Cycle Touring in France. Stephen Fox
woodland, leads from Lembach to Woerth, after which the path crosses open countryside before a pleasant ride through another forest to Haguenau.
Best time to visit
Summer, and harvest time in autumn.
May and June are normally the wettest months. Winters are cold, and it quite often snows until early spring in the high, forested hills of the Vosges, situated to the west of Colmar and Strasbourg.
Route 4 An Alpine Experience
Character and terrain
Starting in Geneva and finishing in Grenoble, this route crosses Haute-Savoie with a gradual ascent up the Gorge des Eveaux and scenic climbs to the Col du Marais and Col de Tamié before reaching Albertville, home to the Winter Olympics in 1992. The first of three tough climbs encountered on the Tour de France awaits you, to the Col de la Madeleine (2000m above sea level). A giant descent to the Arc Valley is then followed by another magnificent climb to the Col de la Croix de Fer (2067m) with splendid mountain views. The third and final climb is the unforgiving l'Alpe d'Huez (with 21 hairpin bends). As a reward there is a refreshing 25km descent to Vizille with a visit to its grand château, and from there on to Grenoble.
Best time to visit
Summer.
Snow lingers above 3000m throughout the year, and late snowfalls often block high mountain passes well into June. If attempting this route in June, find out whether the passes are open by visiting the local information offices. The valleys are often hot in July and August, while up in the mountains it is noticeably cooler. As with all high mountain ranges the weather in the French Alps can be quite changeable in summer, so be prepared for the occasional thunderstorm. September is normally drier than June, July or August.
Route 5 The Land of Lavender: Provence
Character and terrain
Provence is a colourful patchwork of lavender fields, olive groves, cherry orchards and vineyards, a fabulous part of France for cycle touring. Starting in the historic city of Arles this route visits Alphonse Daudet's windmill and Les Baux-de-Provence before heading east to the spectacular hill village of Gordes and the Abbaye de Sénanque. A tour around Mont Ventoux and the option of cycling up to its summit follows, then a scenic 20km descent down the Gorges de la Nesque to Villes-sur-Auzon and thereafter to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
Best time to visit
Late spring to early July, then September to mid-October.
Arles (Route 5)
The south of France, protected by the Pyrénées, is hot in summer and mild in winter. Inland temperatures often reach the mid-30s in summer, so most tourists head for the cooling waters of the Mediterranean. June and July are normally the driest months. Provence often experiences a strong wind, the Mistral, which blows from north to south along the Rhône Valley and is responsible for the ‘lunar’ landscape of the summit slopes of Mont Ventoux, the Windy Mountain.
Route 6 Meadows and Mountains: Pyrénées
Character and terrain
Crossing the heart of the French Pyrénées from east to west, this route starts in Foix, dominated by its imposing château ruins. From here cycle across lush, quiet countryside and through the giant cave known as Grotte du Mas d'Azil to St Girons. High, rolling hills follow as you continue west to St Bertrand-de-Comminges with its landmark cathedral dominating the valley down which the River Garonne flows north from the high Pyrénées. A gradual ascent to Arreau up the Vallée d'Aure is followed by a climb to the Col d'Aspin (1489m) before a long descent to Bagnères-de-Bigorre and on to Lourdes. Follow the long cyclepath that runs from Lourdes to Pierrefitte-Nestalas, ‘La Voie Verte des Gaves’. If you want to try one of the big Tour de France climbs the optional Stage 6 up the scenic Val d'Azun to the Col d'Aubisque provides a spectacular finale.
Best time to visit
June to September.
The mountainous Pyrénées, although not as high as the Alps, can also experience fickle weather conditions in summer, so be prepared for the odd afternoon thunderstorm in July and August. High mountain passes are often not open until late May/early June due to late snowfalls in the spring. July is normally the driest month.
Route 7 Rivers and Castles: Dordogne and Lot
Character and terrain
This circular tour starts in Brive-la-Gaillarde and heads south, crossing the River Dordogne to the charming villages of Carennac and Autoire with their clusters of typically medieval Quercynois houses with brown-tiled turreted roofs, dovecots and towers. The castles of Castelnau-Bretenoux and Montal are visited before an ascent through lovely woods to Figeac.
From Figeac cycle alongside the unspoilt River Célé for almost 50km to its meeting with the River Lot and the magnificent hill village of St Cirq-Lapopie. Follow the Lot west through Cahors and Luzech with vineyards bordering the river, then cycle across hilly country to the massive castle of Bonaguil and the bastide town of Monpazier before once again crossing the Dordogne. Travelling east along its northern bank you encounter yet more impressive castles and some of the most beautiful villages in France, before eventually reaching Souillac and taking a short train ride back to Brive-la-Gaillarde.
Best time to visit
Spring, or late summer to autumn.
The Dordogne and Lot are very popular areas for summer holidays with both French and foreign tourists, so book accommodation in advance if visiting in July or August. Spring and autumn are generally mild seasons for cycle touring in southwest France, but winters can be quite cold. June and July are normally the driest months.
Route 8 Rugged and Remote: Auvergne and Languedoc
Character and terrain
Starting from Meymac, on the edge of the high Plateau des Millevaches in the départment of Corrèze, ride southeast, crossing the River Dordogne and cycling up into the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne. This is the largest Nature Park in France: a vast, open, rugged landscape of high, rolling hills and extinct volcanoes. Continuing southeast to the hill town of St Flour cross the Truyère river below the immense Viaduc de Garabit railway viaduct and cycle into Lozère, the least populated of France's 96 départments. Here you leave one region for another, the Auvergne for Languedoc.
Parc National des Cévennes (Route 8)
Cycle down the remote Vallée d'Enfer and pass through Marvejols, crossing another of France's great rivers, the Lot, before climbing to the barren plateau known as the Causse de Sauveterre. A descent into the spectacular Gorges du Tarn, one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe, is followed by another climb to the Corniche des Cévennes which grants splendid panoramas of the surrounding Parc National des Cévennes – wild and remote, rich in flora and fauna. This marks the southern end of the great Massif Central, and the route ends with a long descent to St Jean-du-Gard and then on to Alès.
Best time to visit
Late summer and early autumn.
The weather can be changeable, with some summers decidedly hotter or wetter than others. Driest months are normally July and August. Winters are usually long and very cold, with snow lingering on higher ground until the spring.
The following table gives average monthly temperatures in degrees Centigrade for each of the routes.
A Short History
Major evidence of human settlement in France dates from around 25000BC, most noticeably traces of the Cro-Magnon people (as they became known) who lived from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic Age. Their cave paintings were discovered in Périgord, those in the Grotte de Lascaux being perhaps