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France is perfect for a bike holiday (even with children)
There are 13,120 miles (26,115 km) of bicycle paths and voies vertes in France, a true paradise for those who want to travel by bicycle. And even if the country of the Tour de France is the world’s second-largest cycling destination, the ambition is to reach the podium by increasing infrastructure, services and expertise even more. The reasons for choosing it as a cycling destination are many: easy routes even for children and families, signage everywhere, incredible views of the ocean, giant sand dunes, mobility perfectly integrated with trains and buses, pedaling along vineyards, rivers and canals, visits to fairy-tale castles.
In France, cycling is a legend: ever heard about the Tour de France?
If there is one feature film that most tells the story of the magic that revolves around the Tour de France, it is Appointment in Belleville. The main character is Champion, a shy, quiet child who dreams of running in the Tour de France one day. Champion, after years of hard training aided by his grandmother, realizes his dream: he runs the Tour, and his drawn image resembles Fausto Coppi. We are not Champion and our dream is not to race in the Tour de France, but cycling here will always have the flavor of a romantic legend.
There is a site dedicated to French cycle tourism with all the answers you are looking for
Voies vertes, back roads with little traffic, Eurovelo routes: the possibilities for bike travel in France are truly endless, and to help you clear up some of your doubts we recommend the France Vélo Tourisme website. There you will find many route ideas based on difficulty, days available and places you would like to see. Easy, right?
Bike mobility is integrated with trains and buses
Bicycle touring in France is a serious business, and super-efficient signage helps people get around without risking getting nervous or lost. But that’s not all, also making things easier is the integration of bike mobility with public transport, such as trains and buses. A 2021 legislation stipulates that every train must provide at least eight bicycle spaces for cyclists. Good news for those planning a bike trip in France! Learn more about bicycles on trains.
Itineraries within the reach of everyone, even the youngest
France by bike is also perfect for families, thanks to well-marked routes, often designed and built in flat stretches, along the banks of rivers, lakes or man-made canals or on the route of decommissioned railways. As you pedal, you will encounter many attractions that will keep even the youngest children entertained, from discovering medieval castles and fortresses in the Loire Valley to jumping and racing through ocean-view dunes and moors-a nice stop by the sea will be a recharge for the whole family!
You ride ocean-view
The ocean, the scent of the sea and pine forests, towering dunes (the highest in Europe): cycling like this, you don’t even feel the fatigue. The bicycle path that skirts the ocean is the Vélodyssée, a bicycle touring route a thousand kilometers long from Roscoff, a small village in Brittany, to Hendaye-Plage in the French Basque Country at the foot of the Pyrenees. Pedal after pedal your eyes fill with wonder.
Hunting for castles and gardens
There are bike paths that seem immersed in a fairy tale. Castles, churches, small medieval villages, flower gardens – in France, you can experience a bike ride between history and nature. You can choose to cycle surrounded by more than 300 marvelous castles, in the Loire Valley, or immersed in ancient medieval villages among folklore and the highest tides in Europe, in Brittany. It will always be magic.
Bike paths along rivers and canals
Cycling in France means immersing yourself in the green of parks and mountains, but also in the blue of water, seas, rivers and canals. There are so many bicycle routes that follow waterways, and an unusual experience is to travel by bike and boat, where pedaling is combined with nights and boat rides to reach the starting points of the routes while enjoying the view from the water.
Lots of cycling among the vineyards along the wine roads
Whoever does not think of good wine when it comes to France, raise your hand. And how great is it to be able to discover the best wines while cycling? If you can’t resist the world’s most famous bubbles you can choose the vineyards of Champagne or if you prefer thick reds there is Burgundy with its wine route. There is also room for Cognac enthusiasts on a beautiful hilly itinerary among castles and abbeys.
If cycling in France has become your next desire, discover all Girolibero trips: voila!
