Provence Biking Adventure Itinerary
Day 1: We meet you at 11:00 AM in Avignon, in the heart of Provence. You can choose to arrive the night before and stay in our preferred Avignon hotel or take the TGV high-speed train down from Paris or Geneva that morning. After introductions and a quick explanation of the tour, we are off on our bikes! We'll ride on a flat road along the Rhône River and then through quaint villages such as Aramon, Theziers, and Remoulins on our way to the amazing Pont du Gard, a three-level, 275-meter long Roman bridge that carried both water and human traffic. You can choose to ride the long route to the town of Uzès or finish with a short jaunt on to our typically French hotel, the Hotel le Gardon, where we enjoy an incredible dinner. Medium route: 40 kilometers (shorter and longer rides available each day).
Day 2: Today we start by riding south through the Costières de Nîmes wine region, passing small wine towns such as Meynes and Jonquières-Saint-Vincent. You'll have the opportunity to visit a winery or two and stop in one of the many small towns for lunch. We then head east and cross the Rhône River, cycling through perfect scenery of olive trees, cypresses, and orchards via sleepy little towns such as Maillane and past the majestic Château de Barbentane. After a beautiful day of riding, we end up in the town of St. Rémy-de-Provence, home of Nostradamus and the site where Van Gogh painted Starry Night, where we settle into our hotel and then take a short walk to dinner. Medium route: 57 kilometers.
Day 3: If you choose to ride the long route today, you'll pass the Saint Paul de Mausole psychiatric institution where Van Gogh was voluntarily held and the ancient Celtic (and then Roman) city of Glanum, before heading south through thickly forested lands up into the Alpilles Mountains, reaching the medeival, cobblestoned village of Les Baux-de-Provence, built right into the mountainside. The rest of the group will head northeast through the town of Noves and cross over the Durance river into Caumont sur Durance. Here you can park your bike and explore the winding streets of the old town on foot, choosing one of the many small cafes for lunch. In the afternoon, we ride on rural roads through agricultural lands and a forest of cedar trees to the town of Cabrières d'Avignon, another picturesque village. Optionally, you can detour to ancient Fontaine de Vaucluse, a small village known for an amazing river that shoots out of the ground nearby. It is then on to our hotel in les Imberts for a relaxing shower, a glass of wine, and dinner. Medium route: 43 kilometers.
Day 4: Our first stop in the morning is the fantastic town of Gordes, noted as "one of the most beautiful villages of France", which is saying a lot. Park your bike and walk through the old streets, up to the castle and the Abbey of Senanque. We then ride through the Domaniale de Venasque forest, rising on what is one of our hillier roads. But the effort is worth it, as we exit the forest into the town of Venasque, our second "most beautiful villages of France" town of the day. Perched on a hilltop with magnificent views of the plains below, Venasque is a great lunch stop. In the afternoon, we cycle through the towns of Saint-Didier, Carpentras, Aubignan, and Vacqueyras on our way to our next hotel in Gigondas. We are now in the heart of wine country and will have a pre-dinner wine tasting to sample the local grape varieties. For the long route today, you will add an extra morning loop taking you to Pont Julien (a Roman bridge dating to 3 BC and named for Julius Cesar) and lovely Roussillon. If you are really gung ho, you can cycle a metric century (Over 100 kilometers) and ride the famous switchbacks up Mont Ventoux, often part of the Tour de France route. Medium Route: 52 kilometers.
Day 5: Today we cycle through the vineyards, first crossing the Ouvèze river as we head into the wine town of Violès and continue across the flat plain to Jonquières and Courthézon, with its 12th century city ramparts and 12 fountains. It's a beautiful morning ride through the heart of wine country. We reach the famous village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for lunch on your own and perhaps a walk up to the fortress relic or a sip of wine in one of the many wine shops. The short route will end with a van pickup here while the medium route continues on into Avignon and our final tour night. A long route is also available. Medium Route: 44 kilometers.
Day 6: You have several options on this, our final morning. You can choose a 30 KM bike ride to the town of Tavel, birthplace of rosé wine in France, but this will require you to rise and get moving early. Alternatively, you can put your bike aside and join a short walking tour of the highlights of Avignon. Plus, you always have the option to sleep in late! Our tour ends at noon and you can choose to stay another night in the city, rent a car to explore other nearby areas, or jump on the train back to your departure city.