Self guided cycling holiday, Gastronomic Provence
| country: | France |
| location: | Provence |
| trip type: | Self guided, moderate cycling holidays |
| departures: | This trip can start on any Saturday between March and November |
| price: | From €775 (8 days) excluding flights and bike hire. Price based on double occupancy. Includes accommodation in 2- and 3-star properties, breakfasts and 2 dinners, route notes, luggage transfers and assistance if necessary |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
As a gourmet cyclist, you'll love this tour! We'll take you through Drome and Provence (the land of lavender) to meet some colourful locals, in love with their culinary heritage, who keep the tradition of "bien manger et bien boire" alive and kicking!
This is a wonderful bicycle trip to be done at your own pace, with just the right number of hills to justify a gourmet dinner! After your daily ride, a charming little hotel or a quaint bed & breakfast will welcome you. Your next duty is to sit down, relax, and savour a wonderful dinner prepared with love, accompanied by a tasty local wine.
Our route notes list a wide choice of local producers of all kinds: a dairy farm owner and maker of Picodon, an abbey that keeps its liquor recipe secret, a butcher who cooks the "Caillette de Chabeuil," a proud wine-maker of "Clairette de Dié," and many, many more...
Trip highlights:
This is a wonderful bicycle trip to be done at your own pace, with just the right number of hills to justify a gourmet dinner! After your daily ride, a charming little hotel or a quaint bed & breakfast will welcome you. Your next duty is to sit down, relax, and savour a wonderful dinner prepared with love, accompanied by a tasty local wine.
Our route notes list a wide choice of local producers of all kinds: a dairy farm owner and maker of Picodon, an abbey that keeps its liquor recipe secret, a butcher who cooks the "Caillette de Chabeuil," a proud wine-maker of "Clairette de Dié," and many, many more...
Trip highlights:
- Cycling along the Drome river and the renown wine-producing Côtes-du-Rhône area
- Overnight at a traditional farm in the Provencal countryside in Chateaudouble
- Visits of the magnificent city of Grignan, built around a medieval castle, the city of Orange with its exceptional Roman theatre, the charming Chateauneuf-du-Pape, its castle and its prestigious wine and Avignon, the city of art and culture.
- Wine-tasting at local wine-makers
- Direct local purchase of famous Provencal produce like honey, cheese, liquors, breads.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival in Chateaudouble. Arrive in Chateaudouble, a small village at the foot of the Vercors mountains. After settling down in your own Chambre d'hôtes (Bed and Breakfast)-a traditional farm in the countryside-you may want to take a walk at your leisure. At 8:00 pm, the owner of the farm will delight you with a memorable dinner prepared with her own produce. After dinner, our local expert will give you the necessary material and equipment, and give you a thorough briefing to answer each and every question you may have. |
| Day 2: | Chateaudouble - Grane (40 km or 24 miles). From the foot of the Vercors, you'll cross the Valence region ("Valentinois") from North to South, all the way to the Drome river. It is a region authentic and rich in contrasts: plains, rolling hills, valleys, plateaus. Many stops are possible along the way for tasting… and shopping! Honey, cheese, liquors, breads, etc… are just a sample of the products you can purchase directly from local producers. |
| Day 3: | Grane - Charols (45 km or 28 miles). You'll bike along the Drome river, then cross the city of Crest with its towering citadel. Here vineyards produce a sparkling white wine "Clairette de Dié." A unique wine that dates back to Gallic times! Further on, vineyards make way to cliffs and forests. The view is magnificent! After a long downhill through the Roubion valley, you'll reach Charols where you'll overnight. |
| Day 4: | Charols - St. Paul-les-Trois-Chateaux (40 km or 24 miles). There is one last hill to climb before reaching the colorful "Drome Provencale!" If only you could capture the wonderful scents of lavender and truffles. On your way, you may choose to visit the monks of the "Monastère d'Aiguebelle" and taste one of their best Tricastin, a wine too often overlooked by reviewers! Overnight in an old building, once home to "Chevaliers de Girard de Mainsonforte!" |
