmes,” and explore its surrounding gardens. Then, continue on to the town of Amboise for free time.

Enjoy a free evening in the Loire Valley or add an excursion.

Loire Valley Dinner & Wine Tasting

From $149 per person

Travel north to the historic Normandy coastline. Stopping along the way for a guided tour of Mont-Saint-Michel.

• Admire the striking, 8th-century island Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel.
• See how the UNESCO-recognized site, perched high on a granite rock, is surrounded by water at high tide and quicksand at low tide.
• Pass by medieval houses and then view the Benedictine Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel with your local guide.

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Spend a free day in the Normandy region or add an excursion.

D-Day Beaches of Normandy

Travel to Paris and enjoy a free evening in France’s capital city or add an excursion.

Dinner in Paris & Seine River Cruise

From $175 per person

A guided tour introduces you to the architecture, scenery, and history of the City of Light’s many neighborhoods, called arrondissements.

• Drive down the sycamore-lined Champs-Élysées to view the Arc de Triomphe.
• Pass Pont Neuf and the legendary Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on an island in the Seine River.
• See the Eiffel Tower, the Palais Garnier opera house, and Place de la Concorde, the city’s grandest square.
• Marvel at the iconic architecture of the Louvre and Hôtel des Invalides.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Paris or add an excursion.

Then, celebrate your trip with your group at a farewell dinner this evening.

Versailles Palace & Gardens

From $199 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or continue exploring Paris.

Enjoy a free day in Paris or add an excursion.

Monet & the Landscapes of Giverny

Spend a free day in Paris. This evening, sip a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Book for just $99 down

That’s all it takes to secure your spot on tour with AutoPay. Then, pay for your trip in interest-free, monthly installments.†

Overall rating 4.5 out of 5

4 out of 5 stars

5 out of 5 stars

As this was my first tour, I had a lot to learn before, during and when heading home. The history of France is provided at each stop, yet I plan to study more. We kept busy, yet had free time to get lost, eat meals and shop. The tour director managed to keep things moving, even with unexpected ac...

Hi Terry! Thank you so much for your kind review. ...

This tour not only met my expectations but went far beyond. I saw so many places I didn't even know existed. The tour was organized and our Guide, Frank, made sure all the needs in the group were met. Frank was also very aware of the needs of individuals and was always there to guide us. It was...

Thank you for your glowing review! We're thrilled ...

Traveler photos

Hotels, flights & FAQ

This contemporary hotel is located in the business district of Lyon. Guests enjoy a restaurant, bar, and fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find UNESCO-li...

This charming hotel is located in Avignon. Guests enjoy the fitness center, on-site restaurant, and outdoor terrace. Nearby you'll find Pont d'Avigno...

This vibrant hotel is located in the heart of Nice’s city center. Guests enjoy the rooftop pool with panoramic views of the city, rooftop bar, fitness...

This modern hotel is located in Montpellier’s city center. Guests enjoy the bar’s terrace, luxury toiletries, and rotating art galleries. Nearby, you’...

This contemporary hotel is located in the center of Bordeaux. Guests enjoy a restaurant, on-site coffee house, and fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find...

This modern hotel is located in the heart of the Châteaux de la Loire. Guests enjoy the bar, outdoor pool, and tennis court. Nearby, you’ll find some ...

This contemporary hotel is located in downtown Cabourg. Guests enjoy a fitness center, pool, and bar. Nearby you’ll find the Hippodrome de Cabourg, Pl...

This chic hotel is located in the heart of Paris’ Montparnasse neighborhood. Guests enjoy spacious rooms, a traditional streetside restaurant, and an ...

• Round-trip flight for your tour
• Airport transfers at your destination
• A great price locked in today
• 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
• Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
• Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
• Find out more about flights
• In order to enter France, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
• Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
• Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center .
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code FRC.
• You will walk for at least 3 hours daily across moderately uneven terrain, including paved roads, cobblestone streets, and sandy paths, with some hills.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
• You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times.
• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Lyon and depart from Paris. A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
• Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
• All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov .
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
• Cuisine in the Normandy region of France is known for its fresh flavors. Chicken, rabbit, and duck are staples, and you can find fish and shellfish in its coastal towns. The abundance of dairy farms throughout the region means many dishes are accompanied by cheeses and creams. Normandy is also famous for its apples, which are used to create cider and Calvados, or apple brandy.
• For a picnic with French flair, stop at a small grocery store for cheeses, pâtés, cured meats, fresh-baked bread, and fruit. In the cities, sidewalk vendors are known for their steaming crepes, while mouthwatering pastries and hot café au lait beckon from cafes. In restaurants, the prix fixe option is a popular way to enjoy a set three- or four-course menu for a good price.
• Although lunch is generally served from noon until 2pm in France, dinner is served from 7:30pm onward. Those wishing to eat earlier can stop at a cafe, where light entrées and sandwiches are available throughout the afternoon and evening.
• France operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other electrical device without a built-in converter.
• The majority of the hotels on this tour will have air conditioning. The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
• Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
• France is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
• You will use the euro on this tour.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on your tour.
• Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
• Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
• Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.

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Tour de Suisse Preview: Big Names Square Off in Major Tour de France Tune-up

Egan bernal, tom pidcock, adam yates and more to blitz climbs, while mark cavendish chases sprint win..

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With a sizeable chunk of the Tour de France peloton currently racing in the Critérium du Dauphiné , a second wave of riders targeting the grand tour will begin their own final preparations at the Tour de Suisse .

