Bike Across France
Serene cycling through unspoiled southwestern France
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It’s time to discover a new world! Nouvelle Aquitaine and Occitanie in the southwest rival the best of Italy for its storied history, castles, lush green scenery, stone villages, excellent wines, ancient art, prehistoric sites, generous people, and hearty provincial cuisine. Explore it with us on this deliciously offbeat itinerary.
On this bike across journey, we cycle along country lanes and discover that every trail reveals a fantastic scene from traditional France: timeless villages of golden stone, hilltop castles shining like visions from a medieval tale, and towering oak forests where a knight on a white horse might not look out of place. The full cultural immersion in this corner of France is facilitated by the amazing enchanting towns visited and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, like Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux area and Albi and Carcassonne. The medieval town of Sarlat located in a region called Perigord Noir, is also another treasure we will explore.
Tour Essence
- Discover four UNESCO World Heritage sites: Saint Emilion, Vezere Valley, Albi, and the Carcassonne fortress
- Discover the road less traveled in the rural idyllic regions of Nouvelle Aquitaine and Occitanie.
- Savor the wines of four major wine areas: Bordeaux, Bergerac, Cahors, Gaillac
- Learn about prehistoric sites of Grotte de Font-de-Gaume and Medieval Castelnaud Castle in Dordogne
- Visit the town of Carcassonne and the museum of Toulouse-Lautrec
- Go on a tranquil canoe ride on the Dordogne river
What to Expect
Terrain
Rolling with a few climbsStart Location
Saint-EmilionEnd Location
CarcassonneMileage
Average Daily: 30 miles Total: 297/326 milesElevation
Average Daily: 3,402 ft Total: 27,222 ft
Once you have a trip confirmed, we will feed you a steady diet of additional pre-departure information that includes: How to train, prepare, pack and all the wonderful, inspirational and practical things you want and need to know before you go! Our Travel Advisors will be available to help plan your pre- and post-tour travel.
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Service of professional guides throughout the program
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2 wine tastings
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Cycling clinics and one-on-one coaching
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4 guided visits: prehistoric decorated cave, Castelnaud Castle, the historical town of Carcassonne, Albi historical center and cathedral
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Canoe ride on the Dordogne River
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Shuttle at the end of the tour
What’s Included
- Use of our exclusive carbon road bike, La Classica Ribelle (or Equivalent Carbon Road Bike)
- Garmin Edge Touring GPS loaded with the GPX tracks of your rides
- Two water bottles
- Saddle bag with repair kit
- Optional: Map holder on handlebar
Pedal Options:
- Flat pedals
- Half-toe pedals (without straps)
What’s Not Included
- Helmet
- Optional: clipless/SPD pedals with shoes
- Optional: your own saddle
- All accommodations
- All breakfasts
- 2 lunches
- 6 dinners
The list of activities range from two wine tastings to a canoe ride on the Dordogne River. This tour has been beautifully tailored to peel back the layers of history, while savoring the gastronomy and the French lifestyle in the southwest, all from the vantage point of our saddle to really feel immersed in the nature, looking for the right rhythm to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience in this unforgettable corner of Europe. Allez, allez les cyclistes!
2023
Start Location
Saint-EmilionFly Into
Paris, FranceEnd Location
CarcassonneFly Out Of
Paris, FranceSaint-Emilion Warm-Up Ride
Meals Provided
Lunch, DinnerAverage Mileage
12 milesElevation Gain
472 ftRiding Terrain
Flat and rollingMeals Provided
Lunch, DinnerAccommodations
Chateau Hotel & Spa Grand Barrail
Surrounded by a 3-acre park, the Hotel Grand Barrail is a 4-star property that includes a full-service spa, steam room and sauna, as well as a seasonal outdoor pool. Wireless internet is available throughout and all rooms have air conditioning.
Bergerac area
Meals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAverage Mileage
57 milesElevation Gain
3,100 ftRiding Terrain
Rolling with a few climbsMeals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAccommodations
Chateau les Merles
The Chateau les Merles is a 4-star boutique hotel in southern France. Their charming castle estate is a stone’s throw from Bergerac and Bordeaux.
Sarlat
Meals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAverage Mileage
45/62 milesElevation Gain
3,000/4,000 ftRiding Terrain
Rolling with some 1-2 mile climbs—more climbs and descents on extra loopMeals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAccommodations
Plaza Madeleine
The 4-star Plaza Madeleine is ideally located at the entrance of the medieval city with its famous monuments, markets and shops, numerous restaurants, street shows and performances.
Dordogne: Canoe trip
Meals Provided
Breakfast, LunchMeals Provided
Breakfast, LunchAccommodations
Plaza Madeleine
The 4-star Plaza Madeleine is ideally located at the entrance of the medieval city with its famous monuments, markets and shops, numerous restaurants, street shows and performances.
Château de Mercuès
Meals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAverage Mileage
47/59 milesElevation Gain
4,100/4,700 ftRiding Terrain
Rolling with a few 2-3 mile climbs—more climbs and descents on extra loopMeals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAccommodations
Château de Mercuès
Feel like a queen or king and enjoy the elegant atmosphere of this historical building. Before dinner we enjoy a wine tasting and visit to the Chateau’s 21,500-square-foot cellar to experience the robust and full-bodied Cahors wine, featuring the Malbec grape that is grown here. (The hotel’s restaurant also boasts a Michelin-starred chef!)
Albi
Meals Provided
BreakfastAverage Mileage
45 milesElevation Gain
4,000 ftRiding Terrain
Rolling with a few climbs between 2 and 3 milesMeals Provided
BreakfastAccommodations
Hotel Alchimy
This family-run modern hotel is on a quiet street right near the old town center and is housed in an art deco building. The hotel offers chic rooms and suites alongside very friendly, professional service. The rooms are spacious with lots of personality and all are A/C equipped.
Garrevaques
Meals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAverage Mileage
41 milesElevation Gain
2,866 ftRiding Terrain
Rolling with some 2-mile climbMeals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAccommodations
Pavillon du Château
Our charming hotel Le Pavillon du Château is located in the heart of the Occitane countryside at the foot of the Montagne Noire. The hotel is a 17th-century building that was extensively renovated. It is surrounded by nature and we can relax in the garden with century-old olive trees.
Carcassonne
Meals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAverage Mileage
50 milesElevation Gain
4,000 ftRiding Terrain
One 6-mile gradual climb and long descentMeals Provided
Breakfast, DinnerAccommodations
Hotel de la Cité
In the heart of the medieval city, built on the site of a former episcopal palace, the 5-star Hotel de la Cité adjoins the Saint-Nazaire Basilica and overlooks the lower town from the ramparts, offering an enchanting view of the city, its gardens, its walls and its stones that have survived the centuries. The hotel is a magical 19th-century neo-Gothic masterpiece in medieval Carcassonne. There are 46 rooms and 13 suites, an outdoor pool and a shaded park.
