Bordeaux to Geneva

There are gentle starts and finishes along the banks of the Dordogne and Rhone, and some hills in the middle as we clip the northern Massif Central.

There are many lovely countries in which to cycle but it is difficult to beat France and this trip takes us through the very best that France has to offer. This is a beautiful, gentle-paced tour starting on the Atlantic coast a little west of Bordeaux and finishing on the shores of Lake Geneva. Along the way we will experience an ever-changing landscape, with almost every day offering something new.

Whether you like the natural beauty of the countryside or picturesque villages and chateaux every day will be a treat!

We start riding on the Atlantic coast in Arcachon and after an incredibly flat 2 days across the coastal plain we meet the Dordogne just west of Bergerac and follow its meanderings into central France. Eventually we must turn a little north and the middle portion of the ride is hillier as we skirt the Massif Central before descending to the banks of the Rhone for the final few days.

Our route makes extensive use of extremely minor roads and is largely traffic free, though we try and visit towns of some substance for refreshment and overnight stops. Where available we utilise cycle routes/paths and along the Rhone we exploit the Via Rhona cycle path wherever possible.

Although the route does include some significant climbs it is suitable for all moderately fit cyclists and the hilliest days are also the shortest. Daily riding distances are between 40 and 60 with an average of 52.