Starting on Sunday and running for eight days, the contest will see more of the sport’s top names in action. The top four GC contenders will be missing, with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) still recovering from the Giro d’Italia, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) still rebuilding after his Itzulia Basque Country crash on April 4, and both Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in action in the Dauphiné.

In their absence a number of other potential Tour podium contenders will be lighting up the roads in Switzerland, including former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers).

Five years ago the Colombian became the youngest Tour champion since 1909. Since then he has been blighted by injury, including a near-fatal training crash in 2022, but this season has seen his best form in years.

His results include GC third places in both the Volta a Catalunya and the O Gran Camiño, as well as a number of other top 10 finishes. He will aim for a stirring showing in Switzerland prior to his Tour participation, as will teammate Tom Pidcock .

The Briton won the Amstel Gold Race in April and was fourth in Strade Bianche. He has built his season around a strong performance in the Tour and with leadership in mind, will want to make a statement in Switzerland.

Returning after his overall victory last year will be Lidl-Trek rider Mathias Skjelmose . The Lidl-Trek climber was third in Itzulia Basque Country and will be psyched to repeat his 2023 success.

UAE Team Emirates has a stacked team, with last year’s Tour de France podium-finisher Adam Yates hoping to be back on track after suffering a bad concussion in the UAE Tour. Yates will be joined by Joâo Almeida , who could also be in the running, while their young teammate Isaac del Toro has the talent to do something big.

Movistar will be captained by Enric Mas , three times the runner-up in the Vuelta a España, and EF Education First will feature 2019 Giro d’Italia winner Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).

Cian Uijtdebroeks will hope to be back in form after withdrawing from the Giro d’Italia with illness. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider won’t do the Tour this year, meaning the Tour de Suisse could be a major target in itself.

Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) is another top young talent, and his recent win in the Mercan’Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes hints at the form he could show in the high mountains.

High altitude showdowns plus two stages for sprinters

As expected from a country as mountainous as Switzerland, there will be a major emphasis on climbing in this year’s Tour de Suisse. Four of the eight stages have summit finishes, while the final stage is a time trial finishing with a long uphill.

Stage 1 on Sunday is a 4.8km time trial starting and finishing in Vaduz. It is completely flat, while stage 2 to Regensdorf features three classified climbs and a total of 2,400 meters of ascent. The last climb does top out with about 9km to go, making a big sprint possible.

Day three runs from Steinmaur to Rüschlikon and is another one that could suit the sprinters, although 2,000 meters of climbing plus an uphill ramp to the finish may complicate thing slightly.

Look out for Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) to try to shine on one or both of these days, with a possible morale boost prior to his final Tour de France a big motivation. Also chasing sprint glory are Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech), Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), and others.

The uphill stars step forward on stage 4, which takes the bunch 170.5km to San Gottardo. The final climbs begin 30km from the finish line and finish with the 8.2km ascent of the Gotthard Pass. That takes the riders to 2,041 meters above sea level, and will be a big test of form.

Stage five continues that climbing requirement and while the first two climbs are followed by a near 100km stretch of downhill and flat roads, it does conclude with the 10.2km ascent to Carì, averaging 8 percent.

Stage 6 was billed as the race’s queen stage but race organizers stated on Friday that problems with snow on the Nufenenpass meant that climb would be excluded. Other alternatives were also ruled out, meaning the race will instead be seriously shortened from 151.4km to just 42.5km.

It will still finish atop the Blatten-Belalp climb, but will total only 848 meters in altitude gain. The planned #RideforGino award in tribute to Gino Mäder moves from the Nufenen Pass to the Gotthard Pass on stage four.

Two further days of racing will follow after that point. Stage 7 is a three-peak day in the mountains, with a climb of the Col de la Croix situated just after the start to put pressure on the riders and again just after halfway through, then a finishing climb at Villars-Sur-Ollon.

The big Tour warm-up race then concludes next Sunday with a 15.7km individual time trial from Aigle to, once more, Villars-Sur-Ollon.

Most of the test is uphill, enabling the climbing specialists to have one final opportunity to chase the race leader’s jersey and to land a major pre-Tour de France morale boost.

Tour de Suisse 2024

Stage 1, June 9: Vaduz to Vaduz (4.8km) Stage 2, June 10: Vaduz to Regensdorf (176.9km) Stage 3, June 11: Steinmaur to Rüschlikon (161.7km) Stage 4, June 12: Rüschlikon to San Gottardo (170.9km) Stage 5, June 13: Ambri to Cari (148.6km) Stage 6, June 14: Ulrichen to Blaten-Belalp (42.5km) Stage 7, June 15: Villars-sur-Ollon to Villars-sur-Ollon (118.2km) Stage 8, June 16: Aigle to Villars-sur-Ollon time trial (15.7km)

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Baloise Belgium Tour

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• Stage 1 (ITT)

Points at finish

Youth day classification, team day classification, race information.

• Date: 12 June 2024
• Start time: 14:00
• Avg. speed winner: 53.731 km/h
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 12 km
• Points scale: 2.PRO.Stage
• UCI scale: UCI.WR.Pro.Stage
• Parcours type:
• ProfileScore: 2
• Vert. meters: 136
• Departure: Beringen
• Arrival: Beringen
• Race ranking: 42
• Startlist quality score: 442
• Avg. temperature: 15 °C

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