info@french-biketours.com
Beautiful cycling trip between the valleys of the Lot and the Dordogne rivers. Away from the crowds visit the authentic France countryside with its medieval villages like Monpazier, Puy-l'Évêque and Belvès. Visit castles like Biron, Bonaguil, Castelnaud or the Château de Milandes once owned by the famous Josephine Baker. Abbeys and 13th century churches will complete your discoveries. Don’t forget to stop and shop in the little village markets or at the vineyards of the Cahors wine area. The hotels, ranging from simple to luxurious with a pool, are all full of charm.
Visit the village of Monpazier, labeled one of the most beautiful villages in France. This Bastide town was built on the orders of King Edward 1st in 1284. Enjoy a lovely 3-course dinner in the restaurant of the hotel.
A lovely first day cycling today. After the first few kilometres, you will see the very impressive Castle of Biron, a 13th century chateau. After a visit, you continue following a gently winding valley road until you will reach the village and fortress of Gavaudun which was built in the 11th century. It can be seen on a rocky outcrop high above the village and played a big part in the hundred-year war. Now you cycle on following nice quiet small country roads towards the river Lot. You then follow the river until you will reach your accommodation, a 17th century stone charterhouse, close to the village of Puy L’Eveque. The “Bishops Hill”, once occupied by the English during the reign of King Henry IV, the marks from his cannonballs can still be seen on the walls of the main church of Saint-Sauveur. Dinner is included tonight.
Challenge: 59.5 km, 622m ascent, 712m descent
You start today cycling along the Lot river as you climb gently out of the valley. Now you have a short but challenging climb to the village of Les Arques, where the very special museum on the artist Zadkine is worth a visit. The rest of the ride is easy and quiet through the real rural France countryside passing through chestnut forests. Soon you reach your destination, another Bastide town, Villefranche-Du Perigord. It even has a little chestnut museum.
Challenge: 46.7 km, 710m ascent, 538m descent
You meander through the countryside via tiny hamlets, villages. The little climb of today is at the end of your ride when you reach your destination: Belvès, another one of “France’s most beautiful villages”. Enjoy the spectacular views and the sound of one of the seven bell towers. If you have time: visit the remains of medieval troglodyte houses to be discovered under (!) the main square.
Challenge: 45 km, 557m ascent, 659m descent
True, you don’t have to cycle today, but if you don’t you will miss a very scenic trip visiting some of the highlights of the Dordogne area. You will cycle through the Dordogne valley towards Château de Milandes, once the home of the world famous dancer, Josephine Baker. In the castle one can visit a very informative exhibition on her highly interesting life. Today you can also add an extra 11,5 km / 7,1 mi loop to the Château de Castelnaud, the most renowned and most visited castle of the Dordogne area.
Challenge: 41.6 km, 583m ascent, 585m descent
If you make an additional loop via the castle of Castelnaud:
additional 11.3 km, 200m ascent, 201m descent
You will leave Belves via the forests and you can pause, as did those once on the road to Compestella, in the village of Cadouin. Visit its 12th century abbey, listed on the UNESCO heritage list. Today it is relatively short trip, so you have plenty of time to profit from the pool of your hotel in Monpazier or to do some extra exploring of this stunning village.
Challenge: 34.6 km, 492m ascent, 471m descent
After breakfast in your hotel, you will return home.
All accommodations are carefully selected for their location, atmosphere and/or unique services.
We choose comfortable 2*/3* hotels or B&Bs where all rooms have private en-suite bathrooms and every morning breakfasts are included.
For this roundtrip, you will also stay in a 4* hotel without any supplement.
If you don’t bring your own, you can rent a bicycle (hybrid or ebike) from us. You will find your rental bikes waiting for you at your first hotel. The hotel reception staff will give you the keys for your bikes and direct you to the bicycle shed. All bikes are provided with chain locks. The frame and saddle height are set to your height, although you might want to adjust your saddle to be in the most comfortable position. We also recommend doing a first small test drive of couple of hundred meters to be comfortable with gears, brakes etc. If you have an issue with your bike, you can contact the service provider (name of bike rental in your reservation) directly. Or you can always call us on our emergency phone number.
