£2,875.00 per person*
($3,651.25 USD or $5,692.50 AUD)
£250.00 deposit
£595.00 single room supplement
1st Jun to 7th Jun 2025
29th Jun to 5th Jul 2025
"Just returned from the wonderful Bordeaux tour guided by the exceptional David & Susan duo who went out of their way to meet everybody's needs. We enjoyed the company of 16 lovely people, cycling through beautiful French villages, sampling good food, lot
-- Jill & Malcolm Rowe , Australia, July 2017
Join us for this cycling tour. All you have to do is pedal
Pickups are from Sainte Foy La Grande train station
Bordeaux city tram is located outside of the ending hotel with easy 15 minute travel to Bordeaux St Jean train station.
The lower stretch of the Dordogne river is rightly celebrated for the wines produced in its fertile valley, but there is so much more to the area that a cycling tour should not miss. The rivers are broad, meandering and majestic, and the hinterland is richly forested. Between the vineyards, fields of sunflowers and maize jostle for space.
Man has left his mark on the area from prehistoric times, with notable cave paintings at several grottes along the river valley. Later, the Romans arrived and vestiges of their works are scattered across the region. The region's heyday, however, came in the 12th century when King Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine and gained the Bordeaux region for the English crown.
The marriage led to a rivalry between France and England for control of Aquitane and the enormous English territories in France that would last for three hundred years. From 1154 to 1453, Bordeaux prospered under English rule, whose love of the region's red wine — claret to the English — helped the region gain a worldwide reputation for quality wines. This was the golden era for Bordeaux, and as a result, the region boasts suberb medieval architecture in the form of chateaux, churches, abbeys and monasteries.
As far back as the third century BC, when Bordeaux was founded by the Romans, the region’s wines began enjoying a favourable reputation. The vineyards cover 520 square miles spread over the valleys of the Dordogne and Garonne river system. This treasure chest of viticulture contains some of the most glittering stars of the wine-lover’s firmament: St-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac in the Libournais to the east, Cadillac and Graves in the Entre-Deux-Mers region to the south-east. Although there are some hills (no hills at all makes for less-than-inspiring landscapes!), we follow the rivers on predominantly easy routes during our Bordeaux Vineyards cycling tour.
Our cycling tour will take you through some of the most beautiful wine villages but we will make sure you don't miss the other man-made and natural glories the region has to offer!
We collect you in the afternoon from Sainte Foy le Grand and take a stroll with a local through the town to admire the architectural marvels that await at every turn. The church in Sainte Foy, a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture, dominates the the skyline with its impressive bell tower. Step inside to admire its exquisite stained-glass windows and intricate woodwork. Wander through the narrow streets to discover hidden courtyards and charming half-timbered houses, whispering stories of a bygone era.
We then head to our destination, the Chateau des Vigiers where we set you up on the bikes and go for a short ride around the property. You can then relax in the pool or even shoot half a round of golf before we gather for dinner at the onsite Bistro to discuss the week ahead.
After a breakfast on the terrace, we hop on our bikes and pedal our way to Chateau Monbazillac. Sample the region's renowned sweet white wines, marvel at the breathtaking castle, and indulge in the captivating flavors that have captivated palates for centuries
Monbazillac wine is a luscious and vibrant sweet white wine. This exquisite wine is crafted from a blend of select grape varieties, primarily Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle, grown in the sun-soaked vineyards overlooking the Dordogne River. Its distinctive character is derived from the noble rot, or botrytis cinerea, which concentrates the grapes' sugars and flavors, resulting in a wine with rich honeyed notes, apricot, peach, and citrus undertones. Monbazillac wine is beloved for its indulgent sweetness, impeccable balance, and ability to age gracefully, making it a perfect accompaniment to desserts, foie gras, and decadent cheese plates.
After lunch onsite, our afternoon is pedalling along scenic routes lined with rolling vineyards, prune trees and incredible views into Saussignac and then back into Chateau Vigiers, where tonight we will dine at the Michelin star restaurant within the Chateau. ( Please note that shorts and sports attire are not permitted to be worn inside the restaurant)
Total Distance 49km
We pack our bags today to move on to the next Chateau. The routes takes around us back through the town of Ste-Foy-La-Grande and we then cross the river to ride tiny lanes looking down into the Dordogne valley.
