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Provence Bike Tour
Trip Overview
Experience an epic eleven day bike tour through the very best of Provence, that southeastern part of France that extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône River, southerly to the glistening Mediterranean Sea, and easterly to the beautiful area known as the Luberon. We wander cobbled streets, explore the narrow alleys immortalized by Van Gogh and Cezanne, linger in cheerful sidewalk cafes, explore ancient ducal palaces, and visit vibrant market squares, ancient fortresses, Roman ruins, Renaissance palaces, and charming chateaux. We ride through beautiful rural countryside enjoying gently rolling hills filled with poppies, wildflowers, and groves of silver-leafed olive trees, pass tiny villages perched high on limestone cliffs, and explore bucolic hidden valleys. We glide by canoe under the gargantuan Pont du Gard, ride the beautiful white horses of Camargues on the beaches of St Marie de la Mer, and take full advantage of the beautiful tranquil charm of this magical region.
The French are of course famous for their love and mastery of all things culinary, and Provence offers a bounty of local produce, fish, cheese, meats olive oil and wine. The cuisine is a celebration of the warm, dry Mediterranean climate, and our superb meals will often include fresh goat cheese, honey, freshly baked breads, olives (and exquisite olive oils), garlic, grapes, peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, and the famous melons of Cavaillon. The nearby sea provides an abundant supply of all varieties of fish, which the locals often season with fennel and then grill over the wood of grapevines. Of course, all of this bounty needs to be savored with wine, and you have all the fabulous wines of France to choose from, including the world’s finest dry rosé and such local favorites as Châteauneuf du Pape, Beaumes de Venise, Cotes du Ventoux and some excellent local cabernet and chardonnay.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
We meet you for a free 1:30 p.m. shuttle from the train station in Nîmes. Meet at 3 p.m. at the hotel for a bike fitting and short ride to the beach. You’ll love exploring Aigue-Mortes, a famous medieval fortress town. Once an important port, it still has much of its original fortified walls and is a joy to explore — with its high stone walls and cobbled streets lined with festive restaurants, cafes and bars. The welcome dinner will be at a local restaurant.
For the next two days we follow the thread of the Rhône River. Nîmes is a city full of Roman treasures. Today we will guide you on a leisurely walking tour of Nîmes including a visit to Arènes, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, and Maison Carrée, an exquisitely preserved Roman temple built around 5 B.C. We might also climb the 140 steps up to the Tour Magne for a glorious view of the city.
Today we ride through a wide expanse of marshy plain in a national park known as the Camargue, which is home to an astounding 400 species of birds and provides a unique habitat for the area’s iconic bird, the pink flamingo. The area is also well known for its cowboy or “guardian” culture, and we will often see wranglers riding their handsome white Camargue horses while tending to their large herds of cattle. We enjoy a pleasant and easy ride to the shores of the Mediterranean where white-washed buildings are fringed by miles of beautiful sand beaches. After a delightful lunch in Ste-Maries-de-la-Mer, you can either just relax or enjoy an included guided horseback ride on one of the Camargue horses through the vast national park.
Today we enjoy a scenic ride to Arles, the beautiful town immortalized in over 300 paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. We will lead you on a walking tour of some of the more iconic places pictured in his paintings, and you will have ample time to wander through this exquisite town of narrow shady streets, small squares, lively shops, Romanesque churches, and we will include a visit to its well-known Roman arena.
As we ride into the low hill region known as the Chaine des Alpilles, you will be accompanied by the gentle fragrances of wild “herbes de Provence” as we pass by almond orchards and lovely pine forests. We visit Les Baux, a beautifully preserved, fortified hilltop village with narrow cobbled streets lined with shops, cafes and galleries all leading up to the dramatic maze-like ruins of its spectacular 12th century castle. Our destination tonight is Saint Remy-de-Provence, a historic artists’ haven that entices visitors with its excellent gourmet shops, cheerful cafes and restaurants, finely preserved classical monuments, and its labyrinth of quiet, narrow streets.
