Self guided Cycling Tours in Provence, France


Provence-Mont Ventoux Cycling
 Wine tasting from the Mont Ventoux to the Dentelles de Montmirail

Far from the crowds, come and discover the natural wonders of la Provence: olive groves, fruit trees and wine! During your stay you’ll go from the beauty and history of Avignon, into the heart of the Dentelles de Montmirail with its small villages and its world-famous Côtes-du-Rhône wines…Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise, Séguret…

8 days / 7 nights
Self-guided Cycling Tour

Day 1 Trip starts in Avignon.  Arrival any time during the day.  Stay inside Avignon’s fortified city for the first night.  Discover the beauty of one of Provence’s great cities.  Hotel Avignon.

Day 2   Ride from Avignon to L’Isle sur la Sorgue, Provence’s antiques capital.  Finish your day with a climb up to your hotel with great views overlooking the valley in the sleepy village of Venasque classed amongst one of the "most beautiful villages in France."  (B, D)  Hotel Venasque.  (45 km)

Day 3   Ride along the base of the Monts du Vaucluse and follow your nose and your Road Book’s suggestions to different wine domains that await you.  Hotel Sainte Colombe. (B, D)  (22km)

Day 4   In Côtes du Ventoux country.  Let Peter guide you through his domain (No not Mayle!)  An Englishman in Provence with a love of wine!  Hotel Sainte Colombe. (B, D) (27 km)

Day 5   Next stop, Beaumes-de-Venise, and the wine discovery continues…In Vacqueyras, you’ll stay at a relaxing hotel just outside the village lined with wine cellars!  Hotel Vacqueyras. (B, D) (27km)

Day 6   A day of Côtes-du-Rhône village discovery.  With your Road Book in hand, you choose where to go and the amount of kilometers to ride.  Go from a lazy terrace lunch in a restaurant full of wine merchants to domain wine tasting into the early evening, just in time for an “aperitif” back at your hotel…le paradis!  Hotel Vacqueyras. (B, D) (from 10 to 30 km) 

Day 7   A short morning ride takes you to Vaison la Romaine with plenty of time to discover France’s largest Roman archeological site…Hotel Vaison la Romaine. (B) (32km)

Day 8   Transfer to Avignon.  End of trip. (B)

Information meeting in Avignon at the 1st hotel on the morning of day 2.

Our Road Book includes a detailed itinerary of each day’s biking and a practical map.  We let you in on our “great addresses” and our “favourites”.  We propose a selection of restaurants, places to visit you probably would not find on your own, and a few, suggested artists and craftsmen.  We also help you with the more pragmatic side of a trip by including a list of food stores, post offices, and banks.

  
ZZ-FR-Cycle10
8 days/ 7 nights $ 1,475
Single +$440 
-- based on €  995/ 299
  • 2008 Price include:
    Double occupancy in ** hotels or B&B lodgings with private facilities,
    7 breakfasts (B), 5 dinners (D),
    All transfers from the start to the finish of your trip in Avignon,
    6 days of biking,
    21-speed hybrid bikes equipped with a tool bag, pump and a helmet,
    Our Road Book.
     
  • Dates:
    Dates of Tour availability: can start any day, but subject to hotel availability, advance planning suggested for high season, March through October 2008.
     
  • Starting point:
    Avignon
  • End:
    Avignon
  • How to get there:
    High speed train to Avignon from Paris
  • Number of participants:
    Minimum two.
  • Level of difficulty:
    Easy level of biking with a maximum day at 45 km. Several days have climbs
  • Price does not include:
    All drinks, picnics, entrance fees, cancellation and travel insurance.
  • Bike :
    21-speed hybrid bikes equipped with a tool bag, pump and a helmet,
    •

Transfers are by local bus.
Day 8 : Vaison / Avignon – about 1 ½ hours.

 


DOCUMENTS              
Technical description of the itinerary, 1:50 000 scale map with itinerary traced out, contact listing, technical sheet and vouchers.

 

START OF TRIP          
Information meeting in Avignon at the 1st hotel on the morning of day 2.

 

END OF TRIP              
At the Avignon center bus station (gare routière) on day 8.

 

TRANSFER                  
Transfers are by local bus. Day 8 : Vaison / Avignon – about 1 ½ hours.

 

LUGGAGE                   
Taxis and hotel vehicles transfer clients’ bags from one hotel to the next.

 

LODGING                   
Double occupancy with private bath.

- 1 night at the Hotel d’Angleterre ** in Avignon
- 1 night at the Hotel les Remparts in Venasque
- 2 nights at the Café Guintrand in Sainte Colombe

- 2 nights at the Pradet hotel in Vacqueyras

- 1 night at the Hotel Burrhus in Vaison la Romaine

OR equivalent hotel.

 

MEALS                        
7 breakfasts (B) and 5 dinners (D) in hotels or local restaurants.
 Breakfasts : continental.
Dinner : menu with several choices – entrée, main dish and a dessert.
Occasionally dinner is a 2 course meal.
 Not included : Drinks, dinners not on the itinerary, all lunches.  Lunches : in
small restaurants, buy picnic items on the road or hotel makes a picnic to go. 

 

LENGTH&LEVEL         
8 days / 6 days of biking.  Easy level of biking with a maximum day at 45 km.

Several days have climbs.

 

DEPARTURES             
Any day from March 1 to October 31, 2008.

ACCESS                      
Day 1 :

- From Avignon TGV to hotel.  Regular shuttle bus to center of town - about 10

minutes.  Then on foot for about another 10 minutes.

- From Avignon Centre SNCF station to hotel - on foot about 10 minutes.
 Day 8 :

- Bus station is a 5 minute walk to Avignon Centre SNCF station and to

shuttle bus back to Avignon TGV station.