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Cycle Touring in France

Eight tours in Brittany, Picardy, Alsace, Auvergne/Languedoc, Provence, Dordogne/Lot, the Alps and the Pyrenees

By Stephen Fox

ISBN

9781852844325

Availability

Published

27 Jun 2006

Reprinted

15 Feb 2010

Edition

First

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.70cm

Weight

330g

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Guidebook for 8 cycle tours of between 1 and 2 weeks duration exploring France's diverse landscapes and superb scenery. Suitable for most levels of ability and experience, the routes are in some of the most picturesque parts of Brittany, Picardy, Alsace, Auvergne/Languedoc, Provence, Dordogne/Lot, the Alps and the Pyrenees.

Seasons

Late spring to early autumn recommended. Summer hot, mostly dry. Winters can be cold, with snow.

Centres

Paris, Strasbourg, Geneva, Arles, Brest, Toulouse.

Difficulty

All levels. Routes (209km–354km) divided into daily stages. Range from low-level rides to high mountain climbs.

Must See

Rugged Brittany coast, Gorges du Tarn, Tour de France routes, Dordogne villages, Alsace Wine Road, lavender fields of Provence.

ISBN

9781852844325

Availability

Published

27 Jun 2006

Reprinted

15 Feb 2010

Edition

First

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.70cm

Weight

330g

Overview

Cycle Touring in France concentrates on eight selected one- or two-week bicycle tours which endeavour to offer cyclists of all levels a taste of France's diverse landscapes and superb scenery. From rugged mountain ranges to vast, variegated patchworks of farmland, from beautiful, tranquil forests full of wildlife to high, remote, sweeping plains, from deep, snaking gorges to gentle valley slopes covered with vineyards, France is undoubtedly one of the most inviting countries in the world for cycle touring, a country understandably proud of hosting the greatest cycle race on Earth, the Tour de France. Peppered with hundreds of charming villages that time seems to have forgotten, here you will encounter friendly people, sample fine wines and enjoy exquisite, regional cuisines. Covering some of the most picturesque parts of Brittany, Picardy, Alsace, Auvergne/Languedoc, Provence, Dordogne/Lot, the Alps and Pyrenees, the tours in this guide are accompanied by detailed route descriptions and maps, lists of campsites, bed and breakfasts and hotels, airport and rail connections, and practical information including tips on when to go and what to take, transporting your bicycle and being prepared for carrying out bicycle repairs on the road.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map Key

Overview Map

Introduction

Which Route and When To Go

A Short History

Getting There

Bicycles on Trains in France

Roads

Maps

Passports, Visas, Health and Insurance

Money, Banks and Payphones

Public Holidays

French Food and Wine

The Tour de France

About the Bike

What to Take

How to Use this Guide

Cycle Tours

Route 1 Finistère, ‘The End of the World’: Brittany

Stage 1 Morlaix to Le Folgoët/Lesneven

Stage 2 Le Folgoët/Lesneven to Lanildut

Stage 3 Lanildut to Brest

Stage 4 Brest to Le Faou

Stage 5 Le Faou to Huelgoat

Stage 6 Huelgoat to Morlaix

Route 2 Champagne and The Kings' Forest: The Marne Valley and Picardy

Stage 1 Aeroport Paris CDG to Charly-sur-Marne

Stage 2 Charly-sur-Marne to Dormans

Stage 3 Dormans to Villers-Cotterêts

Stage 4 Villers-Cotterêts to Pierrefonds

Stage 5 Pierrefonds to Compiègne and back

Route 3 The Wine Road and Bas-Rhin: Alsace

Stage 1 Colmar to Barr

Stage 2 Barr to Saverne

Stage 3 Saverne to Niederbronn-les-Bains

Stage 4 Niederbronn-les-Bains to Haguenau

Route 4 An Alpine Experience: Geneva to Grenoble

Stage 1 Geneva to St Jean-de-Sixt

Stage 2 St Jean-de-Sixt to Albertville

Stage 3 Albertville to St Jean-de-Maurienne

Stage 4 St Jean-de-Maurienne to Le Bourg d'Oisans

Stage 5 Le Bourg d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez and back

Stage 6 Le Bourg d'Oisans to Grenoble

Route 5 The Land of Lavender: Provence

Stage 1 Arles to Cavaillon

Stage 2 Cavaillon to Caromb

Stage 3 Caromb to Buis-les-Baronnies

Stage 4 Buis-les-Baronnies to Sault

Stage 5 Sault to Mont Ventoux and back

Stage 6 Sault to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Route 6 Meadows and Mountains: Pyrénées

