Provence – The name alone sounds inviting to every traveller. The region’s wonderfully mild climate and many quiet paved roads makes it an ideal destination for bicycle tourists year round. Let yourself be enchanted by ancient towns and historic monasteries, by the scent from fields of rich lavender, the charm of tiny villages and French joie de vivre. Enjoy the contrasts presented by the peaceful expanses of the Camargue, with its glittering blue bays and herds of Camargue horses grazing in a landscape dotted with brilliantly white farmsteads. A refreshing plunge into the Mediterranean is just one of the many highlights of this bicycle tour.
This Cycling Guide includes detailed maps of the countryside and of many cities
and towns, precise route descriptions, information about historic and cultural
sites as well as background information and a comprehensive list of overnight
accommodations. The only thing this guide cannot provide is fine cycling weather,
but we hope you find nothing but sunshine and gentle tailwinds.
Located between the river Rhône, the western Alps and the Mediterranean, Provence counts as one of the most delightful regions in Europe. Almost no area outside of Italy can boast as many Roman sites as the land of pink flamingos, wild bulls, white horses and fields of fragrant purple lavender.
For almost five centuries large parts of southern France were a Roman province
– the name Provence is but one remnant of that legacy.
No other French region possesses as many ancient Roman structures as the former
province Gallia Narbonensis. Among the most impressive buildings are the amphitheatre
in Arles, the Pont du Gard, and the theatre at Orange.
The many local and municipal museums also contain a wealth of artworks and artefacts.
Many important artists made their homes in Provence. Vincent van Gogh is closely associated with the city St.-Rémy-de-Provence. Another famous onetime resident of this town is the physician and astronomer Nostradamus, who was born there in the 16th century.
Fontvieille became a popular tourist destination thanks to „Letters from
my Mill“, the humorous collection by Alphonse Daudet.
As the Roman Empire declined in the late 2nd century and the 3rd century, Christianity
extended its influence into southern France. The many cloisters and abbeys that
the traveller finds in Provence testify to Church’s role through the subsequent
centuries.
Another common sight a visitor to Provence encounters are the fields of lavender.
Strictly speaking, the blue-purple plants are not real lavender, but lavandin,
an easily-cultivated and productive hybrid of lavender. Though the demand for
lavender is declining due to competition from synthetic scents, the main users
of the fragrant plant remain the perfume makers in the nearby city of Grasse.
Before the Rhône reaches the Mediterranean, its fertile valley flattens
into a wide delta. This is the Camargue, a photogenic landscape were the little
white horses and wild black bulls graze. Cowboys in France are known as „Guardians“,
and their work can be dangerous. They use not a lasso, but a long lance with
three points called a „trident“.
Another symbol of the Camargue is a much less dangerous animal – the pink flamingo. These long-legged wading birds take their colour from the salt crabs that form a large part of their diet. Flamingos use their distinctive curved beak to filter the crabs, artemia salina, from the water.
That is Provence: Historic, multifaceted, and breathtakingly beautiful. We
believe one of the best ways to discover and enjoy this famous corner of France
is by bicycle.
We hope you will find this cycling guide to be a useful and reliable companion
as you explore the countryside and cultural centres, and get to know the ”savoir-vivre“
of the people who inhabit this region. We wish you a memorable tour, and hope
that your experiences in Provence stay with you long after you return to your
daily life.
The cycling tours in Provence described in this guide have a total length of 447.5 kilometres.
The roadway quality in Provence is generally good. Most roads, including minor country lanes, are paved, and only a few short sections are not paved. Traffic conditions are not quite as optimal. Most of the routes in the cycling guide follow quiet secondary roads and lanes. The approaches to cities, however, are often on heavily-travelled main roads because there are only few cycling lanes and because it is easy to get disoriented on small side streets. Main roads offer the advantage of bringing you quickly and directly into and out of larger cities.
There is no posted cycling route through the Provence. One exception is the stretch between Robion and Cavaillon, which follows part of posted cycling route. Elsewhere you must depend on the maps and texts inside this cycling guide.
International dialling code for France: 0033.
When using the telephone in France, it is always necessary to dial the local
area code before the individual number – even when placing a local call.
When dialling, always add this code before the individual number you wish to
call.
The tour begins in the world cultural heritage city of Arles. The first stage takes you through the Plaine de la Camargue, where tall reeds bend gently in the breeze along the edges of broad bays and inlets. Pass countless flamingos, herds of grazing Camargue horses and black cattle in a landscape dotted with white farms. The stillness of the Camargue comes to an abrupt end as you ride into the town of Stes-Marlies-de-la-Mer, a popular destination with sandy beaches and the inviting water of the Mediterranean.
From Stes-Marlies-de-la-Mer the route turns northward and leads to the charming towns of Vauvert, Beauvoisin and Générac. The highpoint of this stage comes at its end, as we enter the city of Nîmes with its wealth of ancient Roman sites and French flair.
Most of the route follows small, lightly-travelled country roads. Traffic will be heavier on the roads in and around the larger towns and cities. With no significant hills, this stage is mostly flat and easy to ride.
The second stage of the cycling tour leads through a marvellous countryside of idyllic fruit gardens and orchards, charming villages and cities, and uncounted kilometres of small canals. Ride through the towns of Marguerittes, Bezouce, Meynes and Comps before reaching the Rhône and the imposing fortress at Tarascon. From here the route goes upstream along the wide Rhône, to the little city of Barbentane and its many classical small palaces. Next stop is Avignon, “the city of popes.” Avignon is another lively city that is sure to make a lasting impression. This stage of the tour ends in another vibrant little city, Carpentras.
Most of this stage takes you along quiet, paved country roads. Expect somewhat more traffic was you approach the larger cities. There are no significant gradients on this section of the tour.
The landscape changes dramatically as you begin the third section of the tour. The cycling route leaves the flatlands behind and enters a hilly and somewhat wild-looking countryside. Along the way, you will be charmed by the little city of Pernes-Les-Fontaines and its 30 fountains, and see the town of Venasque protruding from the hillside above before you reach the highest point in the rock formations. The effort has its rewards – spectacular views from the splendid Abbaye de Sénanque, surrounded by fields of lavender. Here you enter the Parc Naturel du Luberon. Next come the pretty towns of Gordes and Cavaillon, before the route reaches St. Rémy-de-Provence, the birthplace of Nostradamus. The stretch that follows is hilly, cutting through a landscape of impressive rock formation, and leads to Les-Baux-de-Provence. The final part of this circuit leads you back to Arles.
Most of the cycling route follows paved country roads with relatively light traffic. The segment is, however, quite hilly, though the final stretch between Paradou and Arles is mostly flat, giving you a fine opportunity to recover from your exertions.
This connection offers a direct route from St.-Rémy-De-Provence to Avignon, which gives you the opportunity to divide the long main tour through Provence into two smaller tours, or to configure your ride like a figure 8 if you so wish. This route takes you through fields and meadows, forests and orchards. Ride through the town of Maillane to the impressive Abbaye de St-Michel-de-Frigolet where you can take a break and inspect the grounds. You then pass through the town of Barbentane before rejoining the main route and entering the “city of the popes” - Avignon. Plunge into this historic lively city and let yourself be enchanted by its many stories.
Most of this connecting route follows very lightly travelled paved
country roads. You should expect somewhat heavier traffic near St.-Rémy-de-Provence
and Avignon. There is also one fairly steep hill that must be conquered on the
way to Abbaye de St-Michel-de-Frigolet.
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