Detours in France

Alsace is filled with twisting vineyards, and fabulous food, and a multitude of picturesque flowered villages with difficult-to-pronounce names that are fantastic to explore by bike. This shorter trip has the two culturally rich cities of Strasbourg and Colmar as bookends, with three days of dense and beautiful exploration in between.

Starting in the elegant squares, superb restaurants, and exciting museums of Bordeaux you ride through the famous vineyards of UNESCO St Emilion, stopping to explore the underground monuments and tiny cobblestoned streets. Continue through history along the banks of the Dordogne River – dotted with castles that fought against each other during the Hundred Years War, groves of walnut trees, bastides with panoramic views, and a rich centre of prehistory… this tour starts out very easygoing, and gets a little more rolling in the final couple of days, as you pedal through some of France’s official “Prettiest Villages”.

On this easygoing tour you’ll explore the renowned vineyards and admire the famous chateaux of the Medoc, pass through the vibrant centre of Bordeaux city on some fantastic bike paths, and then finish in UNESCO-listed St Emilion, where you can meander the tiny cobblestone alleyways, visit the unique underground monuments, and taste their macaroons. We reserve and include some wine tastings so that you’ll be sure to enjoy to the fullest, and guarantee you’ll love the easy cycling of the region!

Come cycle the breathtakingly beautiful Breton coastline. From medieavl Dinan and the pretty port on the Rance River, cycle a bike path to the coast. Ferry across from Dinard, with its pirate history, to the beachfront cité of St Malo. Taste oysters in Cancale, before your final spectacular arrival to the site of Mont Saint Michel…

Come explore this beautiful part of France, rich with history. From the Impressionist painters’ much-loved Honfleur, past cider and Calvados houses, the incredibly preserved and spectacular Bayeux tapestry, the sandy beaches and great seafood, half-timbered homes and thatched roofs… and of course the moving D-Day sites.

Starting in medieval Dinan, overlooking its ancient stone bridge on the Rance River, cycle through the valley on easygoing bike paths to the port and beaches of Dinard and spectacular St Malo. Admire the Malounieres pirate villas as you pedal to the oyster farms of Cancale, and on to the iconic, and always breathtaking site of the Mont St Michel.

In this short & sweet Normandy Bike tour, see the heart of the D-Day history (Pegasus Bridge, the Caen Memorial, Omaha Beach…) as well as historic Bayeux.

With a great infrastructure of small paved roads through incredible scenery: vineyards of course, but also fields of sunflowers or poppies, rich forest up in rolling hills above the vines, tiny villages filled with ancient stone buildings, the Saone River meandering with – far in the distace – views to the alps on a clear day. You get a nice mix of some long, flat rides, as well as some days to push yourself a bit with some good hills, all rewarded with great food and wine to restore your energy.

On this cycling tour see renowned wine names but also the region’s rich cultural history, with beautiful abbeys, churches and castles. The Cote Chalonnais will enchant you with its Canal, chateaux, and bubbling Crémant. Cluny will enrich you, with the vestiges of its 2000-year old history. Tournus will titillate you, with its cobblestoned streets, and Saone River bike path. And Beaune – the heart of Burgundy – will make you want to never go home.

Follow the fantastic engineering, villages and tow paths of the Canal du Midi. This easygoing bike tour allows you to enjoy a vast range of scenery and sites. Just the Canal itself, engineered and built by Pierre Paul Riquet against all odds has a variety of aqueducts, locks, and tunnels. Throw in vineyards, ancient villages, sandy beaches, the lively ports of both Narbonne and Sete, and the relaxed and friendly welcome of this southern piece of France – you’re in for a great week!