French Provence is a perfect region for cycling. For these purposes, more than 1,500 km of tracks have been laid here in the surrounding of beautiful nature.
When to plan a bike tour
The best time to go on a cycle trip by Provence is from May to the end of September. Depending on the month of the trip the atmosphere around you will also change:
- in the spring you will ride along flowering fields and gardens;
- lavender blooms in Provence from the end of June till the beginning of July and the whole landscape is covered with violet colors, incredible smells and buzzing of bees;
- July and August - a traditional holiday season in France. Number of tourists, cars, and of course travelers on bike routes increases. Usually, tourists arrive here in the second half of June and leave closer to the end of August;
- second half of the summer can be very hot. So it will be possible to travel by bicycle only in the early morning and in the afternoon.
- September is considered a perfect month for Provence cycling tours. The weather is warm and dry, but the sun is not as aggressive as in summer. Number of tourists decreases and the winemaking season begins. Provence in September is famous for its gorgeous sunsets. However, keep in mind that in September the cycle tourist should better travel through large cities, since mini-hotels in small villages are already winding down their tourist season.
What you should always have with you
Regardless of the season, cycling tourists need to take care of:
- enough spare clothes;
- good water supply;
- food stock.
Provence is not an American highway, where almost on every kilometer you can run across a gas station with a cafe and a small shop. Tourists need to understand that during travels between villages, you may take a rest surrounded by nature and only.
Also, do not forget to grab a French phrasebook. If you have heard the jokes that the French speak English very poorly, then know that this is true.
Route
When choosing a route, first of all you need to decide what you are expecting from the trip, how many days you are ready to spend on cycling vacation and what piece of Provence you want to see. Since the Southern Alps are located in Provence, the itinerary can be significantly complicated by mountainous terrain. For example, the online service https://www.komoot.com/ offers many routes for bicycle experts and options of moderate complexity. Lighter routes and tours for beginners can be found on the website or in the app http://velo-provence.com/.
Using maps or an application, it is important to know that they work in offline mode, show the length of the route and public drinking fountains. If you do not risk going on a bike tour alone, use the services of a guide - individual or as part of a group tour.
In order to enjoy the views of Provence without any extra effort, be sure to build your route through the South Canal (Canal du Midi), 240 kilometers long. It was dug manually in the times of Louis XIV and now only small yachts and small ships sail along it. Tourists also advise to visit the city of Avignon and the picturesque village of Saint-Remy, the seaside Arles, the Camargue National Park with white horses, pink flamingos and rice plantations, the communes of Bonnieux, Menerbes and Mazan.
Bicycles
Two-wheeled transport can be brought or rented. On rental sites, travelers often complain that they booked a good bike, and got an old two-wheeled appliance that was not even oiled. Therefore, experienced tourists prefer to drive their own bikes.
Also keep in mind that on the territory of Provence are more than 300 companies that are engaged in cycling services. Here you can eliminate the problem with the bike, replace the battery, pick up your luggage, as well as use the laundry services. To book a bike use popular sites like https://provence-bike-rental.com/, which can also deliver a suitable bike to any location.
If you are traveling to Provence from Paris, you can take a bike right there. Many travelers speak well about the service https://www.allovelo.paris/. The cost of rental depends on the bike, but, on average, for 2 weeks of rental you will have to pay about 130-150 euros. When renting you will also be asked for a pledge of 200-500 euros, but, as a rule, you simply leave the card data as a guarantee - users write that they were not charged anything from it.
For thrifty travelers, there is another option - buy a used bike in France, and sell it after a trip. On the forums, cyclists note that a good bike can be found in the amount of 80-120 euros. However, in order to select the desired model, you may have to spend time searching - a regular city bike will not work for a bike tour.
When traveling around the country with a bicycle, keep in mind that transporting a bicycle is allowed only on TER trains.
Staying
If you like to plan your trip carefully and book an overnight stay in advance, we don't recommend you to do this during your bike trip to Provence. Cycling tourism assumes that unexpected things can happen on the road - you can take the wheel off, the navigator can take the route off, the mistral can begin (a special “Provence” wind), you can need more time for rest and so on. In order not to rush to get to the appointed place by any efforts, be guided on the spot - in small villages you can easily find where to stay overnight, and often for quite a bit of money. If you are still worried about place to stay, use the services of http://www.fuaj.org/. By the way, the staff of the network speaks English really good.
The advantages of bike tours in Provence
- a bicycle is a perfect opportunity to explore all corners of Provence, including towns, villages and beaches that are not that popular among tourists;
- cycling tourist saves well on travel - there is no need to spend money on standard hotels, because, in fact, you only need an overnight stay;
- this is a great opportunity to meet locals, to try the unique cuisine and homemade wine;
- cycle path system is well developed in Provence. All of them are far away from noisy highways;
- tourists are provided with a variety of routes - from the most simple along the coast to the complicated mountain;
- bicycle services work well in the region;
- in some towns and nature reserves cars are forbidden and tourists have to travel on foot or by bicycle.
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