WORLD-CLASS BICYCLE TOURS

WORLDVENTURES

SELF-GUIDED BICYCLE TOUR FRANCE

Cycling in Provence

 

Through the Luberon National Park

 

 Provence    The Regional Park of the Luberon

A WEEK IN PROVENCE - Exploring the beauty, tasting the wines & oils & cuisine

During this trip you will discover many of the places that Peter Mayle described in his famous "A Year in Provence" You will cross small charming villages such as Menerbes, Lacoste, Lourmarin or Vaugines where you will sometimes stay. Here you will discover a few sides of the Provencal culture.

On your bike you will travel on little roads which will take you to the sweet smelling garrigues where a vast number of flowers bloom from April on. Every day new sights will be on your way, wide farming plains with their typical provencal houses called Mas, stony plateaus where lavender and sage grow wild, relief limestone and golden cliffs.

• The walled city of Avignon & the Pope's Palace

• The charming country villages where the best olives in France are pressed

• The incredibly beautiful fields of flowers

• Vineyards and wine tastings

• Relaxing with the locals at cafes along the way

Cycle east crossing farming planes with lots of fruit trees, then the landscape changes as you come near the "Plateau des Monts de Vaucluse". Here are small villages on top of cliffs with their old castles. You will soon reach the famous "Fontaine de Vaucluse" and its village on the edge of the river. Spend the night in Isles sur la Sorgue, a village specialized in antiquity with a secondhand market every Saturday and Sunday. The hotel has 2 swimming pools.

You will ride toward the Luberon (Peter Mayle often describe villages such as Oppede le Vieux, Menerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux). There you can discover "jewels" on the bottom of the hill. You can stop and have a drink in the small cafes which are on places covered with plane trees around fountains. Then you will go on a little road that will take you close to Apt. Hotel with swimming pool.

Day 4 - Apt (surroundings)

Day off and night in the same hotel. Different itineraries are suggested:

A.) Discovery of Roussillon and its surroundings

Roussillon village is built on a rock on the top of the plain and surrounded by golden cliffs which colors go from red to yellow. All the houses are colored with the natural ocre and this is a wonderful sight, its soft colors give a real unity to the village from where the view is absolutely fantastic. Possibility to taste local wines. (24 miles and about 130 yard elevation)

B.) Roussellon and Gordes Villages

Gordes is a village with houses made of stones and a great castle. Beautiful view over the Luberon and the Vallee du Rhone toward Avignon. Then you will go to Roussillon. This tour gives you the opportunity to see a windmill and the possibility to taste wines. (24 miles with a 326 yard change in elevation)

C.) The Colorado Provencal and the Forgotten Villages.

A large detour to discover the Colorado ocre and its chimneys of red, yellow and white. Then you will go through little roads to come up to the beautiful plateau where you will see some quiet villages where children play in the streets while the older people keep an eye on them sitting and talking in front of the houses. A possibility to taste honey and nougat. (40 miles and 570 yard elevation) for trained people.

A beautiful itinerary will take you to the protected area of the Luberon. Depending on the seasons you will be astonished by the wonderful colors of the blue rosemary, the red poppy, the white flowers of cherry trees. You will be able to admire stone houses called "Bories" with their different shapes. Then leave by going down the southern side of the Luberon with a soft landscape reminiscent of Italian Tuscany. You will see pretty villages such as Lourmarin. Spend the night in Vaugines or close. Hotel with swimming pool.

BAGGAGE - A car will take your baggage from one hotel to another between 9:30a.m. and 5:00p.m. Clients must bring their baggage to the reception before 9:30 am.

DOSSIER - On your day of arrival you will be given the road book, and map (one per group). The road book must be returned at the end of the tour.

IN CASE OF BREAKDOWN - Clients must be able to fix their own flat tires. No immediate technical assistance is available during the tour. If you have a problem with a rental bike you must call the phone number that will be provided. Then it will be possible to repair or exchange the bike the next day when luggage is transferred. There is no repayment of the repairing invoice by the cyclist.

If you bring your own bike a and it breaks down a replacement rental bike can be delivered the next day when luggage is transferred. Rental payment will be due upon delivery of the bike.