Provence has always been a leisure cycling hotspot and this Provence and Camargue holiday is no exception. This tour is a delight from start to finish as you pass through truly stunning landscapes that are sure to envoke your senses with the smell of lavender and the sea air wilst passing bakeries and farmers markets on route. During your breaks you you can indulge your self in the local produce as well as enjoying the warmth of the french sun.
Enjoy the city with the wonderful architectural monuments from Roman times. The great theatre and the triumph arch are historical witnesses from this epoch. The old town attracts with Provençal charm as well as small pretty shops and cafés.
The first stage takes you into the world-famous wine town Châteauneuf-du-Pape. A stroll through the town should not be missed/ You travel to the city of Avignon along the Rhône on cycle paths and without the bother of car traffic. We recommend a stroll through the old town (guided options include a guided tour of the city) with a visit to the pope palace.
Without any difficulty and once again with hardly any traffic you leave the town and cycle directly to St. Rémy, probably the most beautiful and certainly the most typical town in the Provence. Nothing surpasses the hustle and bustle, the blaze of colour and the richness of herb scents under the shadow-offering plane trees in the ancient alleys of the old town/ The effort of the ascent to the Alpilles is rewarded with great views of the Les Baux/ Because of the harmonic location of the village and because of the fortress ruins, Les Baux is also known as the “city in rock”. Chosen small paths and tiny streets take you to Arles. Roman culture and Romanesque heritage characterise the cityscape and the history of Arles. Arles was the second-biggest city of the Roman Empire; it is also the city of Vincent van Gogh. Your hotel accommodates you for the next two nights.
ARLES – CAMARGUE – ARLES APPROX. 45km
Half sea, half land – the Camargue is a unique natural landscape with brackish water lakes, vast salt steppes, wild horses and the famous pink flamingos. Small paths take you into the unique nature reserve. In Mejanes with the Arena you have the opportunity of travelling with a small train through unspoilt nature and to admire, with some luck, flamingos and wild bulls. The route takes you on almost traffic-free paths back to Arles (guided options include a guided tour of the city).
In the morning you will cycle through the cities Tarascon und Beaucaire which are disconnected because of the river Rhone. Sights of these cities are their castles from the 12th century. Many cafés at the canal are inviting you to make a break. In Nimes you can have a look at the buildings which are built by the Romans. On the one hand the arena, the Maison Carrée or the Tour Magne, but on the other hand also a lot of modern buildings, for example the Carré d´art from Norman Foster.
The fortress of Tarascon, located high above the Rhône, accompanies you for a while through the vineyards of Costières-de-Nimes. About noon you will already see Pont-du-Gard, the famous aqueduct from Roman times, world heritage as well. Aromatic plants such as lavender, thyme and rosemary accompany you into the pretty Provençal town of Uzès, which attracts with its magical, medieval charm. Among other places of interest, the unique market square, surrounded by arcades, is worthwhile.
Today the landscape changes once again/ The last stage takes you through the hilly landscape of the Garrigue, with its oaks and Mediterranean herbs. Later on, the vineyards and the lovely orchards of the Provence take over once again/ On the other side of the river you cycle through other famous wine regions of the Côte du Rhône (Lirac, Laudan) and reach the city of Orange again in the afternoon.
After breakfast individual departure or additional nights in Orange.
Overall Difficulty - Easy – Medium hard: Apart from a few small ascents in the hilly landscapes of the Garrigue and the Alpilles, the route is easy and varied, suitable even for inexperienced cyclists. You mostly bike on small streets with less traffic and on asphalted paths.
Included:
Accommodation in your selected category
Breakfast buffet or an extensive breakfast
Welcome briefing (German, English)
Luggage transfer between the hotels
Well elaborated route
Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English, French)
GPS-Data is available
Service-hotline
Rental Bikes Available
About the Rental Bikes
This cycling holiday uses quality crossbar and unisex hybrid bikes based on KTM frame technology, Selle Royal saddles, Shimano components and puncture-proof tyres to ensure that you have an enjoyable cycle tour. The bikes feature modern V-brakes, aluminium frames with mudguards, comfortable saddles and a rack for a supplied waterproof pannier.
You will also receive a handlebar bag and map holder for easy navigation when riding your daily itinerary. Prices advertised on the website include standard bike hire (unless stated). Colour and specification may vary from the image shown.
Unisex Bike (Colour may vary)
Men's Bike (Colour may vary)
Electric Bike (Colour may vary)
Rental Bike PLUS
For 2020, there is an additional bike rental option available for a supplement. The PLUS hybrid bike now available on most cycling holidays is sportier with higher quality brakes (Magura HS 11) and better specification gears (Shimano Deore XT). The riding position is designed to have a slightly sportier sitting posture and a high quality Suntour suspension fork gives smooth riding on most surfaces. All accessories are compatible with the new PLUS bike rental option.
Accessories
If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided and please make sure that you bring along with you any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.
All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals, but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.
You can rent a men's bike with a crossbar, unisex/female bike with a sloping tube or an electric bike for a supplement.
Gears
7 speed bikes are equipped with a Shimano Nexus gear hub and 21 speed bikes have a Shimano Alivio derailleur. We request 21 speed bikes for all cycling holidays (when available).
Frame Sizing
When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Unisex frame 21-gears with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm. Unisex 7-gears-bikes with back pedalling brake. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 cm. Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar. Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "sloping" cm. 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!
Bike Hire Insurance
This cycle tour benefits from bike insurance against rental bike theft and damage in the holiday price. Please make sure you lock up the bike, leave it where told by the hotel and treat your hire bicycle as if the bike was your own. Any negligent treatment of the bike will exempt you from cover. We advise you to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance for your cycling holiday prior to arrival.
Electric Bike Hire
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 0161 703 8161.
You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.
You can now book this cycling holiday online using our secure booking engine. Book online here >>
Season | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 |
Range 1 | Mar 20 2021 - Jun 7 2021 | Jun 8 2021 - Jun 28 2021 | Jun 29 2021 - Aug 7 2021 |
Range 2 | Oct 5 2021 - Oct 18 2021 | Aug 8 2021 - Oct 4 2021 | N/A |
Arrival Day | Mon - Sat | Mon - Sat | Mon - Sat |
Room Type | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 |
double room - Cat A | £870.00 | £900.00 | £925.00 |
single room - Cat A | £240.00 | £240.00 | £240.00 |
double room -Cat B | £775.00 | £800.00 | £830.00 |
single room - Cat B | £215.00 | £215.00 | £215.00 |
Location | Occupancy | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 |
Orange - Cat A | p.p. dbl/bb | £60.00 | £60.00 | £60.00 |
Orange - Cat A | sgl/bb | £100.00 | £100.00 | £100.00 |
Orange - Cat B | p.p. dbl/bb | £50.00 | £50.00 | £50.00 |
Orange - Cat B | sgl/bb | £80.00 | £80.00 | £80.00 |
Bike | Price |
Rental bike 21-gear | £75.00 |
Rental bike 7-gear | £75.00 |
Rental bike PLUS | £125.00 |
Electric bike | £180.00 |
Meal Option | HB |
Cat A | £250.00 |
Cat B | £235.00 |
Date From | Date To |
---|---|
20 March 2021 | 18 October 2021 |