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JUNE 6 - VENCE (NICE)
We’ll meet your flight at the Nice/Côte d’Azur airport and transport you to our hotel in Vence. This ancient walled
village, only six miles from the beaches of the Côte d’Azur, is high enough in the hills to be free of the crush of beach cruising tourists that can ruin anyone's vacation. We’ll all be busy assembling bikes, fighting fatigue,
sightseeing, or just relaxing from our travels, so we offer several suggestions for a shakedown ride before our welcome dinner tonight. Most of this trip will be on small country roads and we will seldom be in dense tourist areas. Many of
the following days show a fair amount of elevation gain, though there are very few hard climbs, most being gradual or rolling. Dinner will be at our hotel in, or overlooking the pool and garden, depending on the weather.
JUNE 7 - ST CÉZAIRE - 27mi, 1000ft -or- 42mi, 3000ft altitude gain
We’ll have a leisurely breakfast - no rush this morning. The hustle of city life and responsibilities of home left far behind us, we set out on a truly great adventure. We parallel
the coast as we wind our way toward Grasse, the world leader in the distillation of perfumes. With continued views of the Mediterranean along the way, we stop in St Cézaire for our first of many French lunches. Whether it is a five course
meal, a picnic, or just a salad and baguette, lunch is always a grand experience in Provence. The longer route departs early in the day and climbs to the cliff hugging village of Gourdon, 1500 ft above the road taken by the other cyclists.
Still more climbing to the Plateau de Caussols, and we have an exhilarating descent all the way to St Cézaire where the others will just be finishing lunch and preparing for an afternoon at the pool.
JUNE 8 - SEILLANS - 22mi, 950ft -
or - 31mi, 1600ft
Today we descend into and climb out of the first of many beautiful gorges . From here, a little extra climbing brings us to a section of an ancient Roman aqueduct carved into the stone cliffs above the gorge. A short
descent to Callian puts us on the road to Seillans and our beautifully situated hotel with its first rate restaurant. If you didn’t take a dip in the river, a swim in the hotel pool will be a must. As one of Provence’s most beautiful
villages, Seillans is well worth exploring on foot.
JUNE 9 - MOISSAC-BELLEVUE - 37mi, 3100ft - or- 54mi,
4600ft
The inspiration for this bike tour of Provence is the many small, beautiful hilltop villages that for centuries have given safe
haven to the inhabitants of this mountainous region of France. Today we explore many of these gems, Bargemon, Châteaudouble, Ampus, Cotignac, Aups, and finally Tourtour. A stop in Châteaudouble for lunch with a sweeping view from the
tree-shaded terrace of the village restaurant is a must; it’s perhaps the best lunch of the trip, the epitome of the long French lunch. Tourtour is certainly one of the best villages in Provence with its shaded central plaza, the old men
playing boules, the interesting small shops, and of course the many outdoor bars and restaurants great for an afternoon break, or even lunch for the faster riders. Aups is a lively, bustling village and a good stop for an ice cream or beer
before arriving at our hotel just outside Moissac. The longer route adds a loop up to the Lac de Ste. Croix.
JUNE 10 – AIX EN PROVENCE - 57mi,
2800ft
We start the day shopping for a grand picnic to be shared this afternoon. Today’s ride
has no special villages, but the countryside is typically Provence and beautiful. How can a place be so perfect for cycling?! Wonderful scenery, small winding roads with very little traffic, fragrant scents from wild herbs growing along
the roadside, excellent weather, friendly people, delicious food - what more can we ask for? This morning’s ride is mostly rolling hills through scrub oak, from one small village to the next. After our picnic lunch, we climb into the
hills around the famous Mont Ste. Victoire; and as we traverse the moonscape-like southern side, we are not surprised that this mountain has inspired so many artists - particularly Cézanne. One is left wondering if this mountain was
formed by the forces of nature or by the paintbrush of Cézanne. A thrilling descent off the flank of the mountain takes us into Aix-en-Provence, the vital and cosmopolitan setting for our evening’s stay. Here is the perfect sized
Provencal town for a night out; dinner will be on our own at any number of restaurants or cafes – perhaps on the famous Cours Mirabeau.
JUNE 11 - VAUGINES - 24mi, 1000ft
This morning we’ll take time to further explore Aix, often pictured
as the Athens of the Midi. Aix-en-Provence’s wealth of charm and history beckon to be explored and appreciated. We’ll begin our exploration in the Place du Verdun, where the Marquis de Sade was burned in effigy in 1772. A short walk
toward the university in Aix is rewarded with a stop at the Cathedrale de St Sauveur, dating from the 1300’s; an eclectic collection of architecture housing a treasure trove of art. Then wending our way to the Cours Mirabeau we’ll
enjoy the tree lined avenue accented by several fountains. Here we can stop for a mid-morning espresso at Les Deux Garçons before continuing our exploration. After lunch we’ll head en masse out into the country, as we ride toward the
Montagne du Luberon, gateway to the Vaucluse. We’ll pause on our ascent of the Luberon in Lourmarin to visit the 16th century château located just outside town. It’s a pleasant 3-mile ride to our hotel, where we’ll unwind by the
pool after our busy day of sightseeing and riding.
