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INDEPENDENT HOLIDAYS
XFN26 – NORMANDY to the MED

Itinerary:

Day 1 –
Overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Normandy.
Day 2 – 30 miles
Arrive at Ouistreham. The route takes you around the city of Caen through lovely rolling countryside and pretty villages of timbered houses.
Day 3 – 32 miles
Route takes you through the Pays d'Auge the heart of the Normandy cheese and cider producing area.
Day 4 – 34 miles
Following some lovely quiet roads you pass through southern Normandy to the edge of the Perche Regional Park.
Day 5 – 24 miles
Continue through the lakes and Forests of the Perche Region, ending the day at the small town of Nogent le Rotrou.
Day 6 – 22 miles
Nice easy day through pleasant rolling countryside.
Day 7 – 26 miles
Continue through gently undulating countryside to the Loir Valley, passing through the busy town of Chateaudun, where there is a huge chateau.
Day 8 – 32 miles
The route takes past several smaller chateaux on the way to the Loire Valley. You stop for the night near the magnificent chateau at Chambord.
Day 9 – 40 miles
Leaving the Loire Valley you continue through the flat wooded lakeland region known as the Sologne.
Day 10 – 36 miles
Cross the Cher River and continue through gently rolling farming countryside as you pass around the city of Bourges.
Day 11 – 34 miles
Continue along the Cher Valley, passing through the small town of Bruere Allichamps, the centre of France.
Day 12 – 28 miles
Pass through the beautiful Troncais Forest and continue along some lovely quiet roads through rolling countryside.
Day 13 – 30 miles
Roads become hillier as you head towards the Massif Central.
Day 14 – 24 miles
Route takes you along the Chouvigny and Sioule Gorges, ending the day at the hilltop town of St Gervais d'Auvergne.



Day 15 – 34 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 16 – 32 miles
Another wonderful days ride that takes you south through along some wonderfully scenic but hilly and winding roads that take you through the picturesque mountain towns of St Nectaire, Murol, and Besse.
Day 17 – 34 miles
Continue around the Monts Deore and along the Santoire Valley.
Day 18 – 26 miles
A superb ride that takes you across the lovely Cantal Mountains to the small town of Pierrefort.
Day 19 – 32 miles
The route takes you through the Truyere Gorge on some wonderfully wild, bleak roads, and then through the small spa town of Chaudes-Aigues.
Day 20 – 30 miles
Another wonderful days ride that takes you across the wild plains of the Aubrac Mountains and over the Col de Bonnecombe (1350 metres).
Day 21 – 22 miles
A nice easy ride that takes you through rolling countryside and into the famous Tarn Gorge.
Day 22 – 32 miles
A harder day that takes you along the Tarn Gorge to Florac, and then climbs into the hills of the Cevennes National Park.
Day 23 – 28 miles
You continue along the Corniche des Cevennes, where there are magnificent views out over the Park, and then head south into Provence.
Day 24 – 36 miles
The route continues through the rocky, hilly countryside of Provence, passing through many attractive small towns and villages.
Day 25 – 30 miles
An easy days ride that takes you through gently undulating countryside, before following the canals and rivers of the Carmargue to the small busy resort town of Stes Maries-de-la-Mer on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Day 26 – 26 miles
Easy ride that takes you away from the coast to the small town of St Gilles.
Day 27 – 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 although this trip is easier than our other Normandy to the Med Holidays this is only because the daily mileages are less. The route used is the same - parts of it are hilly or mountainous, and you need to ensure that you are 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 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 Nîmes is not included in the price of the holiday.
NOTE: The final few days riding will depend on both your choice of return transport, and the time of the flight etc. The itinerary shown above allows a day to ride from the coast to St Gilles, with a short ride to Nimes airport for the flight home the following day. This itinerary may be altered if you wish to return from Montpellier, or have an evening flight from Nîmes.

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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