Getawaybybike is pleased to offer a limited number of self guided trips incorporating the penultimate stage of the 2009 Tour de France on Mont Ventoux.
TRIP DETAILS:
Trip Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Average Daily Distance: 50km (30 miles) to 100km (60 miles) plus per day depending on routes selected
Stays:
2 nights St Remy-de-Provence (22, 23 July)
3 nights L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (24, 25, 26 July)
2 nights Vaison-la-Romaine (27, 28 July)
Dates: 22 July – 29 July 2009
Start: St Remy-de-Provence (transfer from Avignon TGV Station)
Finish: Vaison-la-Romaine (transfer to Avignon TGV Station)
Accommodation: 2 Star family hotels in traditional Provençal villages
Group Size: Minimum 2 people; maximum 8 people
Cost: AUD$2590/person (riders), AUD $2590/person (non-riders)
Deposit: AUD $1000/person - Reserve now
Inclusions
- Seven nights accommodation in quality two-star family hotels in traditional Provencal villages, breakfasts daily (taxes included)
- Transfers between the train station (or airport) and hotels
- Transfers to and from the stage course of the Tour de France (stage 20 from Montelimar to Mont Ventoux on 25 July 2009), light picnic style lunch included
- Daily luggage deliveries from hotel to hotel
- 3 dinners and a complimentary bottle of wine
- Comprehensive information pack on arrival, containing day-to-day itineraries, guide book, route maps and directions, travelling information and tourist brochures
- 24-hour back up support and assistance if required, including regular contact with tour guides
- Back-up technical/mechanical assistance with hire bikes
Extra options
Bicycle Hire: Additional cost
Guided Bike rides: Additional cost
General tour guiding: Additional cost
Wine Tours: Additional cost
Day 1: St Remy-de-Provence
Getawaybybike staff will be at the train station (or airport) to meet you and transfer you to your hotel in St Remy-de-Provence. Your hire bikes will be delivered on arrival, as well as your cycling itinerary and information pack. There will be time to put your bike together and have a short shake-down ride if you wish; staff will be on hand to provide technical assistance and support if required. Depending on the time of your arrival, there should also be opportunities to do some sightseeing in St Remy itself.
St Remy-de-Provence, immortalized by Van Gogh and other painters who fell in love with the region, is a charming medieval town, historically rich, prosperous and with a somewhat chic ambience.
Tonight there will be a welcome dinner with your tour organisers.
Day 2: St Remy-de-Provence
Today we have a few rides for you to choose from depending on what you would like to see and how far you would like to ride. Free night. Feel free to choose from one of the many tempting brasseries or restaurants in the town centre of St Remy.
St Remy - Arles
Distances: Between 54km (34 miles) and 76km (48 miles) depending on routes chosen
There are many different ways of getting to and from Arles from your home base at St Remy. We have 4 different riding options, each with its advantages and disadvantages; you could do the round trips suggested or chose one option one way and another option for your return trip back. This ride will suit most riders with a good level of fitness to ride the distance and climb the Les Baux hills (if you choose this route). Be aware that the traffic on most of the routes leading into and around Arles is very heavy.
Option 1: Nice flat road, no climbing, heavy traffic, chance to cross the Rhone River and pass through the pretty port village of Beaucaire, scenic route between Beaucaire and Forques near Arles. The round trip is 70km (44 miles).
Option 2: Steep climb through the Les Baux/Alpilles hills (less traffic, very scenic). From St Martin-de-Crau, flat, easy riding, less scenic, traffic leading into Arles from St Martin-de-Crau. Chance to explore the Roman site of Glanum, the Roman Antiquities outside St Remy and Les Baux-de-Provence village. The round trip is 72km (45 miles).
Option 3: Steep climb through the Les Baux/Alpilles hills on the way to Fontvieille, flat after that. Scenic ride with interesting sights to see e.g. Daudet’s Windmill at Fontvieille and Abbaye de Montmajour near Arles. Also, there is the chance to explore the Roman site of Glanum, the Roman Antiquities outside St Remy and Les Baux-de-Provence village. Heavy traffic after Fontvieille. The round trip is 76km (48 miles).
Option 4: Nice flat road, no climbing; stop in and see Daudet’s Windmill at Fontvieille and the Abbaye de Montmajour near Arles. Not particularly scenic however if you are wanting to get to Arles quickly this is the shortest distance although traffic will be heavy closer to Arles. The round trip is 56km (35 miles).
The city of Arles (52,000 inhabitants), once a mighty metropolis during the golden age of Roman Gaul and symbol of ardent Christianity, is now the gateway to the beautiful Camargue. It is also France’s largest township covering some 77,000 hectares, including two-thirds of greater Camargue. Encircled by the banks of the Rhone River, the arid plains of Crau, the Alpilles mountain chain, and the untamed marshlands of the Camargue, it is a city of exceptional beauty. Explore the Roman monuments such as the famed arena where bull-fights and camarguaisse races are held; admire the town’s stately private mansions from the 16th and 17th centuries; or lunch at one of the many outdoor cafes and shaded terraces and discover why this city has intrigued and inspired artists such as Van Gogh, Gauguin and Picasso over the centuries.
