Cycling in Provence!

Just got back from a weeks holiday cycling in the South of France. It was amazing! Martin and I went with our friends Upa and Becky and spent seven days toodling from one B&B to the next.



We took the Eurostar to Paris and then a train from Paris to Avignon. We paid to take our bikes on the Eurostar but unfortunately there was no room on the train from Paris to Avignon so we had to dismantle them and put them in make shift bike bags(think large ikea bags and some bin liners) to carry on the train. Although trains in France are very clean and overall very roomy, getting them on was a bit traumatic. And funny. We rushed on the train to make sure we were the first ones on and then as the train pulled away, I was trying to explain to a Frenchman he was in our seats, while Martin tried to tell me something in between the carriage door opening and closing. Upa was dripping sweat trying to manoeuvre the bikes in the luggage racks and Becky was trying not to fall over holding all of our bags. Eventually though, we got everything sorted (thank you other french man for letting us know there were no stops between Paris and Avignon) and laughed at ourselves for the spectacle we made. And then fell asleep. (5:00am start. Bluck)

We got to Avignon in the evening and after a short cycle to the B&B we headed straight for the pool. Some of the B&Bs we stayed at were half board, which meant dinner was included. Sadly this place was the only one where there really was no vegetarian meal. Even though the menu clearly says vegetarian option available. Being in France though, this was no big deal as what they did wrangle up for me was delish. After a three course meal and a couple of bottles of amazing red wine and we were off too bed.

The days that followed were all pretty much the same. Had breakfast around 9:00, which always consisted of bread, butter, home made jam, croissants, bad tea and sometimes some fruit. After our leisurely breakfast we would then pack up and then get on our bikes around 10:30. Each day we cycled between 25 and 30 km and made it to the next B&B around 4:30, when we would promptly head for the pool.



Our biggest meal was lunch, which was usually three courses and had between 12:00 and 2:00 and dinner usually consisted of more bread, cheese, olives, tomatoes, wine and whatever else we could find. One night we even had a BBQ. The French are only open for lunch between 12 and 2 (sometimes 1:30) and EVERYTHING ELSE closes between noon and 3:30 or 4:00.

Although we didn't cycle very many miles each day,that doesn't mean we weren't without our challenges. One day saw our trusty sat nav take us UP an unpaved road where we had to walk up a mountain (okay, large hill) in the heat of the day. There were actually lots of hills our two middle days and as we were carrying everything we needed for our trip on our bikes (or in my case on my back) these hills were most unwelcomed!



I actually would not have changed anything about our mileage. Because we knew we could get to our next destination quickly, we were really able to take our time and enjoy everything around us. There were many many many stops for pictures and our three course lunches could take us up to two hours. Every place we went was beautiful, and we were never in a hurry to leave.



Doing less miles also meant we got some time to walk around quaint French villages and admire the views and check out the markets.



And take alternate routes and get lost occasionally...



So overall, had an amazing time and would highly recommend every one do a similar trip in their life time. Some notes though...French are not friendly! Very rude! Any attempts we made to smile, make chit chat, wave to other riders was met with a frown. Don't waste your energy. Also, air conditioning in your room is a must! There were a couple of nights we went without and it was horrible. France is very hot this time of year (90s) and sleeping in a hot room is no good! Food is amazing, eat as much as you can. As is the wine, drink as much as you can! France is extremely bike friendly, so take advantage of the cycle routes, they take you through some beautiful country. But take a sat nav with you, makes navigation a lot easier. (Or make sure Martin is with you, that man is very handy with a map!)