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Diverse Directions: Self-Guided Bicycle Tours in France Wine, Castles, & Cave Paintings Tour Itinerary |
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BOOKMARK
Tour Summary
Tour Dates
See
Schedule.
Location
The Périgord Region of
France. Overnight destinations include
St. Emilion, Bergerac, Limeuil, Montignac, and Sarlat. The train trip from
Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport to Libourne requires about 4 hours. Because of
the time required to make the return trip to Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport
from Sarlat, plan to layover at least 1 night in Paris on the back-end of your tour.
Tour Type
This is a
circuit tour available
with standard support.
Terrain
Variable. Long, relatively flat stretches as well
as two to three climbs on most days (some challenging). Of course, following
each climb, you'll be rewarded with a breathtaking vista and an exhilarating
descent.
Length
7 days / 8 nights
Distance
Total: 157 miles / 254 km. Average per day: 31 miles / 50 km.
Highlights
* St.
Emilion, a 1200 year old stone village set amidst the world's most exclusive
vineyards.
*
Experience prehistory firsthand as you explore the Font de Gaume and Lascaux II
caves, offering the world's finest prehistoric cave paintings, and Les Eyzies
with its much-renowned museum, cave, and cliff-dwellings.
* Explore the Troglodytic cliff
dwellings at La Roque St. Christophe.
*
Marvel at the unspoiled beauty of the Valley of the Vézère.
* Relax as you lazily paddle your way
down the Vézère River in a canoe.
* Tour
magnificent medieval castles (English guided tours available) set along the
scenic shores of the Dordogne River.
*
Enjoy free wine tasting opportunities nearly everywhere along your route.
*
Sarlat, perhaps the most extraordinarily restored medieval village in Europe.
*
Delight over some of France's finest wines and tastiest cheeses and fois gras!
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Daily Itinerary
We ask that all tour participants arrive in St. Emilion no later than the evening before the
first day of the tour. This reduces any stress associated with travel delays, as no activities are required until Day 1 of your tour.
Day 1: Free Day in St. Emilion. You have the entire day to explore this
gem of a town, to savor its rich ambiance, and to recover from jet lag. You
are sure to be awestruck by the beauty of this medieval village's unique
setting, which is rather like a sunken amphitheater surrounded by some of
the world's most exclusive vineyards. The narrow streets descend steeply
past medieval stone buildings that change color with the time of day and the
weather. As beautiful as this ancient stone is on a cloud-smattered day,
against the clear deep blue southern France sky the light on these stones is
breathtaking. For more information, click to visit
St. Emilion on the web. Day 2: Bike from St. Emilion to Bergerac - 70 km / 43 miles.
Spend 1 night in Bergerac. Your rental bike(s) will
be delivered following breakfast. Your first day of cycling
begins in the vineyards and takes you into the actual Département of
the Dordogne. You reach the Dordogne River within the first hour of your
ride and then continue following its course throughout the day. Enjoy
peaceful traffic-free cycling through small villages until you arrive at
Bergerac. Bergerac is a sizeable town with a beautifully restored medieval
section where you will be staying amidst the half-timbered 14th
century houses. Following your ride, enjoy the afternoon
exploring this extremely friendly city on foot. You also have
the option to visit the castle at nearby Montbazillac. For more information, click
to visit
Bergerac on the web. Day 3: Bike from Bergerac to Limeuil - 46 km / 29 miles. Spend 1
night in Limeuil. This relatively short day of
cycling continues along the Dordogne River, through the lovely bastide (fortified medieval village) of
Lalinde
before reaching the cingles. The cingles,
French for buckles, are loops in the river which you will
view from two tremendous vantage points along today's route:
the Cingle de Trémolat and the Cingle de Limeuil.
Yes, there are some climbs today, but the total mileage is
short. Stop for a snack in the lovely village of Trémolat
before beginning your climbs. After you complete your three climbs, descend dramatically into
Limeuil, located at the
confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère Rivers. This is a
gorgeous village set high above the river with outstanding
views of the two rivers. You'll not want to leave this
peaceful paradise. In either of our Limeuil hotels you will
enjoy a scrumptious dinner. Click to visit
beautiful Limeuil (French only.) Day 4: Limeuil to Montignac- 40 km / 25 miles. Spend 2 nights in Montignac. From Limeuil you'll leave
the banks of the Dordogne and begin following the Vézère River.
We've kept this day's mileage fairly low to ensure
you'll have plenty of time and energy to enjoy the many
sights on your way to Montignac. If you're interested in
things prehistoric, you'll want to spend some time in
les Ezyies, where you can visit the Museum of Prehistory, a
prehistoric cave shelter, and the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume,
site of some of France's most famous prehistoric cave
paintings. After leaving les Ezyies,
you'll enjoy particularly dramatic scenery along the cliff-studded banks
of the Vézère River. These cliffs are full of caves that have been used as
homes for millennia; many of these cave dwellings are open to the public.
Your cycling day ends at your hotel on the forested bluffs overlooking the
Vézère River and all of the surrounding splendor. From this central, but
serene location you're just a short distance from a huge number of
noteworthy sights, including Lascaux II. There are also several castles in the area to
explore. For more information on a couple of the
area's outstanding sights, click to visit
Lascaux
(prehistoric cave paintings) and
La Roque St. Christophe (magnificent cave dwellings) on the web. Day 5: Free Day in Montignac. Day 6: Montignac to Sarlat - 45 km / 28 miles. Spend 2 nights in Sarlat. From Montignac you make a
challenging climb out of the river valley to visit a series of medieval
villages -- St.-Armand-de-Coly, Coly, and St. Genies -- which can be
explored at your leisure. Beyond St. Genies, you’ll enjoy pastoral riding
that becomes more wooded as you near Sarlat. Sarlat's
entire medieval core has been designated protected status.
Wander the medieval streets of this living museum and consider taking one of
the published walks on the hillsides surrounding Sarlat. The Tourist
Information Office will provide you materials needed to do a self-guided
tour walking tour of the old town as well as hillside walks, in English.
For more information, click to visit
Sarlat on the web. Day 7: Free Day in Sarlat. Explore, shop, or cycle the Dordogne Castle Circuit. The castles are numerous in this area and there is no better way to see them than to do this 53 km / 33 mile circuit on bike. Your circuit includes visits to the following castles: Château la Malartrie, Castelnaud, Château des Milandes, Château Feyrac, Château de Beynac, and Château de Marqueyssac. Don't worry about touring all the castles you'll pass. Some are closed to the public altogether and thus can be only appreciated from afar; others only open their extraordinary gardens to the public. However, the interiors of at least three of castles are open to the public. Along your route you will also pass through the riverside village of la Roque-Gageac which, due to its unique setting, enjoys a subtropical microclimate. If you need to rest awhile, you can hire a boat in la Roque-Gageac for more relaxed touring along the river. Finally, you'll visit the bastide of Domme, one of France's most formidably positioned, fortified medieval towns. We'll take you up the back way to avoid an even more severe climb, but the views from the top are definitely worth the effort.
About the Region Its long history is everywhere in evidence -- from its medieval villages with their looming castles, largely unchanged after 500 years, to the prehistoric cave dwellings with their 55,000 year old murals -- present day Périgord is rich with reminders of just how long man has found this region to be Eden. The Dordogne River, long the embattled border between France and England, continues to separate the castles of the once rival nations. But you won't find hostilities now. Instead you'll enjoy tranquil cycling along the quiet, scenic roads that connect the splendidly preserved 15th century villages. |
           
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