Our hybrid touring bikes are at least 21-speed gear. You can find all the information regarding our rental bikes below.
Experience the advantages of an electric bike on your cycling holiday, particularly when there's a significant gap in ability and experience among cyclists. An e-bike provides a gentle boost up hills, allowing you to easily keep pace with your companions. With a small electric motor and battery, e-bikes make bike trips more achievable, and their batteries can be conveniently charged at hotels. While you still need to pedal, the e-bike significantly reduces the effort required. Familiarity with e-bikes is advised due to their quicker acceleration and heavier build compared to regular bikes, attributed to the electric motor.
Please note: Depending on the trip, different models apply
Our hybrid bikes have at least 21-gears with hand brakes.
The hybrid bikes are very good quality. Depending the trip, different model apply: Scott, Giant, Trek, Koga, ...
Whenever there is a big difference in level of ability, experience the many benefits of an electric bike on your cycling holiday. An e-bike will help you keep up with your fellow cyclists and give you a gentle boost up hills. An e-bike makes a bike trip more achievable. The e-bikes have a small electric motor and battery, which can be charged at the hotels. You still have to pedal: it just makes pedaling much easier. Some experience with e-bikes is recommended, as the bikes accelerate faster and are heavier than regular bikes because of the electric motor.
The E-bikes are very good quality. Depending on the trip, different models apply: Scott, Giant, Trek, Koga, ...
For some trips, we can give you the possibility to rent a Racing bike, more details on request.
For some trips, we can give you the possibility to rent a Tandem bike, suitable for two adults only. More details on request.
For children who are at least 125 cm, we can also arrange bikes (these are 24”or 26” for children that are bigger than 140 cm). The child bikes come with at least 7-gears and hand brakes. The maximum body height for a child’s bike is 155 cm.
Please note: for some tours, different models apply.
A tag-along bike is a good option for children between approx. 100 cm and 125 cm, as they can pedal themselves and at their own pace but don’t have to worry about other traffic.
The tag-along bikes cannot be rented for all our tours
Please note: depending the trip, different models apply.
Child trailers can be rented for a maximum of two children who are up to 100 cm (max. 35 KG in total).
Please note: for some tours, different models apply.
All our rental bikes come with a bell.
All our adult bikes come with hand brakes.
For children older than 30 months (max. 22 kg) it is possible to rent a rear child seat. This is also possible with e-bikes.
For some tours, it is possible to rent a GPS device, more details on request.
Helmets are not mandatory in France (if the cyclist is over 12 years old) but strongly recommended. The helmet is mandatory for children under 12 years. If you rent a bike with us, helmets are included. Please advise us, if you bring along your own.
All our rental bikes come with lights.
All our rental bikes come with a lock.
All our rental bikes come with at least a rear pannier and with a handlebar bag to put a roadbook/map if you wish.
The rental bikes come with regular pedals, so no click-in/SPD pedals. On request we are able to supply these pedals on certain trips.
If you wish to bring your own click-in/SPD pedals, please let us know prior to booking too.
All our bikes come with a quick release system, which makes it very easy to adjust the height of the saddle and the handle bars.
There is one small puncture kit included, which can be found in the pannier. If a rental bike has another problem, we always advise you to go to a bike repair shop.
Saddles can be adjusted in height.
Our saddles don’t come with a gel cover. If you usually cycle with this, we recommend you bring them with you.
French Bike Tours does not provide water bottles. We can also not guarantee that there are bottle holders on the bikes. You will always receive at least 1x pannier, so you can always store your water bottle in your pannier.
Article 1 Bike Rental Price
The bike rental price is determined by the rates mentioned on the French Bike Tours website at the time of the booking; or as subsequently agreed.
Article 2 Payment
a. The rental price and any other due sums regarding the rental agreement must be paid before the bike is handed over to you.
b. If, for whatever reason, you cannot make use of the bike(s) you have rented, French Bike Tours will not be held responsible for any resulting expenses or damage.
c. In the case of the article 2b, the client remains obliged to pay the full rental price and any other amounts mentioned in the invoice, in accordance with our General Terms and Conditions of Booking, unless the client can prove that his not being able to use the bike was the consequence of a defect that was already present at the beginning of the rental period.
