Press Kit 2019
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Thomas Rathay © PRESS KIT 2019 Cycling in Provence P-2 ACCESS & LANDMARKS &LANDMARKS ACCESS 2019 DOSSIER DE PRESSE CONTENTS • VAUCLUSE, THE ULTIMATE CYCLING REGION P.6 • NOVELTIES P.8 • MONT VENTOUX, THE MAGICAL MOUNTAIN P.12 • GREENWAYS AND CYCLE ROUTES P.13 • ROMAN & MEDIEVAL EXCURSIONS P.20 • FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE P.23 • EXPLORE THE VINEYARDS OF PROVENCE P.27 • WATERSIDE BIKE RIDES P.35 • THE OCHRES BY BIKE P.42 • THE LAVENDER FIELDS P.46 • THE BIG BIKE TOURS AROUND VAUCLUSE P.50 • THE GREAT MOUNTAINBIKE TRAIL OF VAUCLUSE P.56 • SURF THE WEB TO OPTIMIZE YOUR PEDALLING EXPERIENCE P.58 • CYCLING EVENTS DIARY 2019 P.60 Alain Hocquel © TRAVEL WITH YOUR BIKE ON A HIGH-SPEED TRAIN If you wish to take your bicycle in a high-speed TGV train, you must book a space for it at the same time as you book your own ticket. Bike spaces are limited. You can find out if your train has bike accommodation by visiting the main SCNF Voyages website (in French) and simulating your journey. If the service displays a bike icon, then, the train can carry bikes. Rate: €10/ bike. www.sncf.com/en/services/travelling-with-your-bike ON A REGIONAL TRAIN ©Valérie Gillet ©Valérie Regional TER lines carry bikes free of charge (from Monday to Friday, outside the following peak times: 7.00am-9.00am and 4.30pm-6.30pm), depending on available space and no need of reservation. Besides, the French national railway company (SNCF) has set up a network of bicycle hire shops close to some train stations which have been identified as ‘relais train+vélo’. Information and timetable at: www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Paca/fr BUS + BIKE Bikes are admitted inside TransVaucluse buses, but only if they are well packed. Line 15 Avignon-TGV-Apt (1 journey per day) has a bike rack which can contains up to 8 bikes. Information: T. +33 (0)4 32 76 00 40 BY BIKE From the EV17 - Via Rhôna 815 km from Geneva to Port Saint Louis du Rhône. Steps between 60 to 80 km/day ©Elodie Pelletr Avignon is at: ● 291 km from Lyon so about 4 days cycling ● 164 km from Valence so about 2,5 days cycling ● 108 km from Port-Saint Louis in Camargue so about 1,5 days from the Mediterranean Sea ● Infos at www.viarhona.com Access in Carpentras to the Piémont du Ventoux. From the link Caderousse-Orange of the Via Rhôna, and the Via Venaissia From the EV8 - Mediterranean by bike 850 km from Perthus to Menton Cavaillon is situated at: P-4 ● 146 km from Montpellier so about 3 days cycling ● 360 km from Perpignan so about 7,2 days cycling 2019 Apt is situated at: ● 352 km from Nice so about 7 days cycling ● 226 km from Draguignan so about 4,5 days cycling ©Thomas Rathay ©Thomas ● Infos at www.lamediterraneeavelo.org ● Free roadbooks at https://bit.ly/2AzSasr DOSSIER DE PRESSE BY TRAIN TGV (high-speed train): Avignon TGV station (national routes) and central station (regional routes), with a regular train shuttle service between both stations. TER (regional trains) to various towns in the Vaucluse, such as: Sorgues-Châteauneuf du Pape, Entraigues, Monteux. Orange, Bollène, Isle sur la Sorgue, Pertuis, Carpentras, Cavaillon, Le Thor... Direct trains to Avignon from: ● Paris Gare de Lyon (2h38) ● Roissy Charles de Gaulle (3h15) ● Frankfurt via Strasbourg and Lyon (7h07) Thomas O’Brien ● Lille – Rennes – Strasbourg - Nice - Geneva © ● Brussels ● Amsterdam (with Thalys in summer) ● London with Eurostar: several times a week, throughout the year BY CAR Avignon is: ● 50 min. from Aix en Provence ● 1 h from Marseille ● 30 min. from Arles ● 2 h from Lyon ● 2h30 from Nice Avignon coach station: P.E.M. (Pôle d’échanges Multimodal) 5 avenue Monclar Colombe Production T. +33 (0)4 90 82 07 35. © BY PLANE Direct routes to Avignon-Provence Airport (10km from the town centre) from: ● Southampton - Flybe (May - September) ● Birmingham - Flybe (May - September) Avignon Provence Airport: T. +33 (0)4 90 81 51 15 www.avignon.aeroport.fr Or via Marseille Airport (1 h) www.marseille.aeroport.fr Valérie Gillet Valérie P-5 © or Nîmes Airport (45 min.) www.aeroport-nimes.fr 2019 DOSSIER DE PRESSE Maxime Coquard VAUCLUSE, THE ULTIMATE © CYCLING REGION PROVENCE CYCLING Environmental-friendly, healthy and fun, cycle tourism appeals to all senses and allows you to really experience the hospitality and lifestyle of Provence. Whether you like to ride a road bike, mountain bike, high-speed bike, electric-assisted bike... Whether you are a daredevil rider, a Sunday rider, a lone rider, a couple rider, a group rider... Articulated around 3 greenways: - the Via Rhôna - 70.8 km - the Via Venaissia - 14 km - The Calavon Greenway - Mediterranean by Bike - 39 km Altogether, more than 1 800 kms of marked itineraries for all levels (from flat greenway to the climb of the Mont Ventoux), created away from main roads, are covering the whole department of the Vaucluse and permit to discover: • The ‘Piémont du Ventoux’, the region of Sault and the lavender Vaucluse is a very special region of Provence, boasting an culture unbeatable mix of cultural heritage, gastronomic excellence, • The ‘Dentelles de Montmirail’ and the ‘Comtat Venaissin’, ancient architecture, world-class wines, gorgeous landscapes, • Roman sites in Orange & Vaison la Romaine and the Côtes- an exceptional climate… and much more besides. du-Rhône vineyards, • The Luberon with its perched villages, its colourful ochres hills Think of places like Avignon, Gordes, Lourmarin, L’Isle-sur- and castles. la-Sorgue, Orange or Vaison-la-Romaine, and you conjure up • L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the spring and the refreshing banks of P-6 visions of sunny skies and la dolce vita Provençal-style. the river. Lovers of nature and the great outdoors dream of visiting the beautiful Mont Ventoux, Luberon Valley, Dentelles de 2019 Itineraries can be made within a day or roaming (2 to 8 Montmirail, and the Colorado Provençal. days), helped by efficient digital tools and a solid network of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas and professionals. Vacqueyras are synonymous with quality and excellence for More than 400 hosts, restaurants, producers and bike renters wine-lovers around the world. are part of the label «Accueil Vélo» (Bike Welcome). There’s nowhere in the world quite like Vaucluse in Provence. DOSSIER DE PRESSE ©Alain Hocquel ©Alain NETWORK OF 400 CERTIFIED PROFESSIONNALS To welcome bike tourists, more than 400 professionals joined under the label « Accueil Vélo » (Bike Welcome) inside the « Provence à Vélo » (Provence Cycling). They are present on each itinerary. Their common charter committed them to offer adapted services to this customer base, whom decided to travel or visit the territory by bike. SERVICES «PLUS» (except puncture) • One way hire available Accommodation • Transportation of people, bikes and luggage (hotels, B&Bs, campsites, self-catering) • Secure bike storage Bike repair shops • Bike repair kit at your disposal • Route tourist to the next step of the itinerary or provide a • Bike washing facilities spare bike during the repair. • Laundry facilities (to wash and/or to dry your clothes) • Parking space available for your vehicle while you are away Tourism Offices • Contact with a bicycle hire shop or transport company from • Park next to the building the network • Advice to bike tourists in several languages (GPS Traces, • In hotels and guest houses: the option for a hearty breakfast itineraries, difficulties, stopping areas…) from 7am and picnic basket • Repair kits available • In campsites: tables and chairs, picnic room or covered picnic area Incoming agencies • In gites: option for ‘weekend’ rental off season (depending on • Incoming agencies part of the cycling network offer tailor- availability). made stays, in total freedom or at specific dates, from half-day • The possibility to charge or change your batteries if you are to roaming. riding an electric bike Overview of possible stays within this press kit. Restaurants and bars Tour leaders • Fast food menu available (main course + dessert) • Professional supervision suited to your level (discover the • Option to refill your water bottle free of charge region and practice techniques from a half-day to a week, with or without a guide) Tourist sites and vineyards • Bike parking available less than 300 m. away from location Taxis (transportation of people, bikes and luggage) P-7 • Option to refill your water bottle free of charge • Delivery of your luggage to your accommodation • At the wine estates, option to have your purchases delivered • Transfer option for touring holidays (charges apply) 2019 to your accommodation or home (shipping charges apply).0 For more information, to organize your trip, download the Bike rentals routes, organize and book your accomodation: • Assistance in the event of the breakdown of a hired bike www.provence-a-velo.fr (GB-D) DOSSIER DE PRESSE © Valérie Gillet © Valérie NOVELTIES RECHARGE POWER STATION «BOSCH» FOR ELECTRIC BIKES 50 BOSCH EBIKE CHARGING LOCATIONS IN VAUCLUSE Here’s some good news for people who love exploring the countryside or climbing the slopes by electric bicycle – Vaucluse now boasts 13 charging stations and 150 Fast Chargers spread across the region, at Tourist Offices and member organisations of the Accueil Vélo (bicycle-friendly) network. While today’s Bosch batteries (PowerPack, PowerTube, DualBattery) are long-lasting enough to power most e-Bike rides, it’s comforting to know that you can easily recharge them when you’re on the road or having to tackle a lot of uphill climbs – we all know that Vaucluse abounds in hills and tempting long cycle routes! That’s why it was logical for battery manufacturer Bosch and Vaucluse Provence Attractivité to team up via the Provence by Bike initiative to roll out charging stations and Fast Chargers throughout the Vaucluse region.