Our Selection Of
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Our selection of CYCLING HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE www.freewheelingfrance.com Contents Why • Page 5: Alsace • Page 7: South-West France cycle • Page 14: The Pyrenees in France? • Page 16: The Alps • Page 20: Tour de France + Bespoke France is the perfect destination for cyclists • Page 21: Northern France of all ages and abilities – that’s one of the reasons we love it. • Page 23: Burgundy • Page 25: Loire Valley Whether you’re a first-time cycle tourer, a family, or a road rider with lots of kilometres • Page 30: Paris + South of France in your legs, there’s an experience for you. • Page 36: Multi Activity Trips For people who don’t want a completely • Page 38: Off the beaten track ‘do-it-yourself’ trip, there are lots of great • Page 43: Our holiday planning service guided and self-guided options. What is a self-guided cycling holiday? We have put together a selection of tours covering a range of budgets and for all types Self-guided cycling tours are (usually) cheaper of cyclists. You can also browse them at than their guided equivalents because they don’t www.freewheelingfrance.com. involve the costs of having to employ a guide or full-time van driver. They are great for people If you need help choosing a tour, you can who want to cycle independently but who like email me at [email protected] to have a bit of local support as well to take the Bonne route! hassle out of the planning Lyn. All tours differ, but self-guided cycling tours generally include some or all of the following: • accommodation booked or recommended Who are we? • breakfasts + plus some or all other meals freewheelingfrance.com is an independent website for cycling in France. The tours in this brochure are NOT run by us. We have collated • maps and detailed route notes them to help you enjoy cycling in France as much as we do. You can • bike hire option read more about us here. • luggage transfers (though some companies offer panniers rather than day-to-day Disclaimer: This brochure is provided for guidance only. Tours are run by companies luggage transfers) independent of Freewheeling France. Bookings/enquiries should be made directly with the companies featured. Details are subject to change. Freewheeling France • airport pickups takes no responsibility for tour-related problems of any kind. Please ask the tour company all the usual questions about consumer protections prior to booking. • emergency phone support All images are copyrighted to Freewheeling France or supplied by tour companies, unless otherwise credited. Any errors are incidental and we are happy to make amendments to future editions to rectify them. Copyright Freewheeling France 2017 2 What is a guided cycling holiday? (though you can also take panniers). These tours can be guided or self-guided. Bike hire and All tours differ, but guided cycling tours other add-ons can be arranged. generally include some or all of the following: • an experienced guide What is a fixed base cycling holiday? • on-road support (car or van) These are cycling holidays that use a fixed base • accommodation booked for you – usually a hotel, B&B or self-catering gite – from which you can explore the local area. • breakfasts + some or all other meals • maps and detailed route notes These tours may be guided or self-guided, with daily routes mapped out within a set radius of • bike hire option your accommodation. Sometimes your tour • luggage transfers operator will be on hand to ferry you to ride • airport pickups starting points farther afield. Guided tours tend to be ‘bells and whistles’. Fixed base holidays can also be trips you’ve arranged yourself directly with the What’s a point-to-point holiday? accommodation provider, who may be able to supplement your own research with local route These are tours that go from one place to advice and maps. Bike hire and other add-ons another each day (or sometimes every other can be arranged. day). They move from hotel to hotel or B&B to B&B, with your luggage usually moved for you 3 Useful links Choosing a level of difficulty Questions for the tour company • Is the itinerary fixed or can you tailor it for There is lots of Terms like ‘easy’ and ‘advanced’ are subjective in information and me? (Dates, route, accommodation, etc?) France, and are often relative to the tour advice on our • Is bike hire included or does it cost extra? operator (and their usual clientele) rather than website. Here (What pedals are used on the bikes if I’m cycling in general. are a few quick hiring? Are locks, puncture kits, helmets hyperlinks. etc provided? Do you have electric bikes/ For example, a tour company that specialises in children’s bikes/trailers etc?) Ferry information the Loire Valley may call a route ‘moderate’, as Trains to and from might an operator in the foothills of the Pyrenees, • What happens if I ‘break down’? What France but they are catering to cyclists of different abilities support is available? – what’s moderate in the Loire will be easy for • Do you offer airport or train station Train travel within someone who’s used to cycling in the Pyrenees. France transfers? • What deposit is necessary and what are Bike/train On the following pages I’ve tried to apply my own reservations sensibilities to the tours, so I’ve labelled nearly all your booking/refund terms? Loire tours as ‘easy’ (because they are generally • Is there a supplement if I’m travelling alone? How to take your flat), and used ‘moderate’ and challenging’ in the bike on Eurostar Alps/Pyrenees relevant to the type of cyclist the Flying to France tour would attract. Family cycling holidays in France Shipping bikes to Look also at daily distances, as well as elevation Finding a family cycling tour in France shouldn’t France profiles to see how hilly routes are. Consider be a problem. There are many companies whether you want to be cycling all day or if you offering family friendly tours as part of their want to leave time for sightseeing en route, as this regular schedules, while other companies will may affect your daily mileage/how easily you can tailor any tour for kids if you ask (this may be complete the ride in the allocated time. harder in some areas than others – eg where mountains are involved!) They’ll also Finding good value for money have access to kids’ bikes, trailers and tagalongs for you. It really is a matter of shopping around to find the perfect combination of itineraries, accommodation and support services. Prices do change and may be more expensive in July and August than in the spring and autumn. Sometimes you can save money by, for example, We can help you find the perfect tour choosing three-star accommodation instead of four-star, or by opting out of the set evening meals If you use our Freewheeling France bespoke and eating locally on your own. service, we’ll match your requirements to the right company and route. If you’re worried about your budget, ask the Just email us at [email protected] operator as tours can usually be tailored for you. or see this page. 4 GUIDED SELF-GUIDED SELF-GUIDED ALSACE OR GUIDED 4-day bike ride from Alsace Route du Vin Alsace and the Rhine Strasbourg to Colmar Offered by: Cycling for Softies Valley Phone number: +44 (0)20 7471 7760 Offered by: Le Vélo Voyageur Offered by: BSpoke Cycling and Tour length: 7 days Phone number: +33 (0)1 80 91 98 18 Walking Holidays Level of difficulty: Easy Tour length: 4 days Phone number: +44 (0)20 7471 7750 Price: From £1325 Level of difficulty: Easy Tour length: 8 days/7 nights Price: From €430 Spend a delightful week pedalling along pretty Level of difficulty: Easy lanes that meander through vineyards and Price: From £1155 Discover the vineyards of Alsace on this fields of sunflowers while exploring the famous leisurely short break from Strasbourg to Explore the beauty and gastronomy of the Alsace wine road. Eat Alsatian specialties and Colmar. The route starts out following the Alsace region at your own pace while staying drink in the region’s fabulous wine heritage. towpaths of the Bruche Canal before heading in 3- and 4-star accommodation throughout. This tour takes you from the cobbled market off on to quiet country roads with little traffic. You will start your tour in the colourful Swiss square in Obernais to Colmar, a wonderfully The wine trail itself starts near Molsheim, town of Basel and then meander your way up preserved old town with bold hues splashed and takes you through Rosheim, Andlau the glorious river Rhine passing through the across the magnificent half-timbered terraces. Itterswiller, Châtenois and Bergheim en route lovely Alsatian towns of Freiberg and Colmar, The route has been tailored so that something to the medieval castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg until your final destination, the wonderful new is on the agenda each day, providing lots (the most visited monument in Alsace). From cycling city of Strasbourg. The price includes of opportunity to visit historic towns such as here you’ll visit hilltop villages dotted along bed and breakfast hotel accommodation, centuries-old Riquewihr and majestic chateaux the route to beautiful Colmar, where you’ll flights from the UK (discounts apply if you’re at your own pace (electric bikes and tandems find no shortage of celebratory Alsatian wine not coming from the UK), airport and luggage are available).