Cycling holidays in Burgundy - not just for the wine
Let's get on our bikes and cycle through the south of Burgundy, which some call the romantic South Burgundy, and rightly so. Let's sample the region's world-famous wines in the Cote d'Or department and enjoy rural France, where Christianity has built numerous churches and monasteries.
Northern Burgundy is just as beautiful as the south and here, too, there is wine that is worth sinning for. Your cycle route takes you past castles, into Noyers, to one of the hundred most beautiful villages in France and over a viaduct that offers views of the full splendour of the landscape in northern Burgundy.
Bike tours through the Provence
When someone talks about bicycle tours in France, some people immediately think about the Provence. And there are some good reasons for it. At last there is almost no sight lovelier than blossoming Provençal lavender fields. Furthermore the Provence stands for Mediterranean fruit farms with almonds, apricots and melons, for excellent wines and famous buildings like the Papal Palace in Avignon or the Roman Theatre in Orange. It stands for bright colours, the Camargue horses and flamingos and some beautiful towns at the Mediterranean Sea.
Provencal towns and village
Many small alleys run through the historic districts of typical Provence towns. There are always some nice little cafés and restaurants and virtually every settlement with a specific size has one of the famous Provençal markets, where you can buy wine, herbs, spices, fruits, cheese and other delicious things. Many of the towns and villages in the Provence have a Mediterranean flair. But Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is regarded as an especially typical Provence town. It is located about 20 kilometres away from Avignon and was the birth place of the prophet Nostradamus.
Marks of the Roman colonisation you can see on bike tours through the Provence for example in Arles, where a lot of historic Roman buildings are located. One highlight of the Roman architecture in the Provence is the 275 metres long and up to 49 metres high Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, which is one of the best preserved Roman bridges worldwide. Another highlight: In Orange you can see the well-preserved Roman Theatre of Orange, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. It is worth seeing. Younger but not less interesting is the UNESCO World Heritage of Avignon with buildings like the Gothic Papal Palace, the Rocher-des-Doms (cathedral) and the bridge Pont St. Bénézet.
Individual or guided tours through the Provence take cyclists maybe to Châteauneuf-du-Pape too. This settlement is very famous for wine-growing and great wines. And with that... we come to the topics wine and food culture now.
Savoury things from the Provence
Bike tours through the Provence are not at least a culinary pleasure. An important reason for it are the wines, because the Provence provides the world with some excellent rosé and red wines. Furthermore the cuisine of the region profits by the wealth of nature. The vegetable stew „Ratatouille“ is as well a delicious part of the Provençal cuisine as the Marseilles Bouillabaisse (fish soup) and more fish dishes. The vegetables of the region are often garnishes for meat dishes, which are often done with lamb. White nougat and confection made of almonds are two typical desserts of the Provence. It sounds delicious? It is delicious.
The highlights of the Provence
Especially for people, who decide for the first time to enjoy one of the possible cycle tours in the region, we recommend guided tours through the Provence like our “Highlights of the Provence“. This journey starts and ends in Orange and gives travellers the chance to enjoy many facets of the Provence on daily bicycle tours. Your way leads you for example to Arles and Avignon, to St. Remy and Châteauneuf-du-Pape as well as into the Camargue. Experience the most beautiful parts of a wonderful region.
And of course, the sea also draws us to Provence. Let's cycle there via Arles and Aix-en-Provence and make a detour to the Luberon Nature Park on our cycling holiday in France; the Luberon Nature Park owes its name to the mountain range of the same name: forests, fields, rock formations and deep valleys characterise the park, which is home to many rare plants and animals
Cycling holiday in France - detour to Brittany
Rougher than Provence and yet still romantic is Brittany in France. The Atlantic Ocean, not the Mediterranean, laps at the shores of the Breton coast. Small fishing harbours, oyster farms, long sandy beaches and towns such as the former royal city of Vannes make a cycling holiday here a special experience for all travellers. France has many faces, many beautiful faces.
Have fun at the Atlantic French coast
Compared with the Provence the Normandy is located virtually at the other end of France, deep in the north at the Atlantic coast. But although the ocean is rougher than in the south and although the same is valid for the landscape, bike tours in the Normandy and the Provence have something in common. Both combine pleasure in the nature with a lot of culture, which contains not at least a very good cuisine.
You can see the advantages of the Normandy for example on cycle tours like a Normandy journey from Bayeux to Rouen. Here you come across beautiful bathing places at the flower Coast. You can see outstanding culture like the famous medieval Carpet of Bayeux, which shows the Battle of Hastings in 1066. And you can see marks of a more modern history like the Landing of the allies during the Second World War. You will see Rouen, the town of the 100 church towers, and Honfleur at the Seine mouth, which is said to be one of the most attractive towns of the Normandy, not at least because of its picturesque harbour.
