France cycling tour in Provence, Vaucluse Vineyards

Planet

Activity:
Cycling has minimal impact on the environment as you provide most of the energy yourself and, when you’re cycling from village to village, you can enjoy a relationship with locals in a way motorists passing through never can. By bike, you get off the beaten track, and you’ll find that people treat you as a visitor rather than a tourist. Also, by cycling independently, and not having to worry about keeping up with a group, you set the pace so you can soak up the sights, sounds and scents of your surrounds and really get under the skin of the place you’re visiting.

We proactively encourage our clients to think about travelling responsibly too: packing light, saving water, buying locally, re-cycling all maps and route notes at the end of their trip as well as to be mindful of not leaving any rubbish behind.

UK Office:
We are well aware of the impact tourism has at home and abroad, and we make every effort to balance the environmental impact of travelling with the immense benefits sustainable tourism can bring to destinations and the people who live there. So we start in the office: we turn off all electrical equipment every night; we use energy-efficient bulbs; we measure print and paper consumption, and re-cycle wherever possible; we print our brochures on paper from sustainable sources, and send them out in bio-degradable packaging.

People

Leaders & local suppliers:
Centred round the world-famous Cotes de Rhone vineyards – Gigondas, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vacqueyras - this gentle cycling holiday takes you through some of the prettiest villages in Provence where you stay at wonderfully varied hotels, most with private pools, and enjoy gastronomic cuisine everywhere. One highlight is France’s most extensive Roman site – dating to 2,500BC – at Vaison-la-Romaine. You spend 2 nights here at the Hotel Burrhus in the centre of town. Owner, Mme Gurly, is a great art lover and actively encourages guests to choose their favourite painting from the communal walls so she can have it displayed in your room for you for the rest of your stay! In most case, the works of art displayed are from local up and coming artists and can be bought if you see something you really fancy. An excellent way to support local talent and give you a lasting souvenir of your stay with us! As with all our holidays, we encourage visitors to buy from independently-run shops & establishments where possible, supporting the local people and their families.