The Heart of the Tarn River Valley
France Bike Tours
A cycling holiday in ancient rural France
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€1650 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
Welcome to your next bike tour and adventure in France. You will be accommodated at the magnificent Les Magnolias Hotel for the duration of your stay in the quaint village of Plaisance. You can enjoy a self-guided or supported tour (minimum of 6) in this idyllic environment of the Aveyron and Tarn region in rural southern France.
Your itinerary will be uniquely designed to suit your needs and you can choose from high-quality road, hybrid, or electric bikes as well as customized maps of over 15 routes of varying degrees of difficulty.
Combined with your cycling holiday is a wonderful culinary experience, as well as other activities, such as walking, canoeing, or historic site-seeing. Relax at the end of your active day on one of hotel terraces shaded by giant Magnolias trees and enjoy the outdoor covered and heated swimming pool, not to mention, a newly built Pétanque course on the terraced gardens. Bring your family and friends!
This tour is offered as supported or self-guided, with or without transfers. The supported tour offers a daily support vehicle that follows the group during the entire cycling itinerary.
Highlights
- Rural France
- Roquefort Cheese Caves
- Brousse-Le-Chateau
- Millau
- Cordes-sur-Ciel
- Albi
- Culinary experience at Les Magnolias
We have many other bike tours in France for you to explore!
Itinerary
*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, 36 mi (52 km)
Day 4: Peyre, Millau, Roquefort Caves, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 5: Albi, 28 or 56 mi. (45 or 90 km)
Day 6: Combret, 29 mi. (47 km)
Day 7: Free day
Day 8: DepartureDay 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. 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.
Included Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Ambialet, 25 mi. (40 km)
You will cycle once again on the 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 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 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 special lunch stop will be at La Chanterelle in the village of Trebas. 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 before dining at once again in the renowned restaurant, on your own, under the direction of the popular and aspiring young chef.Included Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Elevation gain: 921 mDay 3: Brousse-Le-Chateau, 36 mi. (52 km)
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 en route. You can enjoy a short coffee stop at the Chateau House in beautiful Lincou Village or at Brousee Le Chateau, categorized as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France”. Lunch will be on your own. Perhaps you would enjoy a picnic lunch 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 special Meal this evening will be at Les Magnolias or a nearby selected village restaurant.Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Elevation gain: 1024 mDay 4: Peyre, Millau, Roquefort Caves, 27 mi. (43 km)
Depart with bicycles to the historic village of St Affrique and enjoy its impressive fresh produce market (only on Saturdays) and charming church, shops, and cafes. Ride 43 kms from St Afrique to the troglodyte village of Peyre, via the stunning St Rome Sur Tarn and with magnificent views of the Tarn valley. Then, it is a beautiful long ride along the Tarn river, past quaint old farmhouses and lively local rural activity. View of the tallest cable-stayed bridge in the world from Peyre and drive to the Roquefort cheese caves. Optional tour of the caves. Return to Plaisance. Dinner at Les Magnolias.Included meals: Breakfast and dinner
Elevation gain: 748 mDay 5: Albi, 27 mi. (43 km)
Today you will enjoy a mountain, forest, and river ride. After a coffee stop at Ambialet’s Hotel Du Pont, you will continue on one of most picturesque rides of all, past rural farmhouses, through forest and river scenery. Lunch will be on your own at Albi’s ancient village center. Visit Albi World Heritage Site attractions: Albi Cathedral, Toulouse-Lautrec museum, Berbie Palace gardens. Walking and shopping along the cobbled streets of old Albi town. Return to Plaisance by support vehicle or you can opt to return by bike. Dinner this evening will be either at a carefully selected nearby village restaurant or at Les Magnolias.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Elevation gain: 748 mDay 6: Combret, 29 mi. (47 km)
The route today leads to the characterful village of Combret, through beautiful forest scenery on a mix of hilly, flat, and forest ride. You can stop for a coffee stop at Posthoumy with a view of the Statue Menhirs.Your return ride is via St Christophe and the ancient “lost” village of Cayla. Dinner at Les MagnoliasIncluded Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Elevation gain:
Day 7: Free day
Today is all yours! Relax at the hotel, swim, cycle, walk, or go canoeing. It is up to you! Your dinner at Les Magnolias is included this evening!Included Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 8: Departure
Breakfast at Les Magnolias. Depart for Toulouse Blagnac airport.
