With a road bike or E-bike, cycle along the most iconic routes of Provence for this 7-day / 6 night holiday. If you’re a regular cyclist in good physical condition, this holiday is perfect for you.
Begin in the city of Avignon, home to the popes in the 14th century, its medieval walls harboring a wealth of culture and history. Ride northbound towards Châteauneuf du Pape, undisputed king of the Rhône Valley wines. Veering to the east, you reach the village of Bedoin, nestled at the foot of the Giant of Provence: Mont Ventoux. Staying three nights here allows you to explore Ventoux’s exhilarating routes, whether the iconic climb to the summit, made famous in the Tour de France, the spectacular Nesque Gorge, or local and authentic villages. Trade Ventoux for the hilltop villages of the Luberon as you stay in Gordes, recently elected as the world’s most beautiful village.
For this holiday choose between two categories of accommodations: the Charming category with the Angleterre Hotel in Avignon, La Garance in Bedoin, and the Mas des Romarins in Gordes; or Luxury with the Hotel d’Europe in Avignon, the Maison de Crillon in Crillon le Brave, or Les Bories in Gordes.
Day 1: Welcome in Provence
It all starts in the medieval town of Avignon, nestled within its 14th century ramparts, still completely intact. You’ll find a wealth of medieval churches, cobbled streets, museums, cafés and restaurants, and the largest gothic monument ever built: the immense Papal Palace. Walk up to the gardens above the city and get a far-reaching panorama of all the mountain ranges you’ll cycle through during your adventure. We’ll give you a welcome meeting in the comfort of your hotel, ensure you’re comfortable with your bikes and our navigation system, give you tips and list our favorite restaurants, and answer any questions you may have.
Day 2: Avignon to Bedoin
Distance: 68 km
Climbing: +650 m
From Avignon head northbound to reach Châteauneuf du Pape, known around the world for its powerful and spicy red wines. Your itinerary meanders through the parcels of vines, and heads by famed estates, where you can stop for wine-tasting. Farther north, cycle through the bustling town of Orange, harboring a Roman theater: the best-conserved in the world. Turning towards the east, through a sea of vines, the mountains approach. Reach your accommodation at the foot of Mont Ventoux.
Day 3: Loop options from Bédoin
Distance: from 63 to 104 km
Climbing: from +1100m to +1650m
Several warm-up options are possible today, exploring the foothills of Mont Ventoux. You can choose a complete tour of Ventoux, via the lavender fields of Sault, and into the remote Toulourenc Valley to the north. You may also choose to visit the villages of the Dentelles de Montmirail: a set of limestone cliffs that soar high above the Rhône Valley vineyards. Or you can choose to ride the spectacular Nesque Gorge: a narrow road set high above a canyon, winding through tunnels cut into the stone cliffs.
Day 4: Mont Ventoux
Distance: 63km
Climbing: + 1860m
Today’s rendezvous is with the summit of Mont Ventoux, Provence’s highest mountain. From Bedoin the first 5km are relatively tame, climbing gently through the vines and cherry orchards. And then the infamous hairpin left of Saint Estève, where the road ramps up to 10%. You pass different ecosystems along the way, climbing above the oak, then cedar, then beech forests, and finally among bare rock — Ventoux’s infamous moonscape. You’ll see the summit throughout the next section: and somehow it doesn’t seem to get closer. You race down the north face of Ventoux, and if the skies are clear the entire chain of the Alps will act as your backdrop. The race downhill ends in the village of Malaucène. A scenic road links Malaucène back to Bedoin, over the Col de la Madeleine Pass, where a little extra effort will be required.
Day 5: From Bedoin to Gordes
Distance: 74 km
Climbing: +1300m
With Mont Ventoux at your backs, you cycle in between cherry trees and vineyards, and towards the perched villages of Blauvac and Méthamis: the latter set dizzyingly above the Nesque Gorge. Visit the charming little town of Pernes les Fontaines, with its cafés, quaint squares, and its numerous old fountains. Climb into the Monts du Vaucluse range and to the perched medieval village of Vénasque, listed among the most beautiful villages in France. Above Vénasque, a pretty mountain road takes you up to the Col des Trois Termes pass; freewheel down to Sénanque Abbey, a jewel of 12th century Romanesque architecture, and surrounded by its lavender fields. Reach the village of Gordes for two nights.
Day 6: Loop in the Luberon
Distance: from 62 to 97 km
Climbing: from +960m to +1330m
The Luberon Mountains are dotted with villages straight from a storybook, its scenes carpeted with truffle oaks, old Provençal farmhouses, and orchards of all kinds. Today’s cycling loop explores the most scenic of the Luberon countryside. The village of Oppède le Vieux is lost in time, overtaken by vegetation, almost haunted; the village of Lacoste is crowned by the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de Sade; the cafés and squares of the village of Bonnieux are an invitation for a lunch break; and the village of Roussillon is painted in every hue of pale yellow to deep red, from its otherworldly ocher mine.
Day 7: Au revoir Provence
After your check out, we’ll transfer you to Avignon, in time for your ongoing travels.
Charm category
- Hôtel d’Angleterre 3* – 1 night
- Hôtel La Garance 2-3* – 3 nights
- Hôtel Mas des Romarins 3* – 2 nights
OPTION : Luxury category
- Hôtel de l’Europe 5* in Avignon – 1 night
- Maison de Crillon in Crillon le Brave – 3 nights
- Hôtel les Bories 5* in Gordes – 2 nights
What is included in the price of your stay
- Nights and breakfasts in your hotel(s) for the duration of your stay.
- Transfer of your luggage between hotels.
- Welcome and end-of-stay briefing.
- Concierge service for advice and reservations for restaurants or activities.
- Bike rental (including bags, water bottles, locks, energy bars). If you come with your personal bike, a deduction will be made from the price of the stay.
- Your cycling routes loaded onto a GPS application.
- Assistance in case of problems 24/7.
What is not included in the price of your stay
- Transfer to reach the starting point of your stay.
- Transfer at the end of your stay.
- Lunches and dinners.
- Activities during your stay (wine tasting, visit to a wine estate, etc.)..
