Our concept
What is gravel?
In it’s most elemental and geological definition, it’s a “loose aggregation of rock fragments”. But what does it mean in the world of cycling? Gravel isn’t so much a discipline as it is a mindset, a way of getting back to where cycling came from. It’s about getting out and riding your bike, regardless of terrain or organised rules. At GravelUp we see gravel as a way of exploring whatever type of terrain is in front of us on our bikes in order to find some of the most beautiful places on earth.
Gravel isn’t road cycling, nor is it mountain biking. It is a type of riding that knows no real boundaries whether it comes to equipment, style, ability or social class. The only requirement is an appetite for adventure and stepping into the unknown. This is where GravelUp was born.
Our team of experts specialise in opening up the world of gravel cycling adventures to anyone who wants to experience incredible locales with a curated selection of gravel tours that range from fully-catered weekend excursions to epic week-long expeditions across Europe. All of which come with the assurance that our team has your back from the grand départ to that cold beer or glass of wine at the finish.
What do you you need to come on a GravelUP cycling experience?
What makes GravelUp different ? We do gravel, only gravel...and we do it well. It is our passion. So all you need is to look through our menu of trips and let us know what kind of trip you are looking for. You can find our selection of trip styles here. Everyone is welcome to the party!
We offer four different styles of trips that can be catered to you or a group of friends and family :
Escape: This is our most accessible package option, built for those who want an introductory gravel experience from our home-base or for those with a limited amount of time to get out riding.
Adventurer: This is the gateway to multi-day gravel adventuring. Spend three days in our French home-base to explore moderately challenging routes while getting a real taste of the multi-day experience.
Explorer: This five day itinerary is a deep dive into the region of your choosing. Geared for those who are accomplished cyclists who want an immersive adventure experience while challenging their level on the bike.
Pathfinder: Our full seven day trips are the holy grail of gravel exploration. Set out across an entire region from our list of destinations and go full on into the landscape and local culture. This option is not for the faint of heart, but we guarantee it will be a trip of a lifetime.
Choose Your Path...
You can then browse through our incredible list of European destinations including Corsica, Provence, Andalusia, Norway and more. Find the full list of destinations here to find your dream locale in 2024. Spoiler alert, we have even more destinations in the works with our local experts for the coming seasons.
All of the routes have been carefully plotted by our certified guides who have intrinsic local knowledge and have built relationships with some the best local accommodations and places to eat so you can fully immerse yourself in the local culture after you get done pushing your limits on pristine gravel roads surrounded stunning scenery.
What makes GravelUp different to other cycling holiday operators?
While other operators focus on traditional routes and additional luxury travel options like sailing and wine tours, we do what we do best. The GravelUp team is committed to exploring the world on gravel, but in five star style.
All of our adventures include Include guided tours by our guides with deep local knowledge and safety training. We will will sort your accommodation, meals and bike rentals if you don’t have your own bike or you fancy trying some of the best bikes on the market. We will guide you from pre-trip preparations, all the way to celebrating together after that final kilometre is in the tank.
Our small group sizes guarantee personalised attention with our Escape and Adventurer groups maxing out at 12 riders, and the Explorer option at no more than 10 riders per group. We believe that if you want to immerse yourself in the spirit of gravel, the intimacy of a small and dynamic group is the only way to go.
Family vibe...
Gravel cycling was born from a spirit of independence, creativity and community. Thus we started GravelUp in this spirit. Founded by a group of friends with a deep knowledge of the cycling, the hospitality sector, business and adventure tourism, we want to welcome you into our family so you can feel our passion for adventure cycling and so you can leave a lasting impact on us. Learn more about the GravelUp family who will take care of you from start to finish. And who knows, maybe we will become friends for life.
Meet the team here 👇
Olivier
After 13 years traveling the world for a large hotel group, my vision of tourism has changed to offer more authentic and local experiences. Gravel practice and cycling adventure have allowed me to envision a new form of performance combining my two passions: travel and surpassing oneself through sport.
We only have one life so kudos Hunter S Thomson:
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"
JB
Sometimes you have to go far from home to come back to it. Back from Shanghai with my family in the summer of 2021 after 10 years traveling the landscapes of China and South East Asia by bike, here I am back on this magnificent continent that is Europe with this thirst for adventure, discoveries and encounters.
Aurel
In life, there are years that mark more than others. 2021 was the year for action - the year where I left the comfort of a career in Finance to live the present moment off the beaten tracks - the year where I join 2 amazing entrepreneurs in a project full of meaning, and for which I fully shares values: freedom, exploration, truth, sharing.
We are surrounded by a team as passionate as they are skilled:
Orlane | Our Destination Manager, always bringing smiles!
Eden & Julien | Expedition Advisors, here to answer all your questions.
Colin | Logistics Manager and expert mechanic—no bike can resist him!
Thomas | Artistic Director, with us since the very beginning of our adventure.
Marine | Communication Manager, full of energy and passion.
Clémence | Corsica destination expert.
We are supported by 6 advisors:
Armelle Solehlalh | Entrepreneur, Business Angel, Board member, Author - Agence SWITCH
Richard Collomb-Patton | General Manager France - Scott
Romain Millet | General Manager - MMG (Millet Mountain Group)
Grégory Mollet-Viéville | Co-Founder - CYD (Conquer Your Day)
Matthieu Robert | Leader of the "Decathlon Pass - Mobile application around the ski pass" project - at Décathlon France
Boris Stephan | Digital Marketing Manager - Petzl
We are also proud member of Réseau Entreprendre Paris and we were incubated at OSV (Outdoor Sports Valley), a startup accelerator specializing in Outdoor, in Annecy, during 2 years.
Come ride with us!
If GravelUp feels right and can deliver all of your needs, wants, dreams and desires for your next gravel bike trip, we can promise you an adventure-filled trip with stunning landscapes, pro guidance, a supportive community and lots of laughs. Our dedication to providing high-quality, sustainable, and personalised experiences makes our trips a first in class pick for gravel cyclists from beginners to seasoned veterans. We want you and your crew to explore Europe (and soon beyond) in a way that only passionate gravel cyclists can provide.
If you have any questions, visit our FAQ page or contact us here. In order to stay up to date on all things from our world, please give us a follow on instagram @gravelup.earth and we will see you out on the roads, trails and everywhere in between.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE "UP" IN YOUR NAME ?
At some point in our lives, we have all been looking for some taste of extreme. But we have been hesitating by either lack of time, training or self confidence.
With GravelUp, it is finally possible !
Here is what is waiting for you in our expeditions :
It is all about climbing summits. And this what we will have you do during our expeditions: climb the summits from the most pristine european mountain ranges.
So yes there will be some incline, some physical challenge but mostly a total immersion in the mountain eco systems.
At GravelUp we are convinced that crossing mountains on a bike makes you Happy.
We propose you a new style of performance. This is not competition or time chrono but (really) to elevate yourself in your mind by reconnecting to yourself, to the others and to our planet earth.
Our expeditions are meant to be transformative, full of exchange and sharings between our guides, our partners and our Gravel Uppers.
Our system of levels will give you the opportunity to progress in your practice of biking adventures. Each completed expedition will make you access to the next challenge and we are here to accompany you and have you progress. Unlocking the next destination is your challenge.
They also talk about us...
Launched in 2022 our start-up is growing, month after month, stay after stay. We built our team and our trips so that the participants take as much pleasure as possible and leave with memories full of head and some aches but not too much.
You will find below a selection of articles in the French press that illustrate our state of mind and our vision of gravel ⬇️.