Ask any ultra cyclist about the most beautiful long-distance routes in the world, and the same names keep coming up: Route des Grandes Alpes, LEJOG, North Coast 500. We’ve put the lists side by side, driven some of them ourselves, and a few are emblazoned in capital letters on our bucket list. In all cases, these are routes that are well suited for cycling.
We are deliberately focusing here on routes where 28–32mm tires are logical. However, that limit is sliding: with the current generation of all-road frames and 35mm tires, you can ride on an increasing number of routes that five years ago were mostly ridden on a mountain bike. But more on that later.
From Lake Geneva to Nice – Route des Grandes Alpes
This is the route almost everyone starts with when it comes to bucket list trips. About 684 kilometers of it Thonon-les-Bains at Lake Geneva towards Nice on the Côte d’Azur, right across the most famous climbs of the Tour de France.
Of Col de l’Iseran (2,770m), the Col du Galibier (2,645m), the Col de la Croix de FerYou literally drive through it. The roads are pretty much all well paved and the climbs are steady, rarely really steep, which allows you to drive to 2000+ meters at your own pace. That makes it easier to plan long days without one extreme steep climb breaking everything.
In six to eight stages, this is feasible for anyone who survives a solid Ardennes week. Best season: June to September. You can best ride that stretch over the Iseran early in the day, before the campers wake up.
Around the Scottish Coast – North Coast 500
Of North Coast 500 It is also called the “British Route 66”: a route of about 800 kilometers that starts and ends in Inverness, Along the rugged north coast of Scotland.
With just under 10,000 vertical meters and a combination of short, venomous climbs and unpredictable Atlantic winds, every day is different. The Bealach na Bà It’s the climb everyone talks about: hairpin bends, stretches of 20%, and on a clear day, spectacular views over the coast. The fastest known round is 27 hours and 36 minutes, for context.
‘Let’s just put the rain jacket in the back for safety today,’ the remark at breakfast in Inverness. Disc brakes are highly recommended here on the wet, steep descents. Bring 28mm or better 30mm.
Across Great Britain – LEJOG
Van Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats In Scotland: 1,913 kilometers, fully paved. The fast variant follows A-roads (more traffic), the scenic variant winds through country lanes.
The surprise lies in the south. The endless ‘roller coaster“ rides in Devon and Cornwall are more tiring than the longer climbs in the Scottish Highlands. Expect ten to fourteen days if you also want to take time for stops along the way.
Island hopping over the Inland Sea of Japan – Shimanami Kaido
A completely different story: 70 kilometers from Onomichi (Honshu) to Imabari (Shikoku), connected by six islands with bridges and separated bike paths. Blue lines on the road indicate the way; getting lost is impossible.
Hardly any climbing or wind. However: well-maintained infrastructure, silence over the Japanese Inland Sea, and plenty of cafes along the route. This is the route you plan if you and your partner or a group that normally doesn’t go beyond 50 kilometers want to do something special.
Tunnel systems to the Adriatic Sea – Alpe-Adria
The route that appeared in almost every European list in 2025: the Alpe-Adria of Salzburg to Grado on the Italian coast. The route includes about 60 kilometers of old railway tunnels and viaducts through the Julian Alps, completely car-free.
Because this route receives so much attention, it is quieter on the route outside the high season. From Salzburg, you can reach it easily by train, and from Grado or Trieste you can take the train back. In five to seven days, you can comfortably ride it on a race bike with 28–32mm tires.
Head in the wind – Pacific Coast Highway
The American West Coast Vancouver to San Diego2,900 kilometers, 32,500 altitude meters. Drive it from north to south, because that way you’ll have the prevailing wind working for you instead of against you.
This is a two-to-three-week undertaking that requires an endurance-based approach to keep your back strong. The asphalt is mostly good, the view of the Pacific Ocean is virtually continuous, and the coffee stops along the Oregon coast and California They are numerous.
The Crazy Monsters – RAAM, Tour d’Afrique and Friendship Highway
And then there are the routes that many riders discuss at the trailhead but almost never ride themselves. RAAM (Race Across America): 4,800 kilometers, 53,000 vertical meters, nonstop. Winners do it in less than twelve days. Sleep is optional, “Shermer’s Neck” (your neck muscles give out) is a real risk.
Of Tour d’Afrique From Cairo to Cape Town, it covers 11,010 kilometers, partly on roads that are getting better and better but where a pure race bike doesn't belong. Friendship Highway The climb from Lhasa to Kathmandu is over 5,220 meters high, where you lose up to 40% of your strength.
For projects like this, you need a support team, a large budget, and months of preparation. Or just a brief flash of inspiration. That’s how you could also see it.
Comparison table
| Route | Distance | Elevation meters | Days (realistic) | Best season | Asphalt | Excellent bandwidth | Difficulty (1–5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route des Grandes Alpes | 684 km | ~16,000m | 6–8 | June–September | 100% | 25–28mm | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| North Coast 500 | 800 km | ~10,000m | 5–7 | May–September | 100% | 28–30mm | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| LEJOG | 1,913 km | ~20,000m | 10–14 | Jun–Aug | 100% | 25–28mm | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Shimanami Kaido | 70 km | at least | 1 | March–November | 100% | 25mm | ⭐ |
| Alpe-Adria | ~410 km | ~4,000m | 5–7 | May–October | 90%+ | 28–32mm | ⭐⭐ |
| Pacific Coast Highway | 2,900 km | 32,500m | 14–21 | June–September | 98% | 28mm | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Practical: this is how you would approach the Route des Grandes Alpes
Start in Thonon-les-Bains of Geneva. Parking is available in Thonon near the station, and you can spend the night in one of the hotels by the lake. In the larger Alpine towns like Briançon en Bourg-d’Oisans There are plenty of hotels with closed bicycle parking; in the smaller villages you sometimes have to call first.
End point Nice It's perfect: we roll back along the boulevard to the station (conscious choice for headquarters ;)), take the TGV back north. Pasta, pizza and local cheeses can be found everywhere along the way. We save the wine for the last evening.
What long-distance routes are still missing here, where you really need to ride a road bike? Do you have LEJOG or Alpe-Adria experiences, or a secret Alpine crossing that no one knows about? Let us know, and we will plan the next exploration!
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.