Cycling tourism: our 10 routes for cycling holidays in France

The Véloscénie

From Paris to Mont Saint-Michel, there are no less than 450 kilometres of roads that you will see pass by. Leave the capital to reach the seaside, crossing green areas, whether in the Chevreuse valley, in the Perche and finally in the Norman bocage.

Accessible to all levels, this route is well signposted and therefore easy to follow. On your way, don't forget to stop at the Château de Versailles and Chartres Cathedral!

The great crossing of the Ardèche

This route of just over 300 kilometres will take you along well-known hiking trails (the GR4 and GR7) as well as forest tracks. The walk starts gently in the north of the department, south of Saint-Etienne, before continuing through the Monts d'Ardèche regional nature park.

Finally, further south, you will arrive at the viewpoints overlooking the Ardèche Gorges Nature Reserve, to discover the natural arch of the Pont-d'Arc.

The Lot valley by bike

Between the Dordogne and the Garonne, the Lot valley has a lot to offer! From the Canal des Deux Mers to Cahors, the itinerary of just over 160 kilometres is easily completed in a few days, crossing the orchards of the Lot-et-Garonne and the vineyards of the Lot. On your way, you will come across several villages with authentic charm, and end up in Cahors, a city of art and history on the road to Compostela.

The Vélobuissonnière

From Alençon to Saumur via Le Mans, discover landscapes and traditions that are unique in Europe - the lace of Alençon, the Gallo-Roman wall of Le Mans, the earthenware workshops of Malicorne or the castle of Saumur. The 250 kilometres of routes (including 37 kilometres of greenways) straddle two regions - Pays de la Loire and Normandy - and cross three departments (Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire and Orne), as well as two regional nature parks.

The Indre by bike

There is no need for a map for this route, as it simply follows the course of the Indre river. Less well known and less used than the Loire by bike, this 200 kilometre route links Chenonceaux to Azay-le-Rideau, passing through Loches in particular.

In addition to the unmissable Chenonceau castle, you can also discover the mills of the Indre Valley, the troglodytic valley of Goupillières or the abbey of Cormery, as well as the village of Chédigny and its old roses. The tour ends with the château of Azay-le-Rideau, on an island in the middle of the Indre.

The Burgundy cycle tour

This 872-kilometre long cycling tour guarantees that you will discover the region without missing a beat! You will cycle along six major routes: the Burgundy canal, the Nivernais canal, the Centre canal, the voie des Vignes, South Burgundy and the Loire in Burgundy, with surprises at every junction. Wine lovers will be able to combine cycle tourism and wine tourism!

The Passapaïs

Entirely built on an old railway line, the Haut-Languedoc Greenway takes its name from the Occitan language - Passapaïs means "Country Pass": in fact, the Passapaïs crosses the watershed that links the two sides of the Midi, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

This safe itinerary, because it is completely off the road network, makes it an ideal ride for the whole family, with varied landscapes characteristic of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park.

The Véloire

Over 140 kilometres, the Véloire takes you along the villages and castles that make up the richness of the Loire bocage. It starts in Montrond-les-Bains, a spa town south-west of Lyon, and the Véloire takes cyclists to Paray-le-Monial, via Roanne.

The Voie 7 Bretagne

The starting point is Roscoff, in Finistère, for a route that shares its course with the Vélodyssée as far as Port-de-Carhaix. From there, Route 7 returns to its own route, as far as Concarneau, a pleasant seaside resort renowned for its port.

All along the 150 kilometres, between the Channel and the Atlantic, you will have the pleasure of tasting regional Breton specialities and taking a good breath of sea air! At the end of July, the Breton pancake festival takes place in Gourin, an event not to be missed by fans.

Santiago de Compostela by bike

A different way of experiencing the Way of Saint James is to make part of the journey by bicycle. This is the programme of the Santiago de Compostela cycle route, which runs for 380 kilometres from Rambouillet to Châtellerault, via Chartres and Tours. In the past, the Via Turonensis (Tours route) was very popular, especially with walkers from northern and north-eastern Europe. With its low altitude difference, it is now the most popular pilgrimage route for cyclists.

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