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INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYS
XFN14 – NORMANDY to the MED

Itinerary:

Day 1 –
Overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Normandy.
Day 2 – 60 miles
Arrive at Ouistreham. The route takes you around Caen and into the Pays d'Auge the heart of the Normandy cheese and cider producing area. Lovely rolling countryside and pretty villages of timbered houses.
Day 3 – 58 miles
Continue through the undulating countryside of southern Normandy and then through the lakes and forests of the Perche Regional Park, ending the day at the small town of Nogent le Rotrou.
Day 4 – 56 miles
Continue through gently undulating countryside to the Loir Valley and the busy town of Chateaudun, where there is a huge chateau, to the edge of the Loire Valley.
Day 5 – 58 miles
The route takes through the Loire Valley, passing the magnificent chateau at Chambord, and then continues through the flat wooded lakeland region known as the Sologne.
Day 6 – 62 miles
Cross the Cher River and continue following the Cher Valley south, passing through the small town of Bruere Allichamps, the centre of France.
Day 7 – 60 miles
The route takes you through the beautiful Troncais Forest, then continues through rolling countryside to the Chouvigny Gorge on the edge of the Massif Central.
Day 8 – 52 miles
An excellent days ride that takes you into the Parc Regional des Volcans d'Auvergne and around the cone of the Puy de Dome.



Day 9 – 52 miles
A tough day that you along some wonderfully scenic but hilly roads as you head through the southern part of the park, passing through the picturesque mountain towns of St Nectaire, Murol, and Besse.
Day 10 – 58 miles
Another excellent days ride that takes you through the Cantal Mountains and then crosses the Truyere Gorge on some wonderfully wild roads as you head to the small spa town of Chaudes-Aigues.
Day 11 – 64 miles
A long day that takes you across the wild plains of the Aubrac Mountains and over the Col de Bonnecombe (1350 metres) before a steep descent into the famous Tarn Gorge.
Day 12 – 62 miles
The route follows the Tarn Gorge to Florac and then climbs into the hills of the Cevennes National Park. You follow the road along the Corniche des Cevennes, where there are magnificent views out over the Park, and then continue through the rocky hills of Provence.
Day 13 – 58 miles
The penultimate days ride takes you down through the gently rolling countryside of Provence, passing through many small attractive towns and villages, ending the day at St Gilles 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 Nîmes 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 Normandy coast of France to the Mediterranean Sea, while at the same time taking you through the many varied landscapes of France. The holiday begins at Portsmouth on the south coast of England from where you take the ferry across to Ouistreham (the port for the city of Caen) in Normandy. From Ouistreham the route takes you south through the Pays d'Auge region of Normandy as you head towards the Loire Valley. You 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. 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 this. The first part of the route through the Normandy and into the Loire Valley takes you through mostly fairly gently rolling countryside, which offers fairly easy cycling. However the second week takes you into the mountains of the Massif Central, and here there are some moderately long climbs, some of them steep. Most people do find that they get fitter during the tour, but you should ensure that the holiday is within your capabilities based on the information provided. You are responsible for ensuring that you reach the accommodation at the end of the day, and no refunds will be given should you fail to complete a day’s ride.

Accommodation & Food: Accommodation is in small hotels or B&B's (Chambre d'Hôtes). All the accommodation is privately owned and run, and as such does vary. Some are in the centre of towns or villages, others are in small hamlets with few local amenities. We have tried where possible to mix types of accommodation so that you will get to try various different styles on each trip. 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. In most establishments en-suite facilities are standard and we include these where possible, but this cannot be guaranteed. Breakfast is included at all the accommodation. You should note that breakfast in France is generally not as substantial as breakfast in the UK. No other meals or drinks are included in the cost of the trip. The accommodation has been chosen so that there will be somewhere nearby for a meal in the evening, (or if there is no nearby restaurant an evening meal will be available at the accommodation - 'Table d'Hôtes'). Further details are given in the route information that comes with the trip. While riding there are frequent small villages in most areas and so finding somewhere to stop for a drink or some food is not usually a problem, although in some parts of the country settlements can be quite a long way apart.

The Start: The holiday starts from the Ferry Terminal at Portsmouth. From Portsmouth you take the overnight ferry to Caen. The cost of the ferry crossing (with a standard 2 berth cabin) is included in the cost of the holiday. The ferry departs Portsmouth at 23.15 however you should plan on arriving at the Ferry Terminal at 22.00. The overnight crossing time to France is 7 hours (the ferry docks at 07.15 French time). You will arrive at Ouistreham (the port for the city of Caen), and the ride starts from the ferry terminal.

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 Nîmes. Direct flights are available from Nîmes 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 Nîmes 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 above is based on a late morning departure from Nîmes. 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 Nîmes airport for the flight home. Route directions are included from the final night's accommodation to Nîmes airport.

Flights: You may book the return flight yourself, or if you wish us to make the booking for you we can 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.

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.

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