Cycling Holidays - Bike & Barge: Avignon to Camargue

Bike & Barge: Avignon to Camargue

France

From £1,049 P/P

A wonderful bike and barge tour through the wild Camargue nature with its bulls and horses: from the medieval fortress of Aigues Mortes you’ll cycle gradually towards Arles.

After that you’ll visit the most typical Provence landscape, including the Rhone Valley, Van Gogh’s Provence, the Roman Pont du Gard.

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Itinerary
Itinerary

Day 1: Avignon

Individual arrival and boarding after 6 p.m. in Avignon. Your mooring place is in Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet.

Day 2: Avignon, round tour (30 km)

Today we’ll get to the other side of the river Rhone by crossing the island Île de la Barthelasse, and we’ll ride in the typical garrigue landscape, between vineyards and orchards. Before going back we’ll visit Villeneuve Les Avignon, once known to be the town of the cardinals. In the afternoon time to discover the historic centre of Avignon.

Day 3: Avignon – Aramon (40 km)

In the morning navigation till the town of Aramon, where you will start pedalling. The stage today will bring you to the best preserved Roman aqueduct in Europe: Pont du Gard, a very spectacular work. Overnight in Aramon with a beautiful view over the Mont Ventoux.

Day 4: Aramon – Vallabrègues (35 km)

You start your day sailing to Vallabrègues, pretty Provençal village on the banks of the Rhône. Along country roads you will arrive to Barbentane with its castle at the confluence of the Rhone and Durance rivers. You will cycle to the magnificent Abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet and afterwards down to the medieval village of Boulbon. Overnight in Vallabrègues.

Day 5: Vallabrègues – Arles (55 km)

This stage brings you to Saint Remy de Provence, birthplace of Nostradamus. This village is also famous for having hosted Van Gogh in the days of his mental illness. In the end you move onto the Alpilles, with Les-Baux-de-Provence, a village lodged in the rock itself. A landscape of limestone cliffs and olive trees accompanies your journey.

Day 6: Arles – Aigues-Mortes (25 km)

Today the whole morning is dedicated to visit Arles, the ancient capital of Gaul with beautiful Roman ruins. You will also have the opportunity to be welcomed by a professional guide, who will accompany you around the jewels of the town. After lunch you reach the lock of Saint Gilles and from there you will sail to Aigues Mortes for the overnight stay.

Day 7: Aigues Mortes, round tour (55 km)

Going through small country lanes of Camargue between canals, lagoons and small villages you will reach in the afternoon the charming fishermen’s village Le Grau-du-Roi. Possibility of a refreshing bath on the beach.

Day 8: Return Home

After breakfast make your way to your chosen departure point, or stay on for one or two nights more.

Route Overview

The tour is totally in the lowlands during the two stages in Camargue, while the stages north of Arles present some ups and downs, which are however easy to overcome. There is just one more demanding slope towards Les Baux de Provence, but you will be fully repaid with an extraordinary landscape. The itinerary is mostly on secondary roads with low traffic; some short stretches on more busy roads are however inevitable. There will also be a couple of navigation stretches to make the stage more enjoyable.

Starting point of the cycling holiday: Avignon

Route Map (For guidance only):

Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.

Route Profile:

Brief itinerary:	Route Profile
Day 2: Avignon round tour (45 km, vertical up 100 m)	Going northward you will pass through the renowned vineyards that surround the medieval city of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where you can taste a delicious glass of “Côtes du Rhône”. You will cycle back to Avignon along peaceful country roads through Villeneuve Les Avignon. Simple circuit with only one difficulty: a difficult climb of 800m to reach Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Day 3: Avignon-Aramon (40 km, vertical up 110 m)	After leaving the village of Aramon the itinerary will bring you between rolling hills covered with fine vineyards and ancient villages before reaching the front of the majestic Pont du Gard, a masterpiece of Roman engineering. In the first part of the stage you will face short slopes. Navigation: about 2 hours from Avignon to Aramon.

Day 4: Aramon-Vallabrègues (35 km, vertical up 90 m)	After leaving Vallabrègues, you come up the course of the Rhone to the medieval village of Barbentane, from which you start the climb to reach the abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet. After relaxing in the quietness of the place a descent of 4 km and a pleasant country road are waiting for you before arriving in Boulbon, now a few kilometers from Vallabrègues. Navigation: about one hour from Aramon to Vallabrègues.

