Lead time for booking European cycling tours?

[Shut Up Legs]

Note to mods: I posted in the General sub-forum instead of the touring one only because fewer people read the latter, and because my planned tour is a long way away yet. I hope this is acceptable?

I have long-service leave accumulated, and am now considering using up some of it by doing a European cycling tour. Alpe d'Huez, Mont Ventoux, etc. are little more than names to me, but I intend to rectify that oversight, by cycling up them! I was planning on September next year some time.

Can any of you who have done group cycling tours, i.e. organised by a company, tell me what the lead time is for booking them? In other words, how far in advance do I need to book? If you can recommend any good tours, that would also be great . Ideally one that lasts a few weeks and involves heaps of climbs up mountains .

By the way, a stopover in London (or thereabouts) would also be somewhere on my itinerary, so I could see some CCers in person , perhaps join you on a few rides, e.g. Cragg Vale Hill or something similar?

Regards,

--- Victor.

 

[classic33]

@victor
It'd be a nice ride upto Yorkshire from London, just to do the Crag Vale climb.
Go for it.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Oops, I'd forgotten Cragg Vale is quite a hike from London, perhaps train/plane to Manchester would be needed, then getting a hire bike? Anyway, I'd like to stopover somewhere in the UK on my way to Europe.

 

[Moodyman]

Sent you a PM Victor.