Best of Provence – Aggressive – 8 Night

This tour offers all the best Provence can off plus the opportunity to conquer the “Giant of Provence”, Mont Ventoux. There is no more romantic place in France than Provence. Great wines, oceans of sunflowers, acres of lavender.  And the food is world renowned. We offer the best Provence bike tours.

Day 1:  Arrive Avignon by Train, stay Le Thor
We pick you up at the Avignon train depot and taken to your first hotel outside the village of Le Thor, La Bastide Rose.  Your bikes will be waiting for you.if you are renting.  You should have time for an afternoon loop to warm up.  Visit the Grotte de Thouzon and the ruins of Chateau de Thouzon. Your welcome dinner is included tonight at the Inn prepared by one of our favorite chefs, Emmanuel.  He is the son of the proprietor and also a professional clown.

Day 2:  Le Thor to Salut
It is a beautiful but challenging ride today.  You begin your 65km riding through Le Thor and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.  You may have time for the Sunday Morning Market and famous Antique Market. Then into the Ventoux vineyards and then the hills and the amazing Gorges de la Nesque.  Nestle down into the lavender fields behind Mount Ventoux.  Sault is a lovely village overlooking the fields and the Nesque River. Your hotel is outside of town looking at the backside of Ventoux.  Dinner is included at your hotel tonight.

Day 3:  Salut to Vaison La Romaine
It is a relatively easy and beautiful 50km to Vaison la Romaine.  We ride in valleys and along ridges on the steep north side of Ventoux.  This side of of “The Giant” is so steep there are no access routes. The aggressive option is to go over Mont Ventoux to Vaison la Romaine.  This is the easiest way up Ventoux and you will be rewarded with awesome downhills. You stay at an elegant Chambre d’hotes in the Old Town.  Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 4:  Vaison La Romaine to Crillon La Brave or Le Barroux
You have another beautiful ride today, so there is time to finish exploring Vaison and then wine tasting in route to Crillon or Le Barroux. You will pass through one lovely and quaint Provencal wine village after another; Seguret, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes-de-Venise. There are some lovely optional rides into the beautiful Dentelles de Montmirail. Then through Caromb and on to Crillon-le-Brave or Le Barroux. You have a choice of hotels tonight:  Hostellerie Crillon le Brave is a Relaix et Chateau, beautiful and luxurious.  It is a $300 upcharge.  Please let us know if you prefer this option when registering.  Hotel Les Geraniums in Le Barroux, the standard hotel, is very nice but with smaller rooms.  Both villages are hilltop villages with Le Barroux being the most interesting.   Dinner is on your own at Crillon le Brave and included at Hotel Les Geraniums.

Day 5:  Crillon-Le-Brave or Le Barroux  -  Mont Ventoux
The optional ride today is up Ventoux the way le Tour de France normally ascends it, starting in the lovely village of Bedoin.  Ventoux is 21km up from Bedoin; starting at 275m (908’) and finishing on the summit at 1909m (6300’). This is a cyclist’s pilgrimage much like L’Alpe d’Huez. The road is always full of other cyclists taking on this challenge.  Dinner is on your own at Crillon le Brave and included at Hotel Les Geraniums.

Day 6:  Crillon-Le-Brave or Le Barroux to Gordes  
Today’s ride is a full day of riding and site seeing.  You head south across the beautiful vineyards and rolling country through Mazan and up to Venasque, a truly delightful hill top village and a perfect place for lunch.  Then through beautiful rocky country to the famous old Abbaye de Senanque, founded in 1148.  From Senanque you do your final climb out of the gorge and into Gordes itself.  This is a magnifique village with wonderful shops and old sites to visit.  After fully exploring Gordes you head down into the valley to the inn, snuggled at the base of Gordes.  Settle in for 2 nights.  Dinner both nights is at la Huppe.

Day 7:  Luberon Loop Ride
You are in the heart of the Luberon, made famous by Peter Mayle in his book “A Year in Provence”. Todays ride is a classic.  Your ride 45 hilly kilometers through one beautiful hill village after another, right out of Peter Mayle’s book; Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste and Menerbes.  An awesome ride which can be shortened as desired.  Dinner is again at the hotel.

Day 8:  Gordes to Le Thor
You head back to Le Bastide Rose and have several new wine towns along the way.  You will visit Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, the underground source of the Sorgue River.  Then on the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorque and it’s famous antique shops.  Only 40km but several short steep hills and much to see.  There should be plenty of time to pack up and prepare for tomorrows departure. Your farewell dinner is included tonight at Bastide Rose.

Day 9:  Departure.
After breakfast we return you to the Avignon train station.

To find out more about how our Self Guided Tours operate, what is included, and what is not, click HERE.