We arrive in Moncaret, where a super crisp white wine is produced. As a diversion from all the grapes, we visit the ruins of a Roman Villa which overlooks the village; the excavations have uncovered some fascinating details about daily Roman life in the provinces of Gaul.
The rest of the day’s ride follows the Dordogne, and we will visit a local winemaker who will explain the grape growing process and have a taste or two and then continue on to our Hotel, the Chateau de Sanse.
Take time for a swim in the heated pool or relax on the terrace overlooking a verdant valley with a cold beer or a glass of the local appellation, before an al fresco dinner of gourmet food.
Total distance: 41km
An easy day starting with a ride along the riverbanks of the Dordogne. After crossing the river at Castillon-la-Bataille, scene of the final defeat of the English in the Hundred Years War, we are now entering the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards, as we arrive in the Libournais. A gentle climb through the vineyards sees us into the ancient ramparts of St-Emilion. In addition to its fabulous wines, St-Emilion is one of the prettiest towns in South-West France. Within its ancient walls can be found the 13C Château du Roi and, notably, the Eglise Monolithe – a church, dating from the 8th Century, carved from a single block of rock.
We arrive here early for lunch, followed by a tour of the underground monolithe. We stay in St- Emilion tonight dining at a near by restaurant.
Total distance: 28km
No packing today as we sleep in St- Emilion again tonight. Yesterday we will have learned about the legend of St-Emilion a monk who fled from Vannes his hometown, to retire and devote himself to prayer. Through his many disciples he founded one of the first religious communities. Many of the monks worked the land and soil surrounding St-Emilion making it into the vineyards you see today. We will ride through these vineyards and then have a tasting and a dinner in one of the local vineyards.
Total distance: 40 km
We head into the Entre-Deux-Mers wine region – although literally translated the name means ‘between two seas’ the seas in question are in fact the rivers Dordogne and Garonne.
After crossing the Dordogne we pick up the Roger LaPebie Cycleway, which is a converted railway track. This of course means that hills are not a problem, and navigation is a cinch! We lunch along the cycleway and then for the afternoon we rejoin the La Pebie cycleway, and make our way into Bordeaux itself to complete the week’s journey. Bordeaux has no shortage of attractions, from the beautifully restored 18th century Customs Houses lining the river to the sophisticated shopping along Rue Ste-Catherine. Our last dinner together will be at one to reminisce about the week.
Total distance: 57km
After breakfast, another chance to walk around the city, maybe to buy a bottle or two, and to exchange contact details with new friends, before making your way to the station or the airport for the journey home.
****It is sometimes necessary to change accommodation for reasons of room availability, which may mean adjustments to the route or itinerary. We will always endeavour to use hotels of an equal or higher level of comfort/facilities to those shown – please contact us to check for the most up-to-date information regarding your particular tour. ****
Not all cycle vacations are the same. Compare what is included in a French Cycling Holidays bike tour:
We try to include as much as we can within the price, while keeping things as flexible as possible. With the explosion of low cost airlines and the easy access to the TGV rail system from the UK, we believe that it is more economical and convenient for customers to arrange their own travel to the region. Links to the airlines and railway companies can be found in frequently asked questions.
We provide the transfers to and from the local airports and the nearest TGV stations, and other locations by arrangement. If you have driven down, we arrange secure parking for your car and return you to it after the tour.
We stay in very comfortable hotels, mostly 3*, occasionally 4*, and very occasionally superior 2* hotels which we choose if they have charm and comfort above their rating. All rooms have en-suite shower or bath facilities.
We select our hotels for their character as well as their facilities, and avoid chains in favour of independent privately run hotels.
Prices are based on two sharing in twin or double rooms. Singles are available on request. Where possible, we choose hotels with swimming pools as there is nothing quite like a dip after a day in the saddle!
It is sometimes necessary to change accommodation for reasons of room availability, minor adjustments to the route or upgrading the hotels. We will always endeavour to use hotels of an equal or higher level of comfort/facilities to those shown – please contact us to check for the most up-to-date information regarding your particular tour.
