France is the world's most visited country, and for good reason. Its rich variety of classic cuisine, unique culture, amazing scenery and picturesque landscapes makes it an ideal destination and cycling in France is a terrific way to discover all its delights.
From the biggest attractions to its best-kept secrets, exploring France by bike lets you get up close and personal with this one-of-a-kind part of the world. See the royal chateaux of the Loire Valley, the unspoilt Mediterranean island of Corsica or sample the grand crus of the ancient wine-growing regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chablis and more.
Whatever you want from your holiday, getting to see France from the saddle helps you to notice and appreciate the little things - the quirks, sights and smells that you wouldn't otherwise get if travelling by car. You'll be provided with clear directions by our GPS app, with excellent accommodation taken care of by our local experts, who will be on hand to help during your cycling holiday.
With over 20 unique and memorable tours from which to choose, we've hand-picked the absolute best selection of wonderful and diverse routes in this beautiful country for you to enjoy. View them below or get in touch if you have any questions. To learn more about our holidays and destinations, visit our blog.
We offer a range of cycling holidays in France, with types of tour available to suit all tastes.
A self-guided French cycling holiday lets you and your group take the reins and explore your chosen destination your own way. Following directions provided by our own GPS-enabled app, you'll be riding our top-spec bikes along a range of routes, between picturesque sights, towns, villages and, often, your accommodation. We'll take care of your luggage and longer transfers.
As well as a bike, we'll give you a repair kit and full briefing before you embark on your adventure and, if you need any assistance, our team members won't be far away.
VIEW OUR SELF-GUIDED CYCLING HOLIDAYS
Our guided French cycling tours see a local expert Headwater employee lead you and your group of like-minded travellers.
They'll provide you with not just directions but invaluable information on the local area, letting you really get to know your surroundings, the culture and history. In between trips, you'll have time to yourself, too - plenty of time to get to know your fellow group members or enjoy some solo exploration.
VIEW OUR GUIDED CYCLING HOLIDAYS
We offer several cycling holidays through the south of France - a region renowned for its great weather, pretty and rustic architecture, wonderful wines and gorgeous cuisine. Our trips include exploring the medieval towns and hilltop villages of Provence, a region dotted with wineries and home to colourful hillsides awash with bright flowers.
All our cycling holidays in France are luxurious, featuring quality yet quirky accommodation and excellent cuisine. If you want to upgrade your travel to first class, we can typically accommodate this, too, whether that's private flights, first-class tickets or otherwise. Get in touch and we'll see how we can help to bring even more luxury to your trip.
Whatever your dream holiday, we have cycling trips to France to suit all ages and desires.
A particular favourite of our many bike tours of France is the Cotes du Ventoux package, which offers gentle cycling between the vineyards of the Cotes-du-Rhone and Ventoux appellations. This vacation will take you along quiet country lanes, across plains and gentle foothills, offering breathtaking views of Mount Ventoux.
Each hotel for this and all of our other cycling holidays in France is carefully chosen, with many locations offering a pool and the finest cuisine - ideal for evening relaxation after a day exploring on your bike.
There are so many areas of this stunning country that we would recommend that you visit, and you'll find a wide selection of cycling holidays in the most scenic regions of France here at Headwater. From Brittany's Emerald Coast to the villages of the Luberon in Provence, and other packages including the Dordogne, the Loire Valley, Burgundy and Alsace, there is a route for every taste and ability, including more focused gastronomic and cultural cycling trips across France.
If you think that you've found the perfect trip, hit the appropriate 'View Holiday' button for full holiday details, or take a look at our activities section for further information about how our self-guided cycling holidays in France work. As flights from across from the UK take only a couple of hours, you'll be at your destination and enjoying your next adventure in no time!