JUNE 12 - GORDES - 37 mi, 1500 ft –or– 47mi, 1500ft ft
We descend through Lourmarin and then begin our climb over the Montagne du Luberon into the Vaucluse. The hilltop villages of the
Luberon with their wonderful colors and exquisite fragrances will intoxicate our thoughts for a simpler and richer life. En route to Joucas, we’ll explore some of the towns made famous in Peter Mayle’s books, A Year in Provence and
Hotel Pastis; Bonnieux, Apt, Saignon, St Saturnin, and Roussillon. Apt is the economic center for this area, with its long, pedestrian-only walkway of shops, boulangeries, and bistros. This area is known as the Luberon; it really is a
magical place, where the residents are friendly and hospitable, the vineyards and gardens are lovely, and lunch at any little bistro is worth writing home about. Maybe the best of these villages is Roussillon, which teeters on an
ochre-colored hilltop, from which magnificent views of the surrounding lowlands may be enjoyed. We climb to Gordes, probably the most photographed hilltop village in France. Nearby is the fascinating Village of the Bories, where all the
buildings are constructed of flat stones, carefully piled into cone-shaped dwellings. Our hotel is just walking distance from
town.
JUNE 13 - GORDES - 0 mi or up to 45mi and 3000ft
Continuing our exploration of the Luberon we’ll visit any villages we missed yesterday. We’ll start with Goult, because if we hurry, we might be able to purchase some of the famous
sourdough bread fresh from the oven of the tiny village bakery. Then, on to Oppède-le-Vieux, Menerbe, and finally back to Gordes. A short loop north of Gordes will take us to l’Abbaye de Senanque, where the groomed fields of lavender
with the ancient stone buildings in the background provide perfect photo opportunities. If the essence of Provence were to be distilled down to a single day’s bike ride, this valley would be it. Of course, another way to experience this
part of France is to do as the French do: pick any one of these gemstone villages, find a restaurant or boulangerie in the town square, order a café and patisserie, relax and enjoy!
JUNE 14 - VAISON LA ROMAINE
- Route du Vin, 48mi, 2800ft
A
short climb and a cool descent bring us to the Abbey de Senanque.
The bright purple of the recently bloomed lavender, framed by
the stone towers of the abbey, creates one of Provence’s most
memorable scenes; time to get the cameras out. After descending
a small gorge, the short climb to Venasque is rewarded by one of
Provences “most beautiful” villages. After a delicious lunch in
Bedoin, we circle the Dentellis de Montmirail, tooth like
mountains bordering the Rhone Valley. This is the “Route du Vin”
through some of the more famous Cote du Rhone vineyards. As we
pass through Beaumes-de-Venise, Vacqueras, Gigondas, and Seguret,
stop at any of the wineries for wine tasting and be sure to make
arrangements with van to help with any purchases. Our hotel
high above town in the old city is a perfect setting for the end
of a beautiful day. The restaurant is well know for its
excellent Provencal style menus.
JUNE 15 – VAISON LA ROMAINE
- Rest Day
A
much-needed rest day is most appropriate for today, market day
in Vaison la Romaine. Vaison’s market is considered one of the
best in all of Provence. Market day is France’s answer to the
mall; it comes once a week, and offers an experience far greater
than just buying and selling – it is a happening, a social
event, ‘showtime’, and of course a visual feast. Beautifully
laid tables of fruits, vegetables, spices, olives and tapenades,
breads, honeys, stalls of meats and fish, cheeses, pizzas, and
other prepared foods, not to mention clothes, fabrics, hardware,
jewelry, and wines.
JUNE 16 -
JOUCAS
- 48mi, 2800ft, - or - 60mi, 4400ft
Lavender
grows in many environments around the world, perhaps even in
your own garden at home. But it produces a superior essence
when grown under harsh conditions. At 2000-4000ft, the high,
arid, sparsely populated Plateau de Vaucluse is just such an
environment; cold and dry during winter, hot and dry during
summer. The fields of lavender will just be blooming,
attracting honeybees and butterflies. It’s hard to overlook
these vast fields with their bright purple rows; yet we’ll see
many other wildflowers in bloom this time of year, as well as
wild herbs—thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, savory, and
sage—producing a heavenly medley of sweet smells. This will be
one of the loveliest (and fragrant) days of cycling, even if you
choose to climb Mont Ventoux (55mi, 6600ft), which will make a
day of cycling worthy of a Tour de France stage. After a lunch
stop in Sault, the longer route descends the Gorge de la Nesque,
20 km of gradual downhill. The day ends with a winding climb up
the Gorges de Murs and descent to our hotel.
JUNE 16 –
la BASTIDE
des-JOURDANS - 40MI, 3400ft, - or - 50mi, 3700ft
Since we are back in the Luberon it will be easy to customize
your route to include any villages you may have missed before.