All evening meals are included, and we carefully select the restaurants for cuisine and ambience, and favour those with a strong regional flavour.
All meals include a starter, main course and dessert, some will have an additional cheese course. We are happy to arrange for our restaurants to cater for specific dietary requirements and allergies etc. Fine wine (or soft drink alternative) with all evening meals and coffee to follow.
We do not include lunch, as the costing of these is beyond our control, but where route and weather allow we organise picnics; these feature copious salads, cold meats, cheeses, crusty bread, fruits, etc, and a choice of drinks; we ask for a contribution for the costs of the consumables, which usually works out at 10 or 11 euros per person per picnic. Where route or weather does not allow a picnic, we recommend suitable cafés and bistros.
We provide lightweight alloy framed Trek ‘hybrid’ touring bicycles with 27 indexed gears, our guides will generally be on hand to fix punctures and minor mechanical problems and carry pump, tubes etc.
For carrying the items you might need during the day (camera, wallet, windbreaker etc.) we fit a capacious handlebar bag which also features a large map pocket. These clip on and off the bike in a flash so that you can always take your valuables with you when off the bike.
The bikes are meticulously maintained and we keep a wide range of sizes; female specific saddles are also available. We do not provide helmets automatically, as we find people prefer their own if they want to wear one, and sizing and fit is quite personal; however we always have helmets available for use. We also carry rain-capes should they be required (but hopefully not!).
For nearly all of our tours an e-bike - electrically assisted bicycle - is an extra-cost option. These bikes apply a 'multiplier' to the level of input provided by the rider, the level of assistance can be adjusted for the terrain. This can be useful if members of your party have very different levels of bike-fitness and experience, as hills that look daunting suddenly become easy with an e-bike.
Please contact us for details.
There will be two guides on every tour; one cycling with the group and one in the minibus which will follow the group. The bus carries all luggage not required for the day's ride and will always be available for anyone at any point during the day. If for instance you want to take a day off the bike, or if a particular day seems a little hard, the bus will take you for as long or as little as you wish it to.
Everybody is provided with detailed route maps for each day, and both guides are easily contactable by mobile phone. The guides are enthusiastic experts on the local area and will be able to sort out any problems or special requests that you might have.
*Note if this is the starting hotel pick up is at the Sainte Foy Le Grande train station - please ask when booking
Dating back to the 16th century and set amidst the famous vineyards of this region the Relais & Chateau sit on an enormous estate that includes its own golf course. Whether you wander around the parkland or enjoy a dip in the pool it is a great place to unwind after your day of travelling. With your evening meal in one of the old wine-making buildings, we could not think of a nicer way to start off your week.
An 18th Century château, sympathetically converted into a light and airy 3* hotel, with a noted restaurant. The 12 acres of grounds include woods and vineyards and a lovely swimming pool on the terrace.
Set in the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, this historic stone hotel is perfectly situated to take in the many sights and sounds of the town. Relax before dinner with a drink on the terrace, in the garden or a dip in the pool, before strolling into town for a sumptuous meal.
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This refined hotel founded in 1878 is 3 minutes' walk from the Saint-Émilion monolithic church. The hotel offers wine tastings, a terrace, gardens and an outdoor pool, plus a car park in a former wine storehouse.
In an 18th Century building in the heart of the historic sector of Bordeaux, two steps from the river, the 4* Normandie is ideally situated a minute from the Grand Theatre and the Esplanade de Quinconces, and a short stroll from the shopping streets of Ste-Catherine and the majestic riverside customs houses. The rooms in this traditional 4* hotel are very comfortable with wi-fi, air conditioning and all other amenities.
It is sometimes necessary to change accommodation for reasons of room availability, minor adjustments to the route or upgrading the hotels. We will always endeavour to use hotels of an equal or higher level of comfort/facilities to those shown – please contact us to check for the most up-to-date information regarding your particular tour.
Below we answer all the most common questions that you might ask before choosing a French Cycling Holidays cycling tour. If you have any further questions then please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.
Anybody who is reasonably active should be able to take part and enjoy our cycling tours in France.