Culinary the journey “Normandy: Bayeux-Rouen“ convinces among others with alcoholic specialities like Calvados and cider, but with the excellent Norman cuisine too, which includes meals with seafood and tasty kinds of cheese.
Come to France
Now we have suggested some bicycle tours in France and a combined tour through France and Great Britain to you. But still we have shown you only a fraction of that, what bike tours through France can show you. There is more. Much more. Maybe you take a look on the France cycle tours, Rückenwind Reisen offers to you? It is quite possibly that there will be a tour, which fits perfect to your idea of a wonderful holiday. And maybe we can welcome you on one of our bike tours through France one day? We look forward to do it.
Cycle tours along the Canal du Midi
Certainly the Provence is not the only French region which is a good option for cycle tours. Another interesting region is the landscape around the Canal du Midi. The canal was finished in 1681. It leads from Toulouse with a length of 240 kilometres to the Mediterranean Sea and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1996. Combined with additional waterways from Toulouse to the Atlantic the Canal du Midi is a connection between the two oceans.
A speciality of the Canal du Midi are several tens of thousands trees, which were planted at the canal. The trees surrounding the water are a beautiful sight. Bike tours alongside the Canal du Midi combine a lot of the properties of a real good journey in France. If you start it in Sète at the Mediterranean Sea you maybe enjoy a bath day at the beach first. On your way afterwards you will reach towns like Narbonne and Carcassonne with fascinating buildings like the incomplete cathedral Saint Just et Saint Pasteur and the Palace of the Archbishops in Narbonne or the buildings in the historic district of Carcassonne, which is said to be one of the best preserved fortresses in Europe.
Not at least bike tours at the Canal du Midi are a culinary experience too. Restaurants offer among great wines for example oysters, mussels and local specialities like Cassoulet, a bean stew with sausages and bacon. But maybe you prefer to buy some food on one of the markets to enjoy a picnic at the water? Toulouse is the endpoint of many bike tours at the Canal du Midi, which start in Sète. And in Toulouse France shows you again a lot of cultural treasures which are worth seeing, for example the Basilica St-Sernin de Toulouse as a landmark of the town and the Capitol, which was built in the 18th century and is used today as the town hall.
Bike tour along the Rhône cycle path
The starting point of this cycling holiday is world-famous! The Swiss city of Geneva is located at the south-western tip of French-speaking Switzerland in the Lake Geneva region at the outflow of the Rhône from Lake Geneva. This is the ideal starting point for the Rhône cycle route. Via charming villages such as Seyssel and Champagneux, you follow the cycle path along the steep vineyards that rise up to the left and right of the Rhône. Afterwards, you have the day at leisure to relax on the hotel's sun terrace or take a cycle excursion past the Château de Mandrin. Or you can enjoy a relaxing day in the hotel's indoor pool.
The Rhône cycle path leads you directly along the river through the border landscape between Ain and Isere. After your overnight stay in Meximieux, follow the banks of the river past lush meadows and fields to Lyon. Your cycling holiday ends here or you can book the second part of the Rhône Cycle Path straight away.
The second part of your cycling holiday on the Rhône cycle path takes you from Lyon to Orange in Provence. You will be accompanied on these stages by lush vineyards and fragrant orchards. On your way from Lyon to Vienne, the futuristic ‘Museum des Confluence’ appears after a few kilometres. It is spectacularly situated on an island at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Over the next two days, you cycle through the fertile valley via Serriéres and Valence towards Provence. From Montélimar, you cycle over impressive suspension bridges and change banks several times. In Bourg St. Andréol, picturesque houses characterise the old town. The final stage then takes you through the beautiful countryside of Provence to Orange
Cycling holidays Alsace
Alsace is a paradise for cycling enthusiasts. There are many well-developed cycle paths and the region lies between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine. You have a wide choice of cycle routes here. You can also cycle in both Germany and France and experience two countries in one region. The official language in Alsace is French, but many people understand or speak German as the region is very close to the border. You will discover beautiful towns and idyllic villages along the Alsace Wine Route and enjoy the view of the Vosges mountains. Strasbourg has a very well-preserved historic city centre and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988. The Tanners' Quarter, the Palais du Rhin (former imperial palace) and the cathedral square are just some of the highlights to discover in Strasbourg. You can also visit Colmar and Mulhouse on our cycle routes through this region.
But there's not just something for the eye. The palate is also well catered for. The Alsatian cuisine, the high-quality wines and the cosy way of life offer our guests everything their heart desires.
