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INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYS
XFC15 – CHANNEL to the MED

Itinerary:

Day 1 – 6 miles
From Dover take the ferry across the English Channel to Calais and then cycle the short distance to Guines.
Day 2 – 68 miles
Head south through rolling countryside to Desvres, and then along the Course Valley to the pretty walled town of Montreil, and continue south past the Abbey at Argoules, and through the the Foret de Crecy.
Day 3 – 60 miles
Continue across the Somme River, and then into Normandy, where there is some lovely countryside and pretty villages of timbered houses.
Day 4 – 66 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.
Day 5 – 70 miles
Long day that takes you away from the Eure Valley and across the flat plains of central France as you head around Chatres, to the busy town of Chateaudun, where there is a huge chateau.
Day 6 – 68 miles
Route takes you into the Loire Valley and past the magnificent chateau at Chambord and through the flat wooded lakeland region known as the Sologne.
Day 7 – 72 miles
Head through 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.
Day 8 – 62 miles
Route takes you through the beautiful Troncais Forest and along some lovely quiet country roads. You stop for the night in the Chouvigny Gorge on the edge of the Massif Central.



Day 9 – 68 miles
The terrain becomes hillier as you head into the mountains. The route takes you around the fabulous cone of the Puy de Dome and then south through the Parc Regional des Volcans d'Auvergne, along some wonderfully scenic but hilly and winding roads.
Day 10 – 62 miles
A fabulous days ride that takes you through the southern part of the park, crossing several small cols, and passing through the picturesque mountain towns of St Nectaire, Murol, and Besse.
Day 11 – 76 miles
A long, tough day that takes you into the Cantal and Aubrac Mountains (over the Col de Bonnecombe (1350m)and through the Truyere Gorge on some wonderfully wild, bleak roads.
Day 12 – 72 miles
A superb ride that takes you through the famous Tarn Gorge to the attractive town of Florac, where the route climbs into the Cevenne National Park and continues along the Corniche des Cevennes, where there are magnificent views over mountains.
Day 13 – 68 miles
The penultimate days ride final days ride takes you through the rocky hills of Provence, passing through many attractive little towns and villages. You end the day at a small town on the edge of the Carmargue.
Day 14 – 52 miles
A luggage free day as you head down to the coast, following the canals and rivers of the Carmargue to the small busy resort town of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer. You return to the same accommodation at the end of the day.
Day 15 – 10 miles
Ride to Nimes and return 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.

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 short 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.
NOTE: The final two days riding will depend on both your choice of return transport, and the time of the flight etc. The itinerary shown below is based on a late morning departure from Nimes. You spend two nights at the last hotel/guest house on the trip and the final full days' cycling is a day ride that takes you to the Mediterranean coast at Stes Maries-de-la-Mer. You then return to the same accommodation that evening so that the following day you are within easy reach of Nimes airport for the flight home. Route directions are included from the final night's accommodation to Nimes airport.

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.

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