The Alps. The playground of the grimpeurs. Roads made for whispy climbers with low bodyweight and a high tolerance for pain.

Or at least that’s how it is for the pros. But if you’ve ridden a mountain pass in the Alps you’ll know that when the Tour’s not on you can see all sorts of people on a wide variety of bikes on the slopes on a given day.

In all honesty the mountains, whether it’s the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites or wherever, are roads that every cyclist should experience at least once. Unless you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with mountains on your doorstep, it’s a type of riding you won’t experience anywhere (especially in the UK) and is much more than just fun on the bike.

But don’t let us sway you just yet, check out these six compelling reasons to book that trip to south east France…