Too many French holidays involve staying in one place – just lying by a pool and soaking up the sun. This might be relaxing, but you don’t see all that much of the country you are visiting, and certainly don’t get a chance to practise your French. Alternatively, some touring holidays give you too much of a good thing. They are so heavily organised and pack in so many wonderful sights that you don’t really have time to enjoy them all properly, and find yourself guiltily thinking: “Not another cathedral!”

So what’s the alternative? To take your time, and Discover France at your leisure. Instead of driving long distances in between the most famous sights of the region where you are staying, travel slowly and discover smaller delights to savour along the way. Cycling is the perfect way to achieve this, as you can travel at your own pace and stop whenever you want to. If a village is holding a little-known festival devoted to ponies, snails or mushrooms, or you spot a small winery or strange historic building off the beaten track, you can climb off the saddle and enjoy the moment.

Getting to Know the Real France

Taking your French leave at a slower pace means you will have the time to get to know the countryside and really appreciate it. You can simply follow the pre-planned route and see what you find or read through the background notes provided to make sure that you don’t miss anything really special.

With cycling, you will have the chance to meet local people on your way and rediscover the French phrases of your schooldays, something you wouldn’t do if you were driving past in a car. Yet another advantage of cycling is that you can also discover a whole range of different places to stay, including traditional French inns and auberges.

With its richly varied landscapes, France has a host of treasures to discover, from the Loire Valley’s historic chateaux and vineyards, to Provence’s honey-coloured stone buildings and white horses of the Camargue, or the Dordogne’s medieval architecture and prehistoric art. Exploring this wealth of nature and heritage at your leisure means you will take it all in much better and will really appreciate the French countryside close-up. You’ll be living it, rather than just looking at it!

Food, Wine… and Exercise

France is justly famous for its cuisine, with a host of world-famous delicacies. During your stay, you will be tempted by everything from melt-in-your-mouth soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert and rich meat dishes such as Coq au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon. Wickedly tempting desserts like classic baked custard Crème Brûlée or a chocolate soufflé provide the perfect Finishing Touch to your meal, but unfortunately they can also add the finishing touch to your waistline.

That’s even without taking into account all the French wines just crying out to be sampled, from reds like Côtes du Rhone to the Loire’s whites. It would be such a pity not to sample these during visits to the local vineyards or relaxing evenings in a local restaurant.

Of course, when you are on holiday, you wouldn’t want to be denied the chance to enjoy France’s famous cuisine. It would be a great shame to restrict yourself to just the Salad Niçoise – delicious though it might be – but it would also be disappointing to get home from holiday and then go straight on to a diet.

One of the many reasons why cycling holidays are such a great option is that you get plenty of exercise, and so there is no need to feel guilty about that extra helping of Lyonnaise potatoes or second portion of French apple tart and cream. In fact, even after enjoying all the culinary delights on the menu, many cyclists return home slimmer and fitter – and looking forward to continuing their new passion for cycling on their own local roads.

Cycling