From Saint Remy-de-Provence we bike to the Pont du Gard (a UNESCO Heritage Site), where we enjoy a leisurely canoe ride that treats us to the most impressive view of this gigantic three-tiered aqueduct, awesome testimony to the sophistication and audacious engineering skills of the ancient Romans. From here we bike to Uzes, an elegant town with graceful Renaissance architecture, an arcaded central square, and the Duce, a fortified palace from which you get an expansive view over the red roof tops of this handsome village.
From Uzes we ride through gorgeous countryside to Avignon. This ancient town along the Rhone is encircled by its original medieval towers and battlements. Being a former papal seat, the grand medieval papal palace Palais des Papes, and Notre Dame des Doms, an imposing 12th century Romanesque cathedral, are major attractions. And yet perhaps the greatest pleasures of Avignon involve simply wandering through its crooked streets, enjoying the sights and sounds of the old city and of course ultimately arriving at the edge of the Rhone River to visit its fabled nursery rhyme bridge (Pont d’Avignon).
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and stroll through the morning markets of Avignon. We will meet at the hotel lobby at 1 p.m. for a shuttle (your only in-tour shuttle – this is a true bicycling tour!) to Roussillon, our home for the last three nights. Along the way, we will visit the famous Roman Theater in Orange and have a wine tasting of the famous Chateauneuf du Pape. Roussillon rests on the world’s largest ochre deposit (used universally until recently as the red pigment in paint), and the town’s striking natural surroundings has made it an artists’ mecca for centuries. Roussillon is uniquely favored by a dramatic hilltop location overlooking a landscape of green forest, sheer cliffs and the red ochre clay outcroppings, and is equally popular for its many lovely squares, intriguing upscale shops, and the numerous cafes that line the alleys and walkways. It is also well known as a mecca for antique-ers …often there are hundreds of antique merchants whose booths line the narrow streets.
Today we take a gorgeous loop ride to Gordes. Considered to be one of the prettiest villages in Provence, this famous unspoiled, stone-tiered, hilltop village rises on cobbled streets high above the valley. We wind our way through narrow streets leading up to a pleasant square with a lovely fountain and a massive 12th century castle. And yet the real attraction here is the extraordinary beauty of the village itself, with its iconic, red tile roofed, stone houses standing in orderly terraces along the cliffs. On our return we will enjoy a visit to the nearby Abbaye de Sénanque. This idyllic 12th century Cistercian abbey is set in a beautiful valley, and is often photographed in a mid-summer sea of lavender. Later this evening we celebrate our tour of Provence with a marvelous farewell banquet.
Today our riding takes us through “ochre country” the picture perfect area of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon. This is an area of pastoral hills, perched villages and hidden valleys, and awe-inspiring landscapes bathed in a palette of colors that are a feast for the eyes. The huge popularity of this region is due not only to the delightful small villages and excellent locally produced Cotes du Ventoux wines, but also to the magnificent massive clay cliffs and other-worldly red spiral formations (reminiscent of scenes from the American southwest) that dominate the region. Our ride also takes us to some of the area’s most celebrated small villages, like Villars and Gargas, and we will have a delicious lunch in Rustrel, a small village located at the foot of the Plateau d’Albion.
Map
Dates & Pricing
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation for most tours. For weekend tours, the deposit is $300.
What’s Included
Walking tour of Nimes; walking tour of Arles; horseback ride in the Camargue; canoeing at the Pont du Gard; wine tasting; 10 nights lodging; 10 breakfasts; 8 dinners (you are on your own for one night in Arles and Rousillon); various side trips; all related entry fees; bicycle and helmet; experienced French-speaking tour guides; full van support; detailed maps and directions. Airfare is not included.
Dates & Pricing
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). Single supplement for private room is listed at the top of this page. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation for most tours. For weekend tours, the deposit is $300.
What’s Included
Walking tour of Nimes; walking tour of Arles; horseback ride in the Camargue; canoeing at the Pont du Gard; wine tasting; 10 nights lodging; 10 breakfasts; 8 dinners (you are on your own for one night in Arles and Rousillon); various side trips; all related entry fees; bicycle and helmet; experienced French-speaking tour guides; full van support; detailed maps and directions. Airfare is not included.
Inns
Where you stay along the way.
On some departures, you will stay in Hotel du Cloître in Arles, where you can unwind in comfort. The library is made for escape. The fluidity of service is designed for your well-being.
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Gallery
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