Article 3 Rental Period
a. The rental period runs from the morning of the first cycling day (day 2) to the end of the holiday (last cycling day), as stated in the booking confirmation.
b. Extension of the rental period is possible only after approval by us and according to the (extension) rates as mentioned in article 1.
c. No refunds are possible after the rental period begins. If you return the bike(s) to us before the end of your holiday, the rental agreement will automatically be terminated and you will not get any of your money back.
d. At the end of the last cycling day of your holiday, the bike(s) must be returned to the hotel from where it was/they were issued, no later than the time stated in the booking confirmation.
If you book a one way tour tour you can leave the bike at the last hotel of the trip.
e. If the bike(s) is /are not returned by the return time stated in the booking confirmation, we will continue to charge you rent until such time as the bike(s) is/are returned to us or is/are received by us. In the event of late return, the rates as mentioned in article 1 will continue to apply, plus a fine of €25 per day. We also reserve the right to demand payment for any costs and/or damages suffered by us due to late return of our rental bike(s).
f. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, in the event of late return of our rental bikes, we reserve the right to dissolve the rental agreement without judicial intervention and immediately claim back our bicycles where ever they may be and from whomever has them. French Bike Tours also holds this right in the event that the client does not comply with any of the other conditions stated in this rental agreement.
Article 4 Improper Use
a. The bicycle(s) may only be used for its/their intended purpose and only by the cyclists listed in the rental agreement.
b. The bike(s) must be returned to us in the same (clean!) state in which you received it/them.
c. You must take excellent care of the bicycle(s), as if it/they were your own. You must take every precaution against damage, loss or theft.
d. The bicycle may not be used on the beach; or on sandy paths in the dunes unless a paved path is unavailable.
Article 5 Damage, Loss and Theft
The renter will be held responsible for damages to or loss of the bicycle(s) or parts of it, as well as bicycle keys and chains and locks, for such an amount as is determined by us according to standard market prices. You must understand that you are not insured for damage to the bicycle(s) or for any damages to third parties.
Article 6 Costs During the Rental Period
Any charges and taxes regarding the rental bicycle(s), such as fines and ferry tickets, are to be paid by you. You will also be required to pay all costs ensuing from the use of the bicycle(s) such as parking fees, maintenance and repairs.
6 Nights included
2/3/4 Star Hotels (for this trip no supplement applied)
Tourist tax included
Breakfast included every morning
2 gourmet dinners (day 1 and 2)
Maps and tourist information on all the places of interest
24/7 Bilingual Emergency hotline
Luggage transport to your next accommodations. Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (20 kg maximum)
For time tables and further information check the website of SNCF or rome2rio for all French National trains (SNCF).
We strongly advise you to download the sncf mobile app prior to departure.
If you want to travel on a train with your bike, you can find more information via this link.
Parking possibilities at the hotel
We will supply the directions of this trip with a personalized code which gives you access to our travel App.
When booked in advance, transfers from/to airport or trainstation is possible:
The best airport of arrival is Bergerac airport, which is also served by several low cost companies.
Transfer from the airport of Bergerac to Monpazier is between € 110,-- and € 175,--, according to the day of the week and the number of people.
Also, possibility of arrival in Bordeaux or Toulouse airport.
You can get to Bergerac by train.
Transfer from the train station of Bergerac to Monpazier is between € 110,-- and € 175,--, according to the day of the week and the number of people.
To be paid on the spot to the driver.
For timetables and further information check the website of SNCF or rome2rio for all French National trains (SNCF).
From Paris to Monpazier (approx. 6h15 - 590 km/366 mi). Acces to driving routes see the website ViaMichelin.
Had a great biking holiday. The routes were very good on very quiet roads and plenty to see and do. The Navigation App was vert good.
55, rue Saint Jacques
24540 Monpazier
France
info@french-biketours.com
+33 (0)5 53 24 22 10
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