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Does anyone have any recommendations for a bike tour in France? Any experiences? Positive or Negative? The obvious site I checked first was Trek Travel. But, it is too expensive for me. I'm a "medium" level rider training for my first IM in June.
Any responses would be appreciated.
Thanx
RABI
Dude, get off the airplane, unpack your bike and point it direction "up" and you won't go wrong. Seriously, try the Camps section at ironguides.net for one idea of how a bunch of us are hooking up and cutting costs. Van+driver support is the killer cost for these things, but we are mixing 4-star chateau lodging with rustic B&B to keep it reasonable at 175 Euro/day. Depending on interest, these things can be organized quick on my end since I live here and I would love nothing better than to help out.
Pyrrennees and Alps are weather dependent so if you want to ensure enjoyable riding, late spring or early fall in Provence is great. How far you want to ride and how fit you are will really determine your level of enjoyment too. Also plan to book in some time to enjoy some local places. Nice has a lot to see and do. Biarritz has great beaches. Nice to Biarritz is a tour I'm planning on organizing next year, so stay tuned.
As for itinerary, Central Macif (middle of France south of Clermond Ferad) is very isolated, many many roads to explore, scenic to make you sick like chocolate cake is so great until you eat too much of it . . . also high on the list but arduous and rough pavement is Corsica, pretty much anywhere.
Go to viamichelin.com and type in a place/town and check the map. Anything with green is always great. There are so many options it would be extremely hard to go anywhere here and not enjoy it. Planning is half the fun! :-)
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Francois,
I'm not looking to do an IM. Just ride around and enjoy the country. I would ride myself, but I need SAG and I wouldn't even know where to start or go.
Thanx
Do you want arduous or cruisy? Out-in-the-wilds with little villages where no one speaks English? Or nip-and-tuck into the big cities from time to time? Hot or not too hot? By the sea, away from the sea?
Corsica -- small enough that you just can't go wrong and can see most of it with 100 - 150 km per day for a week. Arduous, bumpy roads, big mountains. Hard to get to. Super scenic. Sea always there. Wineries. Expensive. Great food. Great people. Not too many cities. Lots of villages.
Foothills of the Pyrrennees -- great roads, winding, windy. Options for mega-climbing any day on the itinerary. Steep if you like that. Major nice "must see" destinations en route. Biarritz as destination. Wineries.
Central France. Isolated, hilly, just-follow-the-map. Wineries. Cheap. On your own. No tourism focus.
Alpes Maritimes or Alpes. Weather dependent. Traffic on coast, made up for epic Grande Corniche ride. Major problem is serious lack of wineries -- head west to the Var around St. Tropez for that.
Provence, all you imagine and more. Wineries. Cheap B&B's everywhere. Flat and mountainous and hilly and wild.
Northern France -- haven't a clue, but the calibre of riding is high. Flatter riding. Wineries. Great cheeses.
Rhone Valley -- Flat for long periods, lots of possibilities to nip up from the valley.
Best bet to avoid the need for Sag, pick a few places that are central to some place you'd like to see more of and ride there, then zip over to another place and do it again.
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Join the New Generation of Champions!
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