Our top 3 reasons to enjoy a walking holiday in Provence or a Provence cycling trip!
Provence is a beautiful region in south eastern France, famous for its cicadas, lavender, olives and wine is one of the most visited areas in the country. Provence boasts a wonderful climate, with over 320 days of sunshine per year and warm temperatures from as early as March and through to late autumn. It is a region rich in history and enjoys a down-to-earth way of living with many locals dependant on the land and the crops they grow. "La Provence" is definitely a must-see when travelling to France!
A perfect destination for a walking stay in Provence or a Provence cycling holiday
1. An incredible landscape to admire on foot or in the saddle!
‘Colourful’ is an apt word to use when describing Provence – the green leaves on the vines, the yellow sunflowers, the purple lavender fields, the silvery green of the olive trees, the blue sky… it’s quite the artist's palette! It is no wonder that Vincent van Gogh spent the last few years of his life in the region, capturing the scenery on canvas.
You can enjoy a Provence walking tour retracing the brush strokes of van Gogh, through the perched villages of the Alpilles mountains and the golden sunflower fields. Or head to the Lubéron region, famous for its fields of lavender, picturesque riverside market towns such as Isle sur la Sorgue and an inspiration for Peter Mayle’s book A Year in Provence.
You can enjoy a Provence cycling tour along quiet country lanes, exploring remote hamlets and perched medieval villages. Peddle along the wine roads of Provence with plenty of wine tasting opportunities along the way or tackle the ‘Giant of Provence’, the infamous Mont Ventoux – an important stage of the Tour de France and on the bucket list of any avid cycler!
2. Walking in Provence or a Provence cycling trip: a time travelling experience
Many cities in Provence can trace their origins back to the Greeks and the Romans and many monuments still stand witness to that era today. Arles is a city rich in Roman ruins with an amphitheatre, bridge and port. Vaison la Romaine is a small market town at the foot of the Mont Ventoux and boasts the remains of a Roman village right in the town centre! Begin your Provence walking holiday or Provence cycling holiday in the small papal city of Avignon and discover the secrets hidden inside the city walls.
3. The quality of life
Despite the influx of tourism, Provence is still today very much an agricultural region. Wherever the wheels on your Provence cycling stay may take you, wherever your footsteps on your walking tour of Provence lead you, you are sure to see locals working in the fields, tending to their grapes, olives, lavender, plums, apricots, strawberries and melons. Our selection of Provence walking and cycling tours lead you through some of the most remote areas of the region, where the scenery is breathtaking, the roads and hiking paths well maintained, the guest houses are often family run and very quaint and the food and wine are outstanding! We know what constitutes a great trip… so check out our selection below!