Free night tonight – why not take a stroll around this beautiful town and take in the sights.
Day 3: St Remy de Provence to L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue
Distance: 94km (59 miles)
From St Remy-de-Provence, your trip takes you back north-east over to the pretty town of L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, famous for its canals, water wheels and antique and craft shops. You will travel along picturesque roads, through quiet villages and cross over the Durance River before arriving at L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue. L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue was once a settlement for fishermen in ancient times, and then expanded during the Middle Ages into a bustling commercial and manufacturing centre within the region. Today it is a thriving market town, renowned throughout France for its lively antique and second-hand markets held every Sunday.
Your second dinner of the tour is reserved for night three. Details are provided in your day-to-day itinerary.
Day 4: Visit Stage 20, Montélimar - Mont Ventoux: 167km
This is the one you’ve been waiting for – the penultimate stage of the 2009 Tour de France and certain to be a nail-biter to the finish. Stage 20 of the Tour de France leaves from Montelimar and finishes on the summit of the regions’ most famous landmark – Mont Ventoux.
Your tour organiser will collect you from your hotel in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and take you to a spot along the course where you will have the opportunity to ride prior to the race coming through. After your ride we will find a great vantage point from which to view the race and cheer on the pro’s as they battle it out for the coveted yellow jersey. Lunch will be a picnic and, at the end of the day, your tour organiser will transfer you back to your hotel.
Free night tonight.
Day 5: L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue
Today we have a few rides for you to choose from depending on what you would like to see and how far you would like to ride.
Discovering the Petit Luberon
Distance: 99.5km (62 miles)
This is a fantastic circuit through pretty countryside - however it’s a long ride with some steep climbs up into the Luberon villages and through the Luberon National Park; riders should be experienced and have a very good level of fitness for this ride. Recommended stop for lunch is Bonnieux (there are several restaurants that offer excellent menus and superb panoramic views of the Luberon countryside over to Lacoste). Situated in the heart of one of the biggest ochre deposits in the world, Roussillon is famous for its magnificent red cliffs and ochre quarries. From its ochre cliffs, tunnels and canyons streaked with colour from the brightest yellows to the deepest reds, ochre is everywhere in Roussillon and the surrounding countryside. The contrast between the red cliffs, the blue Provencal sky and the thick green of the pines and heather clinging to the wooded summits is both startling and beautiful - it is not surprising that Roussillon has been classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
Classified as one of “the most beautiful villages in France”, Bonnieux is built on a plateau above the valley, its houses spread out on the hill-side in harmonious earth-toned colours and shapes. From afar you will see the 425m church tower well before you actually arrive in the village itself. The tiny village of Lacoste (just over 400 inhabitants) is another typically charming Provencal village situated in the heart of the Petit Luberon. Its claim to fame is that it is where the famous chateau of the notorious Marquis de Sade is situated. The jewel in the Provencal crown, Gordes is one of the “must-see” villages in this region. Listed as one of France’s “most beautiful villages” and popular as a summer retreat with film stars and artists alike, the village of Gordes will impress with its exceptional charm and unique stone architecture.
Gorges de la Nesque/Sault
Distance: 117.5km (73 miles)
The distance and significant climbing through the spectacular Gorges de la Nesque and up into the villages of Sault and La Roque-sur-Pernes requires that riders have a very good level of fitness for this ride. Suggested stop for lunch is Sault. Situated near the end of one of the gorge systems that cut through northern Provence, is the Gorges-de-la-Nesque, a spectacular rift through the white calcareous rock of the plateau. Although not as huge as the Verdon Gorge, it is still very impressive. This breath-taking winding mountain road, described by locals as a cyclist’s paradise (and you are sure to see why!) takes you through a number of hair-pin bends and turns, all of which offer jaw-dropping views. As you wind your way around the gorge, you will also pass a number of pretty mountain-side villages, including Villes-Sur-Auzon and Monieux before arriving in Sault.
This road is a popular route for motor-cyclists and touring motorists of all descriptions, particularly during the summer months when the crowds head to the cool of the mountains to escape the summer heat. Situated on the border of a great wooded plateau, blooming with lavender, Sault is a very appealing place to indulge the senses. Here is nature in its true glory! The town is surrounded by immense blue/purplish tracks of lavender alternating with fields of wheat for as far as you can see - superb! Free nights on nights four and five. Why not take a stroll around this beautiful town and take in the sights.
Day 6: L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue to Vaison-La-Romaine
There are many ways to get to Vaison from L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue. Below we offer a few suggestions.
