Azur Vélo

Azur Vélo organizes road and gravel cycling trips on the French Riviera, with routes and services adapted to the group. Its offering combines coastal roads, Maritime Alps climbs, and travel through the region’s towns and cities. Its guides live, ride, and train there, and the organization builds each trip around participants’ preferences and goals.

Founder and CEO Diana Panchyk was born in New York and began racing as a teenager. Her background includes fourteen years of road and mountain-bike racing, the Advil-Chapstick women’s team, and the US Women’s Cycling Development Program. She is a certified coach. Her interest in France’s cycling culture shaped a company bringing together athletic support and Riviera travel.

The team brings complementary backgrounds. Julian Ripoll, who grew up on the French Riviera, works as a cycling and outdoor guide, with a particular interest in gravel routes and experience in photography. Michael Cotty, founder of The Col Collective, adds knowledge of major climbs and endurance challenges. Cedrick Dubois is featured with his 2019 Étape du Tour victory and two Haute Route wins. The team’s mix allows an outing to focus on scenery, technique, or training.

Custom trips are defined by the people participants want to ride with, their preferred services, and an individualized itinerary. There are training camps for cyclists and triathletes, alongside options for enjoying the scenery without a competitive goal. The organization incorporates local details, such as back roads and gourmet rest stops, into the travel experience.

The catalog extends beyond the French Riviera: the French Alps, Pyrenees, Italian Dolomites, and Spain’s Costa Blanca are among its destinations. There are also tours through Côte d’Azur cities and towns and custom walking trips. Announced 2027 dates include a winter retreat in Calpe and a trip taking in Alpine climbs such as Alpe d’Huez and Col du Galibier; these are presented as future departures with their own booking periods.

Private cycling events and experiences for businesses, travel agencies, and hotels form another part of the operation. The initial inquiry allows the group, ability level, and preferred route to be described. Azur Vélo thus brings together sports travel and exploration of the region: a demanding climb, a seaside road, or a day of gravel riding can form the center of the plan, with support organized for that itinerary.