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Hotels & Bikes
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 a 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 Valerie. 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
Inclusions
What’s Included
Supported
- Accommodation for 7 nights at the beautiful Les Magnolias with breakfast included every day
- Airport transfers from/to Toulouse Blagnac airport on request
- 5 cycling days with support vehicle including visits to the UNESCO town of Albi, the ancient Abbey of Sylvanes, Millau, the Roquefort cheese caves, the historic villages of Brousse Le Chateau and Ambialet, & the impressive St Affrique fresh produce market
- 7 special meals that include at least 2 dinners at Les Magnolias
- Complimentary transfer to local evening markets & villages
- Bike rental: Road bike with drop-down handlebar, flat handlebar fitness road bike, or electric bike
- Accommodation for 7 nights at the beautiful Les Magnolias with breakfast included every day
- Airport transfers from/to Toulouse Blagnac airport on request
- High-quality road, mountain, or electric bicycles with water bottles, helmets, & standard pedals
- 2 Days with a support vehicle to visit the UNESCO town of Albi/Cordes-sur-Ciel and Millau
- 7 special meals that include at least 2 dinners at Les Magnolias
- Complimentary transfer to local evening markets & villages
- Bike rental: Road bike with a drop-down handlebar, flat handlebar fitness road bike, or electric bike
Self-Guided
What’s Not Included
- Drinks
- Coffee stops, picnics, other lunches, & dinners
- Canoeing
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
2021
Supported
Dates on request, possible from mid-April through October
(minimum of 6 people required to confirm)
Self Guided
Daily arrivals are possible from mid-April through October
Please Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
Supported tour
Twin/double: $ 3010 £ 1695 $ 2,996 € 1930 NZ$ 3229 kr 19832 $ 2,390 Single: On request
Self-guided tour
Twin/double: $ 2573 £ 1449 $ 2,561 € 1650 NZ$ 2760 kr 16955 $ 2,043 Single: $ 2876 £ 1620 $ 2,863 € 1844 NZ$ 3085 kr 18948 $ 2,284
Extra Options
Electric bike: Pending
Special transfers apart from group transfer, per transfer: pending
Other airport transfers: please ask
Family room and suites availableExtra Info
Skill Level — Moderate
This unique self-guided or supported cycling vacation offers routes of varying difficulty so it is hard to give this tour an overall difficulty level. The supported option is designed for groups with a minimum of 6 people with a medium level of fitness but can be adjusted to suit different fitness profiles. If you select the self-guided option, you will be assisted in planning daily itineraries that are perfect for you and you will have a recovery support vehicle at your disposal if necessary. Included in the self-guided option are two touring and cycling days to the towns of Albi or Cordes-sur-Ciel and Millau.
Airport Info
Closest airport is Toulouse Blagnac airport. Airport transfers from this airport are included. It is also possible to arrive in Toulouse via TGV from Paris or other cities. The travelling time on the TGV from Paris to Toulouse is between 5.5 hours and 7.5 hours. The cost of the TGV varies between approximately Euro 50 and Euro 120 each way.
Local Travel
We suggest taking advantage of the airport transfers. If you are driving to the hotel, please ask us for driving directions. It is also possible to travel to Albi or St. Sernin by bus from Toulouse. The bus stops at Albi and St Sernin, just 8 km from Plaisance, where transfer to the hotel is easily arranged.
Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. The Midi-Pyrénées region is located in the south of France and is renowned for its warm and pleasant climate throughout the year, especially during the summer months. The region boasts an oceanic, Mediterranean, and continental weather influences. The area generally receives more than 2,000 sunshine hours a year and is one of the sunniest places in France.
Day of Rest
Yes! On Day 7, you can take advantage of other activities or on any given day, you can opt to simply relax and enjoy your peaceful accommodations.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visaTour Operator
This tour is run by Claudia Koch Ley.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
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