Around France II
Tour Dates: 2nd - 10th June
• Accompanied by Peter and Gloria
• Friendly hotels
• Represents especially good value
• All evening meals
This is a tour that is enjoyed by riders who appreciate all that is best in riding the D roads of France. The suggested routes will be on carefully chosen roads – yellow on Michelin, perhaps venturing onto national roads where it is practical to do so. There will be no prizes for keeping off autoroutes and of course if you prefer to get to the hotels early and enjoy other pleasures it is entirely up to you.
After the channel crossing our first night together will be in Chateau-Thierry, a delightful town straddling the River Marne. We have used this hotel before and have been very satisfied by the comfort and hospitality offered. 'Hill 204' overlooks the hotel and there is always time to visit the American cemetery reminding us of the 2500 soldiers who died there in 1918.
Folks in the past have asked us if we could spend more time in Burgundy so we have programmed in two nights in Beaune. Surrounded by famous vine yards the town has many attractions within walking distance of the hotel. The wine museum and Hotel Dieu built in 1443 as a hospital for the regions sick and poor people.
We move from this intoxicating wine region to cross the mighty Rhone into the Drome. Not so much a land of high drama as one of gentle rolling beauty, with the occasional rocky outburst. The Provençal Drome is the perfect place to take it easy, and to simply relax, in the lovely surroundings of quaint old villages, sunflowers and olive trees, and above all the miles of lavender fields, colouring the landscape blue-purple for much of the summer. A good interesting ride 65 miles away is to the famous Mont Ventoux which is part of the Tour de France cycle race, it stands 1900m above sea level and is well worth the ride in order to appreciate the demands put on cyclists negotiating this climb.
From here we stretch across the country passing through the Ardeche, scene of many of our watery tours and then across the Cevennes National Park which includes the massif l'Aigoual and its huge weather station, Mont Lozere where the River Lot has it source and across the plains of daunting Central Massif.
The route now takes on a more gentle terrain as we enter the Dordogne where the Vezere and Dordogne merge. We stop here for two nights enjoying evening meals together and exploring the many prehistoric caves in the area.
Our last night is spent reflecting on sights, experiences and riding of the past few days during our last night together in Amboise.
What’s included?
- Return cross channel ferry Dover Calais
- Eight nights B & B hotel accommodation
- Eight evening meals
- Full itinerary
- Services of MSL tour guides
Price:
- Two persons, one bike, shared room £839 each
- One person, one bike, shared room £875
- One person, one bike, single room £1160
- Deposit £95 per person
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Tours Office PO Box 191, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3FA Tel: 01732 367441 Fax: 01732 367441 Email: peter@msltours.co.uk |
Head Office Alexander House, 38 Forehill, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4AF Tel: 01353 616118 Fax: 01353 616120 Email: peter@msltours.co.uk |