Get Away on Bicycles! A Provençal Itinerary
A Family Cycling Adventure in Provence - with a laid out itinerary!
When someone says Provence, you may think of lavender fields, sunflowers, artists and beautiful rural villages.
Provence is all of this, but also an ideal destination for a bicycle tour in France.
In fact, visiting Provence by bicycle will allow you not only to savor the bucolic landscapes with the right slowness, but also to take a leap back in time. It is an experience to be lived with all the senses and is the ideal destination for the whole family, capable of combining fun, art and nature.
If you're looking for something a little different for your family holiday this year, here are some of the easy cycling routes good for the whole family of all ages.
You will be able to travel the sunny countryside, take unforgettable photos of the lavender fields, immerse yourself in the vineyards, feel like in a Van Gogh painting and fall in love with the flavors of the local cuisine.
La Véloroute du Calavon ( Green route of Calavon)
This cycling path follows part of the old railway line known as the Alps, an extension of the Avignon-Cavaillon line. It is a paradise for cyclists around the area and is good for families with little kids who want to have a laid-back journey. The path is 37 km long and can be cycled in 3 hours or so, perfect for a morning ride. During summer season, it is a bit too hot on some parts of the path since there is no shade at all. Bring enough water because you can’t find any fountain along the cycle path.
Cycling here is exhilarating, not difficult and lets you can admire the landscapes and be in connection with this nature which tells the story of this part of Provence.
Along this route, you can come across a Roman bridge, cross the town of Apt in total safety on viaducts with beautiful views.
You can find the tracks on the link below and for more detailed information:
And here is our video on our bike ride on the Voie Verte du Calavon with some aerial views:
Canal du Midi
The Canal du Midi is 270 kilometres long and runs from Toulouse to Sète. It is one of the oldest canals in Europe with 63 locks, 126 bridges, 55 aqueducts and 7 canal bridges. It was engineer and salt tax collector Pierre-Paul Riquet who initiated the construction of the canal in 1665- 1681.
We drove our car to Sète and from there, off we rode our bicycles till Toulouse. A five day itinerary that we did from the 30th of June till the 4th of July in 2018. Our son was just 9 years old at that time. We had a day stop at Carcassone for a full day immersion inside the medieval city. It is a must!
Our Itinerary :
Day 1 Sète – Agde 30 km
When we arrived at Sète, we were so lucky to witness the famous water jousting .
A tradition dating back as far as Egyptian times, water jousting was also a popular medieval sport in the south of France and is now a huge part of Languedoc traditional culture. The first water jousting tournament in Sète took place in 1666 during the inauguration of the port of Sète.
So, how does water jousting work?
There are two wooden boats, one red and one blue. This originates from traditional times when a young bachelor in a blue boat would challenge a married man in a red boat. The boats are long and at one end is a ladder known as a ‘bigue’ supporting a platform, ‘tintaine’, two metres above the water. The jousters are perched on the tintaine of their boats dressed in white, holding a lance and shield.
The boats are propelled by ten oarsmen and sitting behind them are the musicians – an oboist and drummer – playing traditional jousting music which helps the oarsmen to row in sync, all the while building suspense and encouraging the jousters.
The aim of the game is to knock the opponent into the water. The boats approach each other and as they pass the jousters prod each other with their iron-tipped lances with the hope of sending their opponent overboard.
After riding along the coastal road of Sète, we arrived in the town of Agde just before sunset, had dinner and a quick tour of the town center.
Agde is located on the River Hérault, 4 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the oldest towns in France.
Day 2 Agde-Capestang 54 km
Alternating between shade and sun, we went on the perfect cycle path (after Béziers) and chaotic terrain with varied vegetation. We definitely didn't get bored!
In Béziers, the passage through the nine locks of Fonseranes is impressive: nine locks follow one another to allow you to pass a really imposing slope!
Arrived at Capestang, we stopped by at Aux Roses de l’Etang for the night. A delighful B&B close to the town with a very hospitable owner, Sally.
Day 3 Capestang- Carcassone 89 km
We have seen a lot of great things on the way, even if there are hardly any plane trees left so little shade and the ground is not very rolling, mostly off-road.
Don't miss 'Aiguille Lock', where the lock keeper exhibits his very funny and original sculptures.
Day 4 Carcassone – DISCOVERY DAY and REST DAY!
So, let's get lost in the medieval city. Classified as world heritage by UNESCO, you can admire one of the most beautiful fortifications of Europe.
As we entered the medieval city, we rode our bike through the paved roads, attentive to the architecture of the houses of the city as well as the historical buildings dating from the Middle Ages. The Château Comtal is one of the buildings to discover. Lots of souvenir shops and art stores along the street. We were charmed by this beautiful citadel.
Day 5 Carcassone – Toulouse 105 km
We left Carcassone very early in the morning. After Carcassone the cycle path is very well kept and is all paved. So it is much easier to cycle through it. Lots of shades from trees around the canal. Given the facts, we were able to cycle easily 100 km towards Toulouse, our destination.
And then we headed to ‘Lauragais’ country with its numerous farms where ducks and geese enjoy a peaceful life, swimming and a lot of cyclists along the canal.
Finally, we arrived at the end of our journey. It is known as the “Pink City” (Ville Rose), Toulouse. Entering in Toulouse was so pleasant. The road was all paved and lots of shades along the way. Sad to end the trip but we really had a lot of great ride along the Canal du midi.
We got on the train on the very same day and headed back to Sète, where we parked our car and headed back home. 😉
Enjoy your ride!
Here is the video playlist on our bicycle trip along the Canal du midi. The video is in Italian but there are English subtitles.
Canal du Midi: Video Link.
Comments