Choose Headwater and enjoy cycling in France with all details squared away. We not only provide you with the best locations, itineraries and travel options possible, but will always be on hand to make sure that everything goes swimmingly. Here are just some of the reasons why we're renowned for our French cycling holidays:
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
twin centre
Level: 1+ & 2
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
8 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2
Moderate
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
8 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2
Moderate
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
4 nights,
single centre
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
3 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 3
Stretching
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
4 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 3
Stretching
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2
Moderate
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2
Moderate
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1
Leisurely
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2+
Moderate plus
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
4 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 3
Stretching
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
4 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2+
Moderate plus
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2 & 2+
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2 & 2+
Printed route
directions
Self-guided cycling
8 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Headwater
Navigation App
Self-guided cycling
20 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2 & 3
Navigation App
Multi-activity holiday
5 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Navigation App
Multi-activity holiday
8 nights,
hotel-to-hotel
Level: 2
Moderate
Headwater
Navigation App
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Where appropriate, we grade our holidays based on distance, terrain, elevation gain, remoteness, etc and categorise them into 4 relative groups. This is ultimately subjective and may vary slightly day to day; for more advice, please see the specific trip page or call one of our friendly team.
Cycling holidays work depending on the type that you choose. Both self-guided and guided cycling holidays see you transferred from your chosen airport to your first hotel, where you'll be provided with a bike, properly sized. You'll also be given a full briefing on things like its features, the conditions that you'll encounter on your ride, and how to fix a flat tyre with the provided kit.
From there, you'll head off on your first rides - guided by one of Headwater's local experts or, if you choose self-guided, our GPS-enabled app. On all our tours, we have team members close by, too, just in case you run into any trouble with your bike.
Your luggage will be transferred for you between destinations and, if your next hotel is further afield, we'll shuttle you there, too. Then, on your final day, you'll hand in your bikes and be transferred to your chosen airport.
Booking a cycling holiday with Headwater is simple. Just browse our tours and, once you've found one that suits you, click Dates & Prices to check availability for your chosen dates.
You'll be asked to input some details about yourself and your travel requirements, after which a member of the team will be in touch to answer any questions and book your trip for you.
Cycling in France lets you experience some of the country's most quintessential locations and pastimes. What can you expect? Well, all our French cycling tours promise beautiful scenery, plenty of culture and great food.
Perhaps you fancy gently riding through traditional French villages, winding around vineyards and orchards before stopping for some wine-tasting. Or maybe you'd like to cruise past some of the country's most impressive chateaux, experiencing outstanding menus and relaxing by the hotel pool in the evening?
Choose our cycling holidays and immerse yourself in what makes France magical.
To ensure that your cycling holiday is comfortable and that you're not let down by your gear, it's advised that you pack the following:
Our holidays run from mid-May to the end of September or early October. The weather is suitable for cycling in France during this whole period, so you shouldn't encounter any problems.
If you want to avoid the summer heat, even in the Loire and Brittany, we recommend cycling in May or early June and after mid-September.
As standard, your cycling holiday in France with Headwater includes all basic elements and many additional extras:
We have cycling holidays for all levels and abilities. To help you to choose a holiday that best suits your level of fitness, all our trips are rated using the Headwater activity grading system, focusing primarily on distance and ascent.
On the individual holiday pages (and in our brochure) you'll see each tour is marked with an Activity Rating Level from one to four - one being easiest, four toughest. You can also search for your required activity level in our holiday finder.
On some holidays there is a choice of routes and, for these, two ratings will be shown (you’re free to choose between routes on a day-by-day basis). You’ll also notice a + symbol on a few holidays - this is just letting you know that some small sections of the route will be slightly more challenging than the overall grading.
Of course; we can help with all arrangements for your cycling holiday to France. We have access to a complete range of flight options including British Airways as well as low-cost airlines. Our experienced sales team will find the best options available for you and your preferred departure airport.
We are available 24/7, as required for our Headwater customers on holiday in France. Our overseas team is made up of Headwater-employed reps, local partners and hoteliers. In most of the regions in France in which we operate, we include the services of our exclusive reps to give you that extra bit of reassurance during your stay.