France has a deserved reputation as a cycling superpower. If you’ve been watching the recent Tour de France, which saw the first French woman in more than three decades to secure the women’s title, then you might be sufficiently interested in the country to book a cycling holiday there.
It’s worth first looking at exactly what it is that makes a cycling holiday in this part of the world so appealing. Let’s consider why cyclists from across the planet keep coming back to France.
You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy it
There are cycling trails in France to suit all ages and abilities. Whether you’re looking for a leisurely tour through the vineyards of Burgundy, a scenic trip along the Canal du Midi, or even a gruelling mountain climb in the Alps, there’s a trail to suit you. As such, the country is particularly attractive to families.
Stunning landscapes meet world-class infrastructure
Of course, there are beautiful stretches of countryside all over the planet. What really distinguishes France, however, is a combination of outdoor scenery and world-class facilities. There’s a sprawling network of high-quality, well-maintained routes, and plenty of bike-friendly places to stop. If you’d like to experience a little bit of structure without compromising on freedom, then you might take advantage of the many cycling tours France has to offer.
Food, culture, and history at every stop
If you want to experience an authentic slice of rural French life, then a bicycle offers a fantastic way to do it. You’ll be able to access villages, local markets, and remote producers as part of your tour. Better yet, you’ll have a chance to make spontaneous discoveries along the way, whenever the opportunity to do so arises.
Planning is simpler than you might expect
You don’t need to expend huge amounts of effort to plan a cycling trip in this part of the world. You’ll find a wealth of information online. Cycling forums, blogs, and magazine articles might help to point you in the right direction, and devise your itinerary according to your own personal priorities. You might also be able to learn from the experiences of others who’ve travelled the same routes you’re contemplating. This might, in turn, allow you to avoid potential problems, in a way that wouldn’t be possible if you were to take your cycling holiday in other parts of the world.
