France boasts more than 26,000km of national cycle routes and networks. Photo / T. Prudhomme, Auvergne Rhône Alpes Tourisme
Cycling holidays have taken the world by storm and in France, with its 26,115km national network of cycle routes, there is no better way to discover the country’s nature, heritage, culture and cuisine, writes Amy McPherson.
La Velomaritime - World War II coast trails
The north coast of France will interest cyclists wishing to explore World War II history. The La Velomaritime cycle route winds itself from the border of Belgium, halfway down the coast ending in the town of Roscoff, past D-Day landing beaches, the cliffs of Etretat, the Bay of the Somme and the town of St Malo. On the way, you’ll also pass the iconic abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, and perhaps arrive at the right time to walk across during low tide.
The 1500 kilometres of cycle route is entirely waymarked and well structured, you can plan your own itinerary and choose the sections you wish to cycle, or combine it all into a big bikepacking adventure. Not to mention, you’ll be able to sample some of the best seafood from these regions, particularly the oysters from Brittany and Normandy are highly prized. lavelomaritime.com
La Velodyssee - Wild birds, historic towns and beaches
The southern section of France’s coastal cycling on La Velodyssee is perfect for cyclists looking for a more leisurely ride, as 80 per cent of the journey is on traffic-free greenways. As well as passing historic towns and villages, this long-distance route stretches from Roscoff to the border of Spain traversing in and out of more than 20 nature reserves and wetlands, and is a particularly scenic route perfect for nature and outdoor enthusiasts.
Beach lovers will particularly enjoy the stretch along the coastal side of Bordeaux, which is also famous for its wines. If you have time, there are easy detours on to one of the pretty islands off the coast, including Ile de Re, also a cycling paradise, for something different. lavelodyssee.com
La Loire a Velo - The Loire by bike
Consisting of around 800km, the Loire by bike trail was the first marked cycle route in France and is considered one of the best organised, linking from the source of the river to its mouth on the Atlantic Sea.
The valley that runs along the river is known as the Valley of Kings, as well as the Garden of France. The fairytale chateaux, built by French royalty and many with links to the great Leonardo da Vinci, are some of the most beautiful palaces you’ll encounter in Europe. Do make time to stop and visit some of the palaces: Amboise, Chambord and Chenonceau being the most famous of them all.
Mostly flat with much of the cycle route traffic-free, making the La Loire a Velo route one of the best for families travelling with children. loireavelo.fr
La Veloscenie - From Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel
This is a cycle route from one legend to another. From the heart of the City of Lights, you’ll leave Paris following a well-signposted 450km cycle route, to reach the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel on the Normandy coast. Mostly on dedicated cycleways linked by quiet country roads, not only will you get to experience some beautiful countryside, but you’ll have the opportunity to detour to Versailles and also pass destinations such as Chartres and the gorgeous Chevreuse Valley and Chateau de Maintenon and the aqueducts built to feed water to the fountains of Versailles but never completed due to the wars. veloscenic.com
Alsace Wine Route
The region of Alsace is peppered with fairytale villages of colourful timber houses. It is known for its Christmas markets and vineyards that sprawl up hills topped with historic castles.
The Alsace Wine Route is designed to give the cyclist a chance to take it all in, leisurely. The route incorporates former railway lines, small sections of old Roman roads and quiet country lanes leading to pretty winemaking villages, with time to stop and taste the wines from boutique winemakers while enjoying the day cycling through postcard-perfect scenery.
Keen cyclists can attempt the full 132km of cycling in a day, or choose small portions to ride and experience Alsace slowly. The close proximity of the villages and sights makes Alsace a great region to tour by bike. wine route.alsace/cycling/
ViaRhona - From the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea
ViaRhona actually starts in Switzerland at Lake Geneva, through the French Alps, which makes this long-distance cycle route one of the best for those looking for epic Alpine scenery with mountain detours allowing for some serious Tour de France-style challenges.
Following the emerald glacial river Rhone, this is one of the newest cycle routes being ambitiously developed and traverses through the most varied environment along the way. From Geneva, the route takes you towards the city of Lyon, leaving the Alps into a landscape of vineyards and villages with plenty of heritage and culture to discover. Then, a section into Provence through the papal city of Avignon, before ending at the coast where the azure of the Med beckons.
Not only is there plenty of culture and heritage to discover, ViaRhona also goes through some of the best areas of gastronomy and you’ll definitely not go hungry throughout your ride. en.viarhona.com
Canal des 2 Mers - A link between two seas
Experience the simple pleasure of cycling along two of France’s major canals - the Canal de Garonne and the Unesco World Heritage Canal du Midi - which links the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean.
A route mostly on designated cycle paths, you’ll discover a tranquil side to French canal living, where barges navigate the gentle waters, operate the locks and sail along the canal bridges, which can be quite a spectacle to watch. You’ll have a chance to visit the wine capital Bordeaux and the Pink City of Toulouse, where small sections of the route can be cycled with your family safely, making a great day out on your holiday in France. en.canaldes2mersavelo.com
Canal de Bourgogne - The best of Burgundy
From Dijon to the town of Migennes is a 215km cycle route along the canal. It is mostly flat, following the flow of the Burgundy Canal, once the royal waterway, constructed with the support of Emperor Napoleon, and was the link of commercial success in Burgundy until the emergence of the railways.
The entirely traffic-free cycle path travels through important areas of Burgundy culture and heritage, including Alesia, where Caesar defeated the Gauls, and the canal tunnel of Voute de Pouilly. Not to mention, the gastronomy experiences along the way make this the most ideal way to experience the best of Burgundy. burgundy-tourism.com
France Velo Tourisme
To encourage more visitors to explore France by bike, the France Velo Tourisme website has a range of “Accueil Velo” (Welcome Cyclists) accommodation that offers more than just bike parking, places to eat, tourist office links and bike rental and repair shop listings to help cyclists on their adventure. The website is also a good source of information on route planning and advice. francevelotourisme.com/accueil-velo
Getting there
Fly from Auckland to Paris with Air NZ, with one transit in Singapore or Hong Kong.
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