GPS guided bike tour in spectacular Provence., Cabrieres d'Avignon, France Bike Tours

Bikers...

Tour Dates: Our tours start from two nights and begin any day of the week from April to the end of October.

SAVE up to 120 euros* on bookings made before 30 November 2012.

We think we are different to other tours for a few reasons:
1 - GPS based - You choose the rides that you want to do from the 40+rides we have in our paper based Ride Directory. You then select them on your Garmin GPS and off you go. The GPS has a colour display & is easy to use and follow! So no more cumbersome maps and no more having to stop at every junction to see where you are- its easy!

2 - Flexibility - Our set up with the Ride Directory (including for each ride: a map overview, mileage/time etc along with tourist info),GPS and our Real Provence tourist guide, means that you really do do the tour that you want. There is no 1 tour fits all with us. If you want to be on the bike all day that's possible, whilst if you want more "Tourism" that works too! And if you want lots of hills or easier flat terrain - that's no problem it's your choice. Flexibility also means you choose the length of your stay!

3 - Single base - With us there is no changing location everyday - so no packing, unpacking and the usual logistics involved. You'll stay in our popular 17th Century Provencal farmhouse B&B with pool (ranked 2nd out of 104 B&Bs in the area on TripAdvisor). We supply home cooked dinners (every 2nd evening), and copious fresh French buffet breakfast outside under the vine pergola.

4 - Bike the real Provence - we live in and bike this area all year long. So we know where to find the best rides, quiet backroads, that special restaurant or that village off the beaten track. This is not mass marketing, you are not a number, we try to give you a real flavour of Provence. Hopefully our Real Provence guide & our Luberon food guide will point you in the right direction so you can get the most from your stay.

5 - Value for Money Tours - we aim to offer honestly priced, value for money tours, if you compare what we offer:
- Flexible tours for all levels,
- A directory of GPS guided rides,
- Quality B&B accommodation,
- A beautiful Provence backdrop for excellent cycling and tourism,
- Home cooked dinners (every 2nd evening) and daily buffet breakfasts,
- Brand new quality hybrid bikes for 2010, GPSs & equipment,
- Rider back-up,

hopefully you should find that we stand up very well to other tours. We can do this because we don't have to pay middlemen for hotels, food & bikes etc, these savings are passed onto you to make great prices.

*Save 120 euros for 2 people sharing 1 room - Save 50 euro for a 1 person booking. For bookings of less than 6 nights the discounts are pro-rated.

The Pont du Gard.

Remember most of us are somewhere in between these two groups.

It's also important to remember that our tours are very flexible, meaning that these itineraries are by no way set in stone. These are guides as to what your tour could look like. On your arrival, by using our comprehensive Ride Directory (of 40+ rides) and our input, we can easily put together the tour that is right for you, thus making the most of your time in Provence.

1 - A smaller amount of bike time with more of an accent on Tourism.

Day 1: Arrival @ 4pm - Pick up bikes & GPS. Short demo & a 5kms ride to get you used to your GPS. Then maybe a short ride before dinner.
Day 2 - Ride to the spectacular stone hill-top village of Gordes, take a seat at the cafe by the fountain & take in the view. Visit the ancient stone settlement just outside Gordes. Then onto one of the many vineyards. 25kms / 15 miles.
Day 3 - Walk to the Lavender museum in the village from the Farmhouse. Then on the bike to visit the beautiful riverside villages of Fontaine de Vaucluse & L’Isle sur la Sorgue. Admire the crystal clear water as you sit by one of the many riverside restaurants. L’Isle sur la Sorgue is the French Antiques capital - so dozens of shops to visit. 30 kms / 18 miles.
Day 4 - Ride along the Luberon valley then up to the beautiful village of Roussillon, famous for its terracotta landscapes and take a walk through one of the old ochre mines. Then down to the converted rail track (now a bike path) on the way back to the Farmhouse. 35 kms / 21 miles
Day 5 - Visit “Peter Mayle - Year in Provence” territory, with the choices of Lacoste, Menerbes and Bonnieux - all beautiful centuries old stone hill top villages, rich in history and culture. Chateaux, Churches, great views, excellent restaurants - the real Provence. 30 kms / 18 miles.
Day 6 - A lovely ride to the unique, and relatively unknown, Oppede le Vieux. Walk through the picturesque Rennaisance village and then up through the abandoned houses (due to an earthquake) to the rocky spur with its magnificent 360 views, ancient Chateau and Church - unforgettable. 30 kms / 18 miles.
Day 7 - Departure after breakfast.