Day 5: Vallabrègues-Arles (56 km, vertical up 300 m)	When you have just left Vallabrègues, you will have to pay attention to the traffic along the wide road that runs to Tarascon. The rest of the stage goes along peaceful country roads. Today’s itinerary is the only one that has a real elevation up in ascent: 4 km ascent from St. Remy to Les Baux de Provence. But after Les Baux a beautiful 4 km downhill to the village of Paradou waits for you!

Day 6: Arles-Aigues Mortes (25 km, vertical up 0 m)	Today’s stage is a short “transfer” tour leading you through “Tête de la Camargue”, an area in the south-west of Arles delimited by the Petit Rhône. A cycle trip traversing cultivated fields,cane fields and bull farms as far as the the lock of St-Gilles. Navigation: 3 hours from St-Gilles to Aigues Mortes.

Day 7: Aigues Mortes round tour (55 km, vertical up 20 m)	This stage is dedicated to the exploration of the Camargue area, with its canals, villages and lagoons. In the afternoon you will reach the seaside town of Le Grau-du-Roi where you can have a bath in the Mediterranean Sea and relax on the sand. Do not miss the opportunity to observe small groups of pink flamingos along the Canal du Rhône à Sète and on its ponds at the edge of the Salins du Midi.

Getting There

Getting There

We recommend flying to Montpellier, Marseille or Avignon airport to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.

Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.

We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Voyages SNCF for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.

Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0800 755 5385 for more specific travel advice.

You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.

Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
What’s Included?
What’s Included?

The Bike & Barge: Avignon to Camargue cycling holiday includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and local support if required.

Included Services (Subject to confirmation)
- 7 overnights with bike hire
- Full board (breakfast, dinner and a self-made packed lunch)
- Coffee and tea on board
- Sheets and towels
- Courtesy kit
- Daily short cleaning + mid-week cabin cleaning service and towel change
- Travel guide, Maps, Roadbook
- English speaking tour leader within an international group
- Guided visit of Arles
- Harbour charges
- Emergency van in the area (also available for daily excursions)
Not Included
- Flights to/from the start and finish
- Evening meals (unless stated)
- Local daily taxes (Payable at the hotel)
- Helmets
- Water Bottles
- Travel Insurance
- Bike Insurance (unless stated)
- Welcome Meetings (unless stated)
- Transfers (unless included)
Bike Hire

Bike Hire

About the bikes

Tough, stable and reliable, specially designed for you to saddle up for several days on the trot. Girolibero bikes are citybikes with an aluminium frame and kitted with responsive brakes and gears. Plus: mudguards, trip computers, comfort gel saddles, flat-palmed grips, Schwalbe Marathon anti-puncture tyres.

27-gear Unisex Citybike

A low entry unisex frame, ideal for an upright but relaxed riding position. The number of gears varies by destination. In Italy, for instance, standard bikes have 27 gears, while in northern Europe they are generally fitted with 7 gears and a pedal brake (although bikes with more gears and conventional breaks can sometimes be requested).

27-gear Men's Citybike

Citybike with men's frame. The design and number of gears varies from country to country. As with unisex bikes, for example, bikes for our Italian tours have 21/24 gears, while in northern Europe they are usually fitted with 7 gears and a pedal brake (although bikes with more gears and conventional breaks can sometimes be requested).

Electric Bike Upgrades

Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.

E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 755 5385.

Bosch Active Line

Low-entry frame
Bosch batteries Power Packs of top safety and long life (36 V - 13,4 Ah Capacity - 500 Wh available power).
Bosch motor Active Line, located centrally (250 Watt, engine torque 50 Nm).
Gears: Shimano Deore 9-speed.
Range: approx 90 km (flat terrain, average speed).

When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Helmets are not provided and you will need to bring your own to use. We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday.

Date & Prices

You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0800 755 5385 to speak to one of the team.

Boat: Caprice (Sailing from Avignon)

Season	Date Band	Arrival Day
Season 1:	April \| July \| August	Saturdays
Season 2:	June \| July	Saturdays
Season 3:	September \| October	Saturdays

Twin Cabin Information :

Sailing Date	Prices per person including bike hire
13th April - 27th April \| 20th July - 31st August 2019	£1049
11th May - 6th July 2019	£1269
14th September - 12th October 2019	£1349
Single Room Supplement:	£289
Electric Bike Upgrade:	£109

Date From	Date To
13 April 2019	26 October 2019

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