We will be organizing the next regional event in France in June 2027, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, but possibly also a little further south in the country and in the Alps. If you are interested in the project, you can sign up via this link to receive priority registration information when the school year begins in September 2026.: forms.gle/36UdiwJ8foCseuLX9
Take a deep breath of fresh air with Greek adventurer Manolis’ Best Of video! And don’t miss the opportunity to buy his bike — it’s now for sale. Watch the video here: sunnyclist.com/en
Arrival in Albertville – July 4, 2026
The 2026 Sun Trip Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has come to an end! We arrived in Albertville at noon today after a spectacular drive past the EDF Roselend Dam, in the presence of the mayor of the Olympic city and the mayor of Shoaguan, our Chinese partner, who is visiting Savoie.
This was an opportunity to celebrate all the participants for their tremendous team effort on this hot and mountainous adventure. This was certainly the edition with the best-prepared solar-powered bikes, and everyone was in high spirits throughout the two weeks on the road.
The list of winners for this year’s event is as follows:
Solar Challenge (100% Solar Performance)
1. Julien Solioz – 3,920 points
2. Jean-Louis Mérelle – 3,870 points!
3. Valérie & Denis Branly – 3,340 points
Jury Prize (Most Well-Rounded Adventurer)
Emmanuel Mury
Participants’ Choice Award (internal vote), tied
Maren Herb
Gaëtane Mathey (Groupama – Acticycle team)
Special Award, tied
Chantal & Olivier Guyot
Michel Mittler
Special Team Award (for the fun of it)
Silvia & Christophe Bayard (and Biscotte) for their flawless organization over the two weeks…
The guidelines for the 2027 regional edition 🇨🇵 will be released soon.
The Alps to wrap things up (June 29–July 4)
L’Iseran, plus haut col routier des Alpes, les doigts dans le nez ! Ici avec l’Acticycle :
For the second time, solar-powered bikes at the Plan du Lac mountain hut in the Vanoise National Park! Another milestone in our partnership with the Haute Maurienne Vanoise and Val Cenis regions, which we’ve visited five times since 2017! This is where the spirit of the Sun Trip comes alive, in harmony with unspoiled nature.
The group is in Valloire, Savoie, on July 1. The day’s itinerary included climbing the Col du Galibier, at an elevation of 2,642 meters. Quite a challenge, as they get closer to the summit of the Alps!
From Dévoluy to Oisans, the Sun Trip gains altitude before tackling the series of major mountain passes in Savoie.
Vidéo by Manolis :
To kick off our journey through the Alps and wrap up this detour through the southern part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, as we traverse the Dévoluy Mountains, we’ll spend a night camping at the Col de Festre, at an elevation of 1,441 meters, located precisely in the South region.
The view from the Velorean:
The Ardèche and the Drôme (June 27–29).
On June 28, the group arrived at Les Chamberts campground, near Crest, where a swim in the Drôme River was a must! Congratulations to everyone.
From Puy-de-Dôme to Drôme, passing through Ardèche and the Via Dolce—that’s the route of this long stage, which ends tomorrow near Crest. Smiles, encounters, mutual support, swimming… that’s what the journey is all about.
It’s worth noting that some participants have already reached tomorrow’s stage, having completed a record-breaking 191 km today!
Onboard camera footage from Emmanuel Mury’s #velomobile, capturing a 191-km day’s ride from Auvergne to the Rhône River crossing, heading toward the stage in Crest (Drôme). Magical!
The Auvergne part (June 23 to 27)
100% Auvergne, 100% freedom !
Hats off to Chantal and Olivier Guyot, a mother-son team with a completely unique vehicle, all in the name of the fight against cancer! It’s truly inspiring. More info: fr.ulule.com/velorean-bike
From Pas de Peyrol pass to Lake Aydat, this Thursday, June 25, was one of the most beautiful days of the adventure.
Stronger together!
In keeping with the long-standing tradition of our collaborations with the City of Le Puy-en-Velay—which has hosted us for the fourth time since 2017—here we go with the launch of the Auvergne stages!
The start took place in the presence of city officials and Sylvain Machefert, a leading pioneer of the Sun Trip (2013), and also marked the presentation of the adventure’s first yellow jersey to Jean-Louis Mérelle, who has earned the most points since Lyon.
50 km further on, we made a meaningful stop at the EDF Power Solutions solar power plant in Salzuit, attended by Mayor Pascale Noël and Francis Audigier, head of development for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region at EDF Power Solutions.
This partnership was further strengthened by the participation in this leg of a group employee working on-site, Florian Roc, who was able to borrow Gaëtane’s Acticycle for the occasion.
What a wonderful symbol to promote solar mobility with such committed partners!
A New Beginning with the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region!
Photos from the start of the Sun Trip 2026 at the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council headquarters in Lyon, attended by President Fabrice Pannekoucke.
France is sweltering, but the Sun Trip is holding its ground to continue promoting the idea of a new form of mobility—with a smile! Congratulations and thank you to our wonderful participants, as well as to the partners who make this all possible.
Live map on this link : https://maps.findmespot.com/s/PSB9#live/assets
A mountainous yet accessible route!
This is the hallmark of the Sun Trip in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region: there will be climbing—on gentle slopes and all the way up to the highest Alpine peaks! Here is an elevation preview of what the most direct route could look like, noting that the route between stages is flexible, and that a points-based competition will be set up to reward the top performers.
Here is an overview of the stages, if you would like to come and meet us, chat, and see the solar bikes:
The participants 2026
33 faces, aged 27 to 77, from 6 different countries, including both newcomers and long-time loyal participants.
