With over a million kilometres of road across France it can be tough to choose which stretches could be the best bets for bicycling this summer. deVere France brings you the top five cycling routes in France.

 

Jarnac Tour

The Charente Valley sweeping from Angouleme to Saintes is perhaps one of the best kept secrets of South West France. Although it is possible to cycle the whole stretch, the most enjoyable part is around Jarnac. There are several marked routes starting from this historic town, taking in the Cognac vineyards, sunflower and melon fields, an abundance of Romanesque art and of course, as Henry IV declared: ‘the most beautiful stream in the kingdom’.

 

La Rochelle to Royan

One of the most picturesque stretches of the 1400km Velodyssee is between La Rochelle and Royan in the Charente-Maritime. Starting from the famous towers defending the historic port of La Rochelle, along the bay of Châtelaillon before heading inland to the ‘royal city’ of Rochefort, the route enters the oyster centre of Marennes before weaving through the coastal forest, cliffs and beaches of the Côte de Beauté, and entering the seaside paradise of Royan. This will enchant even the most experienced of adventurers.

 

Sarlat la Caneda

The famous medieval town of Sarlat, the capital of the black Perigord, is a great starting point to explore some of the stunning Dordogne landscapes. Located beneath overhanging cliffs, la Roque Gageac is renowned as one of Frances prettiest villages, whilst nearby along the twisting river Dordogne is the imposing castle at Beynac et Cazenac. Inland Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, a UNESCO World Heritage site, lies in the Vézère Valley, famed for its prehistoric cave systems. Not a route to miss out on your French cycling trip.

 

Le tour du lac de Saint-Pardoux

The Saint Pardoux lake is a manmade reservoir covering 330 hectares in the Haute Vienne region of Poitou Charentes. The lake has a 28km shoreline, and there are 50km of marked trails around it. The 24km biking circuit is named after a famous French cyclist, André Dufraisse, and offers a variety of landscapes. You find yourselves cycling though moorland and forests, but always within touching distance of the lake itself.

 

Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage site, bordered almost all of its 240km length by prominent plane trees, through a landscape rich in history, linking Toulouse to the charming port of Marseillan on the Mediterranean. This is a perfect cycling route, along flat, car free paths taking in the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne, Gothic Narbonne, and Romanesque Beziers, whilst pedalling through an ever changing landscape of vineyards, sunflowers and lavender.

 

Now you know about the top 5 cycling routes in France, how about booking into one of Normandy’s top boutique hotels?