Bike Adventures   Supported Holidays   Independent Holidays   Photo Gallery   Booking Information


INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYS
XFC10 – CHANNEL to the MED

Itinerary:

Day 1 – 42 miles
From Dover take the ferry across the English Channel to Calais and then head south through rolling countryside to Desvres, and then along the Course Valley to the pretty walled town of Montreil.
Day 2 – 90 miles
Continue south past the Abbey at Argoules, through the the Foret de Crecy, across the Somme River, and into Normandy, where there is some lovely countryside and pretty villages of timbered houses.
Day 3 – 98 miles
Continue through the magnificent Foret de Lyons to cross the River Seine at Les Andelys beneath the ruined castle built by Richard the Lionheart, and then across rolling hills to the Eure Valley. You then climb away from the river annd continue south across the flat plains of central France as you head around Chatres.
Day 4 – 102 miles
Route takes you through the busy town of Chateaudun, where there is a huge chateau and on into the Loire Valley and past the magnificent chateau at Chambord. You then continue through the flat wooded lakeland region known as the Sologne.
Day 5 – 106 miles
The last flat day before the mountains takes you across gently rolling farming countryside around Bourges and then continue south along the Cher Valley, passing through the small town of Bruere Allichamps, the centre of France. Route takes you through the beautiful Troncais Forest and along some lovely quiet country roads as you head into the Auvergne.


Day 6 – 94 miles
The terrain becomes hillier as you head towards the mountains. You pass through the Chouvigny and Sioule Gorges, then around around the fabulous cone of the Puy de Dome and then south through the Parc Regional des Volcans d'Auvergne, to the popular little spa town of St Nectaire.
Day 7 – 98 miles
A fabulous days ride that takes you through the southern part of the park, along some wonderfully scenic but hilly and winding roads. You pass through the picturesque mountain towns of Murol, Besse, and Murat before continuing through the Cantal Mountains on some wonderfully wild, bleak roads. There is a long descent into the Truyere Gorge and then a long climb to the edge of the Aubrac Mountains.
Day 8 – 100 miles
Another spectacular days ride takes you over the Col de Bonnecombe (1350m) and through the famous Tarn Gorge to the attractive town of Florac. From here the route climbs into the Cevenne National Park and continues along the Corniche des Cevennes, where there are magnificent views over mountains, before finally descending to the small town of St Jean du Gard.
Day 9 – 87 miles
A nice easy ride that takes you through the rocky hills of Provence, passing through many attractive little towns and villages. The final few miles are mostly flat as you follow the canals and rivers of the Carmargue to the small busy resort town of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer.
Day 10 – 35 miles
The final day is a nice easy ride to Nimes airport to catch the flight back to the UK.

HOLIDAY DETAILS

The Holiday: This trip is designed to offer you the challenge of riding all the way from the north coast of France to the Mediterranean Sea, while at the same time taking you through the many varied landscapes of France. You should note that this trip is not recommended for inexperienced cyclists. Parts of the route are hilly or mountainous, and you need to be prepared for it. Our Independent Holidays are meant for people who usually travel with their partner or a group of friends and who have toured before. We provide you with complete route details and book all the accommodation for you along the way. However there is no leader or support vehicle. You will be carrying your own luggage and will have to sort out any problems that may arise on your own. If you book one of these trips on your own please note that you will generally be travelling by yourself. There may be other cyclists booked into the accommodation in the evening but this depends on the holiday booked and the time of year.This trip is only recommended for very fit experienced riders. There are some long hard days and you should be sure you are capable of riding the distances involved (across hilly terrain with luggage) before booking on this holiday.

The Route: The holiday begins at Dover on the south coast of England from where you take the ferry across the English Channel to France. From Calais the route takes you south through Picardy and into eastern Normandy, crossing the River Seine at Les Andelys. You then continue around Evreux and Chatres, cross the River Loire halfway between Blois and Orleans, and then head southeast around Bourges and into the Massif Central.
The route continues just to the west of Clermont-Ferrand, passing through the wild landscape of the Volcans d'Auvergne National Park, and across the Cantal and Aubrac mountains to the Tarn Gorge. Here you turn east following the gorge to Florac and then cross the Cevennes National Park, continuing into Provence and reaching the Mediterranean Sea at the edge of the Camargue, the vast estuary of the River Rhone.

The Start: The holiday starts from the Ferry Terminal at Dover. The cost of the ferry to France is included in the price of the holiday. You should plan on arriving at the Visitor Centre at approximately 1.00 pm. The ferry takes approximately one and a half hours and you arrive in France at the port of Calais. From here you have a ride to your accommodation for the first night.

The Finish: You reach the Mediterranean Sea at the small resort town of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer. The trip is designed so that you can then return to the UK from the nearby airport at Nimes. Direct flights are available from Nimes to Liverpool, Luton and Stansted with the 'low cost' airline Ryanair. It is also possible to return from Montpellier. The cost of the return from Nimes is not included in the price of the holiday.

Flights: You may book flights yourself, or if you wish us to make the booking for you we are happy to do so. A separate form will be sent to you.

Documents: British Nationals require a full passport to visit France. If you are from the UK or another EU country, Canada, the USA, Norway or New Zealand a passport is all you need. Nationals of some other countries require a visa.

Accommodation & Food: Accommodation on these trips is in small hotels, guest houses, and B&B's. Breakfast is included at the accommodation. You should be aware that French breakfasts are generally not as substantial as in the UK. Note: If you are booking a trip by yourself, or are part of a group but have requested a single room each night, there is an additional supplement of £30.00 per night. The accommodation has been chosen to ensure that there is a restaurant nearby for an evening meal. This should be with a mile of your accommodation (further details are given in the route information that comes with each trip). If there is no nearby restaurant an evening meal will be available at the accommodation ('Table d'Hôtes').

Bikes & Cycling: The type of bicycle that you bring for this tour is entirely up to you. Some people take mountain bikes, others touring machines. The most important thing is that you are used to the bike and are comfortable riding it. You should make sure that your bike has suitable gears for this sort of trip. Parts of the route, particularly through the Massif Central, are hilly, with some quite long climbs. Do not forget that you will be carrying your luggage which may mean that you may need a lower gear than you would normally use. Most of the Bike Adventures route follows minor roads, and traffic is generally very light. There are a few short sections of busier roads, particularly around towns, and some of the town centres can be quite busy, but most of the route avoids roads with heavy traffic.

Weather: There is a considerable variation in climate on this trip. The north of France has a similar climate to the southern part of the UK (usually a few degrees warmer), while the south has a distinctly Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers.

Maps: Maps are not provided as we are aware that many people will already have some maps of the area. They are not essential as you will be provided with detailed route notes for the tour, but we do suggest that you carry one. They will provide you with useful additional information, and, if you do miss a turning on the route, a map will help you work out where you are.

Top of Page Channel to the Med Home