The tours have different levels of physical exertion — whilst the Loire Valley tours and Bordeaux tour are easy going; the Normandy, Provence Roman Heritage, and Burgundy tours are a little more strenuous, whilst the Provence Lubéron, Dordogne and Languedoc tours require a reasonable level of fitness.
For nearly all of our cycling tours an e-bike - electrically assisted bicycle - is an extra-cost option. These bikes apply a 'multiplier' to the level of input provided by the rider, the level of assistance can be adjusted for the terrain. This can be useful if there are members of your party who have very different levels of bike-fitness and experience, as hills that look daunting suddenly become easy with an e-bike. Contact us via the contact page if you would like more details.
The Sports tours are aimed at enthusiast cyclists who might want to bring their own road bikes. However, the rides are not races and there is no time limit - and there is always the minibus if things get too tough!
We would nevertheless recommend that anyone who has not taken any regular exercise for some time consult their doctor before considering any activity-based holiday. Bear in mind that a little regular riding before coming on a cycling vacation will always be a benefit to the experience.
We pick up and drop off from the nearest TGV/railway stations to the start of each tour. (We may be able to drop at a nearer airport or station by arrangement if more convenient for you and logistically possible). This gives everyone the option of making their way by the most economical or convenient means. The major options are:
Ryanair flies into the following airports:
Nimes (for the Provence tours and Languedoc tours; Ryanair also fly out of Beziers and Montpellier for the Languedoc tour); Bergerac (for the Bordeaux tour), Dinard for the Normandy tour, Grenoble for Alpine trips and Pau (for the Classic Cols tour)
Ryanair operates out of Liverpool, London Stansted and London Luton Airports amongst others.
Easyjet flies into Montpellier (for the Provence tours) and out of Bordeaux (for the Bordeaux tour); it flys into Geneva and Lyon for Alpine tours and also out of Nice for the Alpine Raid.
British Airways prices can be reasonable if booked in advance — BA fly into Bordeaux for train transfers to Bergerac (Bordeaux tour), and Marseilles (Provence tours).
If we do not pick up from the airport itself, we will advise on rail connections from the airport to our pick-up points.
The TGV can be an exceptionally quick way of reaching many French destinations from the UK and from Paris for those flying from overseas or UK regions.
The Eurostar SNCF (French National Railways) TGV websites may be useful. As a guide, London St Pancras to Avignon via TGV takes approximately 6½ hours; Tours takes 4 hours. From Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, the point of arrival for most intercontinental flights, Tours is 1½ hours by TGV, Avignon (for Provence) just over 3 hours.
Brive-la-Gaillarde is 4 hours from Paris by rail for the Dordogne tour. We are more than happy to advise on rail options — please contact us. Internet sales from the French SNCF site ( www.voyages-sncf.com sites are possible but are in French; the approved agency for the US and Canada is RailEurope ; however we are happy to advise and help with the French website.
This may be a good choice if your French Cycling Holiday is part of a longer stay. We may be able to arrange parking for your car at or near our first hotel, and return you to your car at the end of the trip. (Note - this service may not be available on certain long-distance tours - please check with us). The major ferry and crossing companies from the UK are Eurotunnel, P&O, Brittany Ferries, LD Lines, Speedferries and SeaFrance.
If it is more convenient for you to hire a car Europcar in our experience has the best rates for rentals where the drop-off is at a different location to the pickup.
However you choose to travel, we are very happy to help you sort out your itinerary.
Pedals are obviously fairly important on a cycling tour! We stock the following kinds:
Flat – i.e. no special cleats or grips, these pedals can be used with any kind of footwear. If you do not regularly use special pedals or cycling shoes, we recommend standard trainers/sneakers to wear while riding.
SPD/flat – we also have pedals with one side flat and one side an SPD cleat. This is the standard Shimano SPD compatible system; two bolts and the small cleat pictured on the shoe with the yellow sole. These cleats are ideal for cycling tours as the cleat is usually recessed into the bottom of the shoe.
Flats with cages – we have a small number of flat pedals with cages & straps – again if you are not used to this, we wouldn’t recommend starting a tour with them!