| Day 5: | St. Paul-les-Troix-Chateaux - St. Paul-les-Trois-Chateaux (50 km or 31 miles). You may choose to relax and skip this ride! If you opt for our loop, you will discover Grignan, a magnificent city built around its medieval castle. The view from Grignan over the surrounding countryside is inspiring, breathtaking, and beautiful. In June and July, lavender fields make this area very special... |
| Day 6: | St. Paul-les-Trois-Chateaux - Orange (40 km or 24 miles). Today will be dedicated to discovering the wine-producing Côtes-du-Rhône area. Some of these wines are light and fruity and others are heavy and strong. Biking through this region is a real treat for the senses, especially sight, smell, and taste! In no time, you'll be in Orange, known for its exceptional Roman theater--still in use every summer for performances. Take a stroll through the city and relax. Taste the local specialties of Calissons d'Aix, Nougat de Montélimar and Berlingots de Carpentras, plus many more. |
| Day 7: | Orange - Avignon (40 km or 24 miles). Heading south will take you to Chateauneuf-du-Pape-literally the "New Pope's Castle," where remains of the Castle still stand. For most of us, it's above all one of the most prestigious wines of the area. Soon, you'll be in Avignon, the city of art and culture, which is best discovered on foot. More culinary discoveries await: Pastis, Papalines, or Gratelon are yours to taste. Today's mileage: 40 km (24 miles) on flat terrain. |
| Day 8: | Departure from Avignon. If your schedule allows it, take advantage of your free time to discover "Les Halles," the big market of Avignon. Open every day except Monday from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, this is where you'll find produce of all kinds, breads of all shapes, olives of all sizes and colors, and a myriad of versions of honey, cheese, and spices. Everything here is as varied as Provence is! Depart Avignon at the time of your choice./TD> |
how this holiday makes a difference
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We offer you a unique way to offset your carbon by using pollution-free bicycles. Travelling by bike, you are no longer an observer you are a peaceful and friendly actor of local people, environment and culture.
Travelling on small and quiet roads, this tour will allow you to experience part of the rural countryside and ride through famous and not-so-famous small and authentic villages that all so well illustrate the multi-faceted Provencal character. During this trip you may get the best out of fine local produce – tasting Côtes-du-Rhône’s exceptional wines and directly buying authentic Provencal food to local producers like honey, cheese, liquors, breads… Relying on local guides and family-owned hotels, you will be ensured a warm, personalized welcome. All properties are run by people who have a passion for their region and its cultural, gastronomic, and historical heritage. We use genuine places with local charm, blending harmoniously into the environment. Our hotels offer guests a pleasant, nice-sized environment. Some of them have as few as two rooms, while others are small human-sized hotels. We are based in France. This is where we live and work. Our office is located in the French Alps, just a stones throw from the Swiss border, and we ride the very same roads we recommend to you for your cycling vacations. As firm believers of sustainable development, we have established a friendly network of professionals, comprised mainly of local tour guides, small operators, and family-run agencies. Most of our people have created their own jobs/enterprises in order to live their passion for the region and cultural heritage. All have extensive travel experience and have lived in various places before falling in love with the area they now call home. Traveling with us guarantees that you will be taken care of by caring professionals who chose to build their lives here. Forget the non-descript and indistinguishable big chain hotels; we use genuine places with local charm. All the properties we use are run by people who have a passion for their region and its cultural, gastronomic, and historical heritage.' We recommend travel by train, a much more eco-friendly solution. To travel within Europe, we recommend taking trains over renting cars, or air transports. Trains are more energy-efficient and will minimize the CO2 emission by capita. When flying is required, prefer an airline that contributes to funds aimed at offsetting carbon emissions. In cities, we recommend clients to use public transportations, or to walk or bike. City bike rentals are more and more widely available in big and medium-sized cities across Europe they are the best way to get around congested cities. Our travel tips include a list of renters. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |