The Heart of the Tarn River Valley

Below is the itinerary for the supported tour. This can also be used as a guideline for a self-guided tour.

Day 1: Coupiac, 10 mi. (16 km)
Day 2: Ambialet, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 3: Brousse-Le-Chateau, 36 mi. (52 km)
Day 4: Day trip to Albi (Unesco town), 28 to 56 mi. (45 to 90 km)
Day 5: St. Affrique, Peyre, Beaux Village and Millau Bridge, 22 to 28 mi. (35 to 45 km)
Day 6: Combret, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 7: Montclair, 22 to 28 mi. (35 to 45 km)
Day 8: Departure

Day 1: Coupiac, 10 mi. (16 km)
After your arrival in Toulouse, an airport pickup can be arranged to your accommodations for the duration of your tour - Les Magnolias in Plaisance. Lunch is not included today but you can enjoy a meal at your expense on the Les Magnolias terrace after a refreshing swim.

Optional: Late afternoon bike ride of 10 mi. (16 km) to Coupiac on the Green route (slight climb on a mountain and forest road). Your evening will conclude with a dinner at Les Magnolias where you will experience your first meal by the popular hotel chef, Anne-Lyse, who passionately follows the local, seasonal, and fresh theme.

Included meals: Dinner 

Day 2: Ambialet, 25 mi. (40 km) | Elevation: 921 m
You will cycle once again on a Green route toward Ambialet (a forest, mountain and Tarn River ride), showcasing stunning views of the Tarn River. The historic village of Ambialet is the perfect place for a coffee stop at Café de la Presqu’ile and is dominated by an ancient Franciscan monastery and Roman church. The Celts were the first to settle in Ambialet around the 6th century BC. They were followed by the Gauls and then the Romans, who set up a frontier post in this important strategic position. Your return ride to Les Magnolias is also along the Tarn River. A lunch stop is proposed at L’Oustal in the village of Trebas. This is one of the most popular local restaurants. Here, all meat is cooked over an open hearth in the restaurant and the portion sizes are generous. Wines are exceptionally reasonable and good quality, especially the local wines. Upon arrival once again at the hotel, we suggest a lovely swim before dinner at Les Magnolias.

Included meals: Breakfast and dinner 

Day 3: Brousse-Le-Chateau, 36 mi. (52 km) | Elevation: 1024 m
After a delicious breakfast at Les Magnolias, you can depart for Brousse through forest and mountain trails, along the Tarn River. You will encounter a short but steep climb at the beginning of the route. You can enjoy a short coffee stop at the camping site in beautiful Lincou Village or at Brousee Le Chateau, categorized as one of the 'Most Beautiful Villages in France'. For lunch, we recommend enjoying a French picnic along the Tarn River or a light salad or Roquefort omelet at Brousse-Le-Chateau. Return ride via the flat Tarn route or mountain route. The included meal this evening will be at Les Magnolias or a nearby selected village restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 4: Day trip to Albi (Unesco town), 28 to 56 mi. (45 to 90 km)
Start your day with a delicious breakfast at Les Magnolias before setting out early on the Albi 43 Yellow Route—a stunning cycling trail featuring mountain views, forest paths, and river scenery. Enjoy a relaxing coffee stop in Ambialet at the charming Hotel du Pont or another local café. This is one of the most picturesque bike rides in southern France, passing traditional rural farmhouses, shaded woodland trails, and the beautiful Tarn River valley. Follow the support minibus into the historic centre of Albi from the nearby village of Arthès, where you can explore at your own pace. Enjoy lunch in Albi’s medieval town centre, then visit top Albi UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the magnificent Albi Cathedral, the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, and the Bishop’s Palace gardens. Spend the afternoon walking, shopping, and sightseeing in Old Albi. Return to Plaisance by bicycle or minibus, with an optional 32 km scenic return ride. End your day with a gourmet dinner at Les Magnolias.

Included meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 5: St. Affrique, Peyre, Beaux Village and Millau Bridge, 22 to 28 mi. (35 to 45 km)
After breakfast depart by minibus with bikes to St-Affrique, home to a charming local produce market filled with regional specialties. From here, cycle through some of the most scenic countryside in southern France. The route from St-Affrique to the village of Peyre, passing through the beautiful St-Rome-sur-Tarn, offers stunning river views, historic farmhouses, and a taste of authentic rural life along the Tarn River. Stop for your own picnic lunch in Peyre, where you can admire breathtaking views of the Millau Viaduct, the tallest cable-stayed bridge in the world. Afterwards, choose to visit the famous Roquefort cheese caves, with an optional guided tour to learn about this world-renowned delicacy. Return to Plaisance in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxing dinner at Les Magnolias, rounding off a perfect day of cycling, culture, and French gastronomy.

Included meals: Breakfast and Dinner 

Day 6: Combret, 33 mi. (53 km) | Elevation 978 m
The route today leads to the characterful village of Combret, through beautiful forest scenery on a mix of hilly, flat, and forest rides. You can stop for a coffee at Posthoumy with a view of the Statue Menhirs. It is possible to reserve your own lunch at the delightful small restaurant in the village of Combret. Your return ride is via St. Christophe and the ancient 'Lost Village' of Cayla. Dinner at Les Magnolias.

Included meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 7: Montclair, 22 to 28 mi. (35 to 45 km)
Set out on your final cycling adventure through the stunning plateaus surrounding Plaisance. Enjoy panoramic views as you ride past charming rural villages including Cayla, Montclar, and Coupiac. Stop for lunch in Montclar, taking in the spectacular scenery from the mountaintop. Then, experience an exhilarating downhill ride back to Plaisance, where you can unwind and savor dinner at a local restaurant of your choice.

Included meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 8: Departure
Breakfast at Les Magnolias. Depart for Toulouse Blagnac airport.

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You will stay in Les Magnolias, a delightful 22 room boutique hotel designed in a classic traditional style based on stone and French oak. The restaurant delights its guests by offering lovely cuisine. The chef’s recipes are almost always based on fresh, local, and seasonal produce. The hotel is a recently renovated 700-year-old building, once the family home of the famous French poet Paul Valery. The hotel is used as the primary base for cycling clientele as it is located in an idyllic cycling environment, surrounded by protected indigenous forests, rivers, ancient villages, and well-kept and quiet roads.

Bicycles

Flat bar sport or fitness road bike

Specialized Sirrus Sport Flat Bar Road Bike

• Premium aluminum frame
• Shimano gearing (27)

Lapierre Flat Bar Fitness Road Bike

• Alloy frame with a carbon fork
• Shimano gearing (27)

Electric bikes

Kalkhoff Electric Bikes

• Premium aluminum frame
• Shimano Altus 8 speed gearing
• Battery range of 100 km on normal to economy setting
• Disc brakes
• Schwalbe Energizer tires

Neomouv Electric Bikes

• Premium aluminum frame
• 7 gears
• Battery range of 100 km on normal to economy setting
• ABS brakes