Other – we do NOT stock any other pedal systems. If you use any other kind of pedal, you are very welcome to bring your own and our guides can fit them to your bike for the week. However, we would advise against racing-style pedals such as the Look Keo, Shimano SPD-SL or similar, as these tend to have a large, protruding cleat on the sole of the shoe which makes walking around visits or lunch stops (or even nipping into a public toilet!) quite uncomfortable and dangerous. Sports tours are a little different as there are much longer days and less off-the-bike walking – a choice is ultimately up to you though!
We are happy for anyone to bring their own bikes. However, the budget airlines charge around £50 each way and packing and carriage can be a hassle. Our Trek bikes are of a high standard, and our customers usually express pleasant surprise at the quality of the machines, so it might be a better option to bring your saddle and/or pedals which we will be very happy to fit. In any case there will always be a backup bike should you have a mechanical problem. Please feel free to call us for advice on bike transportation.
The main thing that people who are not regular distance cyclists worry about is a sore behind. This is not as is popularly thought due to too-hard saddles, but friction between skin and garments. This is why professional cyclists wear skin-tight lycra shorts with padded inserts. Many people feel a bit self-conscious in this sort of gear and your local cycle shop will have a range of padded undershorts which can be worn under normal clothing, or regularly styled shorts with sewn-in padded liners. Otherwise, lightweight comfortable clothing (tee-shirts, shorts, trainers) is ideal, with something warmer like a fleece just in case. As we will be dining well, you might like to take something presentable (but not formal — no-one on a French Cycling Holiday stands on ceremony!) for the evening meal.
As well as being an active holiday, sampling the best that France has to offer, we believe that our trips should be an opportunity to meet people and make new friends. Our groups are limited to a maximum of 16, which is the largest number that we can give a personal service to, and a minimum of 6 people, which we feel is the number needed to achieve a group spirit. If we cannot achieve this number, we may cancel the tour giving a minimum of five weeks notice.
We time our tours so that the weather should be ideal for cycling for each tour. For that reason we have our Provence and Languedoc tours in the late spring and early autumn, rather than in high summer when it can be too hot to cycle comfortably after 10 a.m. The Loire Valley, Dordogne, Bordeaux and Burgundy tours are more temperate, which is why we concentrate these tours in July and August. We cannot guarantee the weather, but it would be very unlucky to have more than one wet day on any of the tours.
There is no specific upper age limit — the only constraint is a reasonable level of fitness. Children between 10 and 16 are welcome as part of family groups. We do not recommend these tours for children under 10.
We require all participants to have travel insurance with full medical cover. It is part of the conditions of our tours that participant should provide evidence of suitable cover. If you have any questions about the cover required please contact us for advice.
In accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Tours Regulations 1992” customers of French Cycling Holidays Limited will be indemnified in respect of their net ascertained financial loss sustained arising from the cancellation or curtailment of the declared trip travel arrangements arising solely from the event of the financial failure of French Cycling Holidays Limited.
This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Chapman Stevens through Hiscox Insurance Company Limited.
"Very enjoyable! The trip more than met our expectations; The winery tours were informative and well chosen; the home visit for dinner was very enjoyable!"
Melinda and Joseph, New South Wales, Australia
"We did four different tours in France in 2013 with four different companies. French Cycling Holidays was easily the best. (We did the Bordeaux tour.)
Nothing was too much trouble for our guides Mike and Rune. The bikes were well-maintained (believe me this is not always the case with some other tour companies), the routes were well planned and Mike and Rune were really knowledgeable about the region and its wines. The meals were fantastic and the picnics were a highlight.We enjoyed our tour so much that we recommend it to our friends and 11 of our cycling group (including us) are doing the Burgundy tour in 2015."
Andrea and Geoff, Geelong, Vic, Australia
“Excellent! Well run trip, beautiful countryside, I learned a lot about the wines (and winemaking) in the Bordeaux region, and enjoyed the side trips to the castle and Roman ruins. Lovely inns & chateaus and outstanding guides.”
Susan, Brussels, Belgium
“A great experience & combination of cycling, wine tasting and great restaurants. Graham and Janice were an outstanding team that were both efficient + so delightful to spend time with. It made our holiday – thanks so much.”
Kevin & Judith, Buckinghamshire, UK
“The itinerary was perfectly balanced – the length of visits, pace, and distance covered were perfect.”
Philip, London, UK