Stage 1 Foix to St Girons

Stage 2 St Girons to St Bertrand-de-Comminges

Stage 3 St Bertrand-de-Comminges to Arreau

Stage 4 Arreau to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Stage 5 Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Argelès-Gazost

Stage 6 Argelès-Gazost to the Col d'Aubisque and back, then Lourdes

Route 7 Rivers and Castles: Dordogne and Lot

Stage 1 Brive-la-Gaillarde to St Céré

Stage 2 St Céré to Figeac

Stage 3 Figeac to Cahors

Stage 4 Carhors to Monpazier

Stage 5 Monpazier to La Roque-Gageac

Stage 6 La Roque-Gageac to Souillac

Route 8 Rugged and Remote: Auvergne and Languedoc

Stage 1 Meymac to Riom-ès-Montagnes

Stage 2 Riom-ès-Montagnes to St Flour

Stage 3 St Flour to Marvejols

Stage 4 Marvejols to Florac

Stage 5 Florac to Alès

Appendix A Glossary: Bicycle Parts and Other Useful Cycling Terms

Appendix B Accommodation

Appendix C Further Reading

Appendix D Regional Specialities and Wines of France

Appendix E Information Centres

Appendix F Embassies and Consulates

Appendix G Summary Table

Maps

Maps

The blue IGN (Institut Geographic National) 1:100,000 Carte Topographique Top 100 maps are highly recommended for the tours in this guide. There are 74 in all, covering the whole of France. They are detailed maps complete with contour lines, aimed especially at cyclists and walkers. Most good bookshops can order them in, or you can buy them online at www.stanfords.co.uk or www.mapsworldwide.com.

This is a list of the relevant map numbers for the tours in this guidebook: Brittany tour 13 (Brest/Quimper), 14 (St Brieuc/Morlaix) Marne Valley and Picardy tour 09 (Paris/Laon) Alsace tour 12 (Strasbourg/Forbach), 31 (St Dié/Mulhouse/Basle) Alps tour 45 (Annecy/Lausanne), 53 (Grenoble/Mont Blanc), 54 (Grenoble/Gap) Provence tour 60 (Cavaillon/Digne les Bains), 66 (Avignon/Montpellier), 67 (Marseille/Carpentras) Pyrénées tour 70 (Pau/Bagnères de Luchon), 71 (St Gaudens/Andorre) Dordogne and Lot tour 48 (Périgueux/Tulle), 57 (Cahors/Montauban) Auvergne and Languedoc tour 49 (Clermont-Ferrand/Aurillac), 58 (Rodez/Mende), 59 (Privas/Alès)

Michelin publish the very useful France 1:200,000 Motorist and Motoring Atlas, updated annually. It covers the whole of France, indicates most recommended campsites, and includes some city and town maps. The campsites in this atlas are described in detail in Michelin's Camping Caravaning le guide, which is also updated annually.

Updates

August 2013

Updates

The length of Tour 7 day 4 is 80km not rather than 69.

November 2007

The Eurostar terminal in London is now at St. Pancras International, not Waterloo, and there is also a new station in Kent, Ebbsfleet. For train information and to book tickets go to www.eurostar.com

Reviews

'Written by a cyclist, for cyclists. Each tour has a detailed route description plus maps, lists of campsites and tips on what to take and how to deal with roadside repairs.'

(France Magazine / September 2006)

'Having toured extensively through France, it came as a surprise to find how much superb information is contained within this handily-sized guide. There is an excellent set of 8 routes in different areas of France, each well set out in stages easy enough for most cyclists to follow, complete with an altitude graph when there is a climb of some difficulty.

This book is not just ideal for planning a first visit, but also to inspire those who wish to explore further afield within the country.'

(Cycling World / November 2006)

'This little guide is a gem. The author has carefully selected eight varied, linear routes dotted around Fance and then gone into great detail about how to get to the start and back from the finish, where to stay and what to see.

Routes are between four and six days' long and range from between 131 and 221 miles in length. Also contained within the book are numerous useful sections including using French railways, what to take on tour, parts of the bike in French.

On the whole, there's everything here that you need in one neat volume to get you on tour - and what better place to go than France?'

(Cycle magazine / June - July 2007)

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Stephen Fox

Stephen Fox has been cycle touring since 1989 and has toured extensively in France, Italy and Norway. He now lives in southern England with his wife and daughter, and works in the photographic industry as well as being a freelance writer and photographer. This is his second guide; the first was a walking and scrambling guide to Italy’s Central Appennines.

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