Our first scheduled stop is St Saturnin with its ancient chateau
ruins perched above town. A gradual climb brings us to the
Plateau de Vaucluse and more lavender. Especially beautiful is
the longer route, which includes the hill village of Simiane la
Rotonde perched above the purple lavender fields below. Cereste,
another beautiful village is at the base of the day’s big climb
over the Luberon range. The descent to la Bastide des-Jourdan
is fast and enjoyable, one of the best of the tour. The pool at
the hotel is great for afternoon relaxing, but the meals are
over the top, truly amazing.
JUNE 18 - MOUSTIERS Ste. MARIE
-
45mi,
2400ft-or-64mi, 3600ft
An
easy ride brings us to the bustling city of Manosque. The ring
road is quite busy but pedal into the center, where no cars are
allowed and meander through the many small streets, visiting the
many shops and of course this is a must stop for pastry and a
coffee. A great lunch stop is in Riez with its deeply shaded
streets and numerous restaurants. This area is one of the
largest lavender growing regions in all of Provence, the evenly
spaced rows of bright purple flowers stretch as far as the eye
can see. Moustiers, known for its delicately painted ceramics,
sits at the base of two sheer cliffs, whose summits serve as a
springboard for many colorful parapenters. This village,
designated one of the most beautiful in Provence, is well worth
exploring, including the hike up to the small chapel on the
cliffs above town. Dinner tonight is ‘no host’; choose from a
tantalizing selection of cozy restaurants in the village.
JUNE 19 - CASTELLANE - 32 mi, 3000ft - or - 42mi,
4000ft
The Grand Canyon du Verdon is one of the most impressive natural wonders of Europe,
yet it was not discovered until 1905. Of course the locals knew it well, but its remoteness kept it hidden from the world. Agriculturally useless and almost inaccessible, the 13 mile canyon has sheer limestone cliffs 1000 to 3000 feet high
and less than one-half mile apart. As we begin our climb at the beginning of the canyon, we see the first of many spectacular views, the brilliant opaque blue-green of Lac de Ste. Croix, formed by a dam at its western end. Far below
numerous breathtaking viewpoints is the Verdon river snaking its way westward. From our favorite viewpoint we will enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch while watching rock climbers honing their skills on the vertical rock walls. We descend into
the narrow gorge at the east end of the Verdon on our way to the mountain village of Castellane. Although there is plenty of climbing and descending, the short route is fairly easy. The optional loop, though steep, is highly recommended
for its incredible scenic beauty.
JUNE 20 - VENCE - 55 mi, 2800 ft -or- 70 mi, 3800 ft We’ll make the most of today, our last day of cycling through this wonderfully varied and amazing part of France, and choosing a route is the hard part,
with so much from which to choose! The short route climbs up the Col du Luens, then turns off into a series of sub-alpine valleys, and finally plummets toward the village of Gourdon perched high on the cliffs above the Gorges du Loup. A
‘must’ for lunch, Gourdon has a most impressive view of the Côte d’Azur and Mediterranean beyond. The longer route climbs high out of Castellane to the Col de St. Barnabe, and we spend most of the day descending tiny backroads to
Vence. The uplifted limestone slabs create a beautiful mountainous route with immense views for the entire day. Lunch will be at a small, classy, and very French restaurant situated on the banks of the Esteron river, where will lounge and
swim after lunch. The ride from here to Vence is one of the best of the trip, fitting for the final day. After packing up, we’ll enjoy another our farewell dinner at the hotel.
JUNE 21 – Departure
Van transportation is provided to the
Nice-Côte d'Azur airport (or train) in Nice.
COST $2800 per person based on Double Occupancy
$500 Single Supplement
INCLUDES
·2-3 star Hotel Accommodations ·
·Breakfast daily (except arrival day) ·Dinner daily (except one night and arrival/departure
days)
·Airport transfers from/to Nice airport
·Bike mechanic and van
support with cellular phone
·Ground transportation for all passengers, luggage & bikes
·Regional map plus detailed daily route maps & cue sheets
NOT INCLUDED
·International airfare
·Tips, gratuities, laundry, telephone, & items of a personal
nature
·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be
charged for those who want wine with dinner, and can be prepaid
before departure)
PRE-TRIP PLANNING
A complete trip packet will be sent upon receipt of your final payment, including tour t-shirt, hotel lists, maps, and luggage tags. Our guidebook containing
information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying, equipment list, and changing currencies, will be sent upon receipt of your secondary deposit (due by March 1). All participants must possess a current passport.
TRAVEL
INSURANCE Erickson Cycle Tours strongly recommends purchasing insurance for trip cancellation, injury, illness, and loss of effects. A traveler's insurance brochure will be included in your confirmation letter.
AIRFARE
We offer the services of
our travel agent, Rogue Travel, in obtaining economical,
expedient air reservations, and we are happy to assist with pre-
and post-tour accommodations. Please contact Shannon or
Steven for flight information:
800.443.9216 or shannon@mind.net
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