Option 1: Via Sault
Distance: 108km (68 miles)
If you chose not to ride the Gorges de la Nesque route the other day, today might be the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself on this spectacular ride. Leaving L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, the fifth leg of your trip takes you north-east, through the spectacular Gorges de la Nesque, past lavender fields and onwards to the pretty mountain villages of Sault, Aural and Montbrun-Les-Bains. The scenery is postcard pretty and riders will enjoy getting off the beaten track and into the Provencal “wilderness”. This route, which snakes around the back of Mont Ventoux, passes the pretty hill-side village of Crestet. Several kilometers down the road the ride finishes in the old Roman town of Vaison-La-Romaine.
Option 2: Via Mont Ventoux
Distance: 86km (54 miles)
Today is your chance to challenge yourself like the Tour de France professionals as you head across the “Giant of Provence” - Mont Ventoux! For road bicycle racing enthusiasts, the mountain can be climbed by three roads. This route takes you up from Bedoin: 22 km over 1610 m. This is the most famous and difficult ascent. The road to the summit has an average gradient of 7.6%. After you descend down the Malaucene side continue riding through this beautiful sun-drenched corner of Provence, past the pretty villages of Malaucene and Crestet before finally arriving in Vaison-La-Romaine, tired but satisfied! Bedoin is a lovely little agricultural village situated in the heart of the Mont Ventoux region. Spread out over a large area, it comprises several hamlets all of which are blessed by the region’s sunny Mediterranean climate. Bedoin is noted for its AOC wine as well as the high quality fruits and vegetables produced here. Malaucene is the capital of the Ventoux and nestles within the old ramparts. The village is shaped around its ancient fort, which stands at the highest point of the village. The old town is partly surrounded by a remarkable avenue lined with ancient plane trees and its cafes provide a welcome respite for riders. All that remains of Malaucene’s fortified enclosure are a few of the gates. One of these, the Soubeyran gate, was used during the Revolution as a gallows for public hangings.
Option 3: Via Beaumes de Venise
Distance: 80km (50 miles)
From L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, head north-eastwards, through beautiful sun-drenched country across to Mazan, skirting around the mystical Giant of Provence, Mont Ventoux, before arriving in the wine village of Beaumes-de-Venise. Continue on through the heart of the wine growing area passing Vacqueyras and Gigondas before finishing in the old Roman town of Vaison-La-Romaine. Over the centuries, Vacqueyras has largely been an agricultural centre, its principal crop being its wine production. With vineyards extending as far as the Dentelles de Montmirail ranges, it produces one of the three major vintages of Cotes du Rhone wines. Although this village has long been regarded as a producer of wines of renown, it was not until 1990 that local wine-growers obtained official recognition for the quality of their wines and were bestowed with the Cotes du Rhone AOC classification. Known the world over for its famous Muscat (and equally distinguished Cote-du-Rhone village reds and whites), Beaumes-de-Venise actually derives its name from the famous prehistoric caves (or Baumes) to be found in the hill overlooking the town. Steeped in Roman history and rich in architecture, Vaison is a delightful village; its many gorgeous tree-shaded outdoor restaurants and cafes, bustling markets, wine and gourmet festival, and wonderful Provencal boutiques will no doubt tempt you back for another visit!
Your third dinner of the tour is reserved for night six. Details will be provided in your day-to-day itinerary.
Day 7: Vaison-La-Romaine
Today is your last day of riding, so make the most of it! Again we have a few rides for you to choose from depending on what you would like to see and how far you would like to ride.
Circuit 1 - Vallee de Tourlerenc
Distance: 70km (44 miles)
This is a glorious riding route with a great mix of climbing, flat stretches, and descents - all set against a magic scenic mountain back-drop! This circuit will suit experienced riders with a very good level of fitness. Suggested stop for lunch - Brantes (for traditional Provencal fare and unbeatable views).
Route 2: Southern Drome/Provence
Distance: 116.5km (73 miles)
This is a long, but beautifully scenic ride through mainly rolling/hilly countryside with a few steady climbs thrown in. This ride is designed for the experienced rider with a good level of fitness to handle the distance and occasional climbing. There is a nice restaurant at Crupies or, alternatively, take a picnic lunch with you. There are plenty of lovely spots along the way to stop for a picnic.
Tonight feel free to dine at one of the many restaurants in Vaison-la-Romaine. What better way to celebrate a memorable trip to Provence than with a glass or two of Cote du Rhone.
Day 8: Vaison-La-Romaine
All good things must come to an end and it’s time to say au revoir to beautiful Provence. We hope that your trip has been an enjoyable and memorable one and that we will see you again in the not too distant future!
On your last day our Getawaybybike staff will collect you from your hotel in Vaison-la-Romaine, transfer you to the railway station in Avignon, and assist with your departure.