2. Where the biking is more important.

Day 1: Arrival @ 4pm - Pick up bikes & GPS. Short demo & a 5kms ride to get you used to your GPS. Then maybe a short ride before dinner.
Day 2 - A tour of the spectacular Luberon villages and landscape. Take the superb, quiet bike track to Oppede le Vieux, Menerbes, Lacoste & Bonnieux - where sights abound. Head down the excellent 10km winding road, with great views of Mont Ventoux, to Apt. Jump on the converted rail track (now a bike path) and then climb up to Rousillon and Gordes. 72 kms / 45 miles.
Day 3 - Tackle the Tour de France classic - Mont Ventoux. Drive the 50 mins to the start point. Punch your time card at the bottom of the mountain and then it’s the 25kms climb to the top. With the last 6kms at 10% it’s fun. Punch your card and admire your time - then it’s 25kms free wheeling. It's not a huge distance - but it's a lot of climbing with 1600 metres from Bedoin or 1200 metres from Sault.
Day 4 - Scenic tour around the Luberon Mountains. Head of along the flat, through the vines to the pretty villages of Robion & Maubec. Head around the spectacular Luberon mountain, through the orchards and into the mountain pass. Tackle the long climb up to Bonnieux, and then down into the valley along the converted rail track (now a bike path) on the way back to the Farmhouse. 76 Kms / 48 Miles.
Day 5 - Gordes & beyond. Climb up to the famous village of Gordes, keep going to the “Col de Murs” mountain pass and the magnificent calm that you’ll find there, then the long downhill towards the pretty villages in the river plane, St Dider, Pernes & L’Isle sur la Sorgue. 68 Kms / 43 Miles.
Day 6 - Up into the hills. Take the scenic route to the unique village of Fontaine de Vaucluse, and into the quiet & beautiful hills behind. Down to picturesque St Didier for lunch, and then back via the river plane and fruit orchards. 76 Kms / 48 Miles.
Day 7 - Departure after breakfast.

Breakfast under the vines.

Under 18s receive a 16 euro per night discount.
Single occupancy surcharge of 25 euros per night.

Save up to 120 euros* on bookings made before 30 November 2012.
*Save 120 euros for 2 people sharing 1 room - Save 50 euro for a 1 person booking. For bookings of less than 6 nights the discounts are pro-rated.

The garden.

The Luberon and Provence provide a great environment for cycling and outdoor living with superb countryside and stunning, intriguing hill-top villages. Many of France’s classified “Most Beautiful Villages” are in the area.
The area has a varied terrain: from flat orchard filled river planes, rolling vine covered hills to quiet, long climbs. Throw in the beautiful Provencal architecture and the quiet country back roads and it should make for some of the best cycling you have ever experienced.
On the cultural front, there is a wide and deep range of activities with many interesting villages & towns, (historic Avignon, Arles and Aix-en-Provence), museums, chateaux, vineyards, churches, various festivals, historic sites etc...

We’ll provide you with our own "Real Provence" guide to the area; with all the popular places to visit (as well as the lesser known but equally good sights), our favourite restaurants, vineyards, etc. Whatever your interests, just let us know and we will be happy to show you the ride that will take you where you want to go �" of course if you’ve had enough cycling the car is always an option!!

Our rides visit some of the most popular Provence sights:
North Luberon Villages : Gordes, Roussillon, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Oppède le Vieux, etc
South Luberon Villages : Lourmarin, Cucuron, Vaugines, etc
Isle sur la Sorgue �" “Venice of Provence”, Antiques.

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse �" Imposing rock face & crystal clear river, canoeing & fishing.
Abbaye de Sénanque �" An impeccably preserved 12th-century Cistercian Abbey.
The Cedar Forest at the top of the Luberon mountains.
"Conservatoire des Terrasses" and its centuries old stone agricultural buildings.
Fort de Buoux �" An abandoned village and medieval fortress high on a stony outcrop.
Ochre mines at Roussillon & Rustrel.
Vineyards - Try some wine tasting at the excellent local vineyards.
Markets �" The choice is large with a market almost everyday…

And there are plenty more sights that are just a short journey by car:
Mont Ventoux - Probably the most famous mountain in the Tour de France. Take a drive up it, or if you're feeling fit join the others for the 2-hour grind up Cycling Mecca…
Roman sites - Pont du Gard, Glanum, Arles & Nîmes.
Towns - St Remy de Provence, Avignon, Aix en Provence.
Sights - Château de la Barben, Zoo de la Barben, Vineyards (eg Châteauneuf du Pape, Gigondas), Les Baux de Provence.
Mediterranean beaches - Cassis, Bandol, Saintes Maries de la Mer etc.

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