Provence and Camargue bike tour
7 days / 6 days riding / ref. PR3 / Difficulty Moderate / Round tripper person
Your bike tour in Provence and Camargue:
Provence is all about lavender, thyme and rosemary… but it’s also a veritable open-air museum. As it approaches the Mediterranean, the Rhône has formed one of Europe’s most beautiful deltas, the Camargue! A unique landscape of water and marshes, this protected area is home to hundreds of species of birds, the pink flamingo being the emblematic bird!
Discover Avignon and its Palais des Papes, Les Baux de Provence – a small medieval town perched on a rocky outcrop in the Alpilles, Aigues Mortes – a fortified town famous for its purplish salterns, and Arles with its remarkable Roman and medieval monuments. Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the heart of the Camargue and the Pont-du-Gard, the best-preserved aqueduct of Antiquity, will seduce you, such as Uzès, the first duchy of France and a very pretty Languedoc town.
Tour highlights
- The medieval city of Avignon, and the impressive Pont du Gard
- Aigues-Mortes and the pink waters of the saltworks
- The quaint lanes of Uzès
- The wine rosé from Tavel, to quench your thirst at the end of the day!
Day 1Arrival in Avignon
Arrive early to have time to visit Avignon and especially the famous Palais des Papes! With its imposing ramparts and cobbled streets, Avignon instantly transports you back in time. Theatres, museums and art galleries sit alongside trendy bars and modern restaurants, giving Avignon a unique blend of ancient and modern.
Day 2Avignon – Arles | 47 km
Cross the orchards up to Saint-Rémy de Provence. It takes a little effort to reach the village of Les Baux de Provence, also classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, which overlooks exceptional landscapes. The descent from Les Baux on small country roads will take you to Arles, where the rich cultural heritage and many attractions from Roman times seem to invite you to take an evening stroll.
Day 3Arles – Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer | 37 km
Still heading south, and ride through the Camargue to the Vaccarès lake. Make a stop for a nice picnic and observe the rare birds living there before joining Saintes Maries de la Mer and the Mediterrean beaches.
Day 4Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – Aigues Mortes | 30 km or 55 km
Enjoy an early-morning swim in the Mediterranean Sea or visit the “Sanctuaire Notre Dame de la Mer” with its breathtaking sea views. Leave Sainte Marie and ride west to the fortified town of Aigues-Mortes, which rises above the marshes and pink waters of the saltworks. From the top of the ramparts, take the covered walkway: the view over the Camargue is magical!
Option: return to the sea at Grau-du-Roi along a short cycle path (+13 km).
Day 5Aigues Mortes – Nîmes | 40 km or 50 km
Ride up the Canal du Rhône à Sète to the pretty marina of Gallician. Leave the Camargue behind and head north: pedal through the vineyards of the Costières de Nîmes to reach the “French Rome”: Nîmes! Take time to admire its remarkably well-preserved monuments, such as the amphitheatre, Maison Carrée and Tour Magne.
Day 6Nîmes – Uzès (via Pont du Gard) | 45 km
Another Roman monument takes pride of place on this stage: the Pont du Gard, a famous and spectacular aqueduct listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site! After a well-deserved photo stop, continue on to Uzès, one of Provence’s most beautiful villages. Visit its beautiful cathedral and stroll through its picturesque streets.
Day 7Uzès – Avignon | 55 km
This last stage requires a little effort, as you encounter a hilly landscape on the way to Tavel. But even before you reach the town famous for its rosé wines, you’re heading downhill. In Tavel, be sure to enjoy a wine tasting … before heading back to Avignon.
Departure at the end of the stage.
Possibility to plan an extra night in Avignon.
Note: no departure from May 31 to June 4 & from September 14 to 17 (Férias de Nîmes).
Documents
> Download tour programSelect your category
Your accommodation
• 6 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 6 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (6 nights included)
• 6 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 6 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (6 nights included)
from 3 to 11 years old : - 20%
from 12 to 15 years old : - 10%
(Only if the triple or quadruple rooms are occupied by 2 adults minimum. )
SCOTT Sub Sport 20 - 27 speed gears
(bike included in this tour)
OPEN frame, until 1m83
CLOSED frame, from 1m83
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
- 1 bottle cage
Helmet not provided.
MOUSTACHE e-bike
OPEN frame
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
Helmet not provided.
(These models of e-bikes may be replaced by another one, similar)
Practical details
Bikes will be delivered at the 1st hotel.
At the end of the tour, leave the rental bikes at your hotel, we will pick them up.
Because of the Férias de Nîmes
No departure from May 31 to June 4 & from September 14 to 17.
Your travel app
You’ll have personalized access to our travel app, which you can download onto your smartphone.
This app includes all your cycling stages, tourist and practical content, as well as your accommodation. The application will guide you along your route, like a GPS, during your cycling stages.
If you would like a printed version of the roadbook (including color maps of your stages), please let us know when you book your trip. It will be provided at your first accommodation.
Your journey
Tour description
Mainly on small, lightly used roads. Very few cycle paths.
Bike stages trip profiles
Avignon – Arles : 47 km / elevation gain: 360m
Arles – Saintes Marie de la Mer : 37 km / elevation gain: 34m
Saintes Marie de la Mer – Aigues Mortes : 38 km / elevation gain: 57m OR 55 km / elevation gain: 54m
Aigues Mortes – Nîmes : 40 km / elevation gain: 220m OU 50 km / elevation gain: 300m
Nîmes – Uzès (via Pont du Gard) : 45 km / elevation gain: 250m
Uzès – Avignon : 55 km / elevation gain: 185m or +450m
How to arrive in Avignon
By train
From Paris: Gare de Lyon train station >> Avignon TGV train station (by TGV train) >> Avignon centre train station (by train).
For more information, do not hesitate to visit : www.sncf.com/en
