On the vast plateaus of Valensole we immerse ourselves in the heart of the lands of this emblematic plant. On this bike trip, we could (almost) let us guide by our sense of smell to follow the paths through the almost endless lavender fields shining in deep viollett. Inspired by the singing of the cicadas we explore this idyllic plateau in the Alpes de Haute Provence, which is also part of the regional Nature park Verdon. We catch sight of the famous cliffs of the Verdon gorge and enjoy the panorama of the imposing peaks of the Maritime Alps on the horizon. The further part of our cycle tour leads us along the Verdon to the picturesque lakes of Sainte-Croix and Esparron. Especially the latter, with its unspoilt nature, is ideal for a rest and refreshment. Throughout the route, you can visit distilleries, farms or museums to learn more about the legendary plant, which is the soul of Haute-Provence. An invitation to experience.
4-day version is available for booking anytime from early April to mid-November.
3-day version is available for booking from early April to mid-May and from early October to mid-November, as the accommodation in Sainte Croix du Verdon do not accept one night stays in the summer season.
Price per person for a group of:
A single-room supplement will be automatically charged in the case of odd-numbered groups.
The price includes:
The price includes:
| Single room accommodation, 3 days (2 nights) | 115 € /  |
| Single room accommodation, 4 days (3 nights) | 165 € / |
Supplementary nights in Esparron: upon request
Bike rental: upon request
Standard bikes and e-bikes are available for rent.
| Standard bike (3 days) | 155 € / |
| Standard bike (4 days) | 200 € / |
| E-Bike (3 days) | 190 € / |
| E-Bike (4 days) | 240 € / |
| Rear pannier hire (pair) (3 days) 20L |
30 € / |
All bicycles are equipped with mudguards, a rear rack, a puncture repair kit with a pump, and a helmet.
Please indicate your height on your trip reservation form.
Electric bikes offer pedaling assistance, greatly reducing the effort needed to cover a given distance compared to a classic "human-powered" bicycle. They offer an alternative solution in two cases:
You are a group of friends, a family, a company or a cycling club and you would like to organise a private cycling tour on the dates of your choice. This option is available for guided and self-guided tours.
For more information or to receive a quote, please contact us by phone at +33 458 140 435 or by email at info@france-bike-trips.com.
In order to make a booking please fill in the online booking form on the "booking" page of your chosen tour. At the end of the booking process you will be transferred to our bank's secure payment page in order to pay a 30 % deposit.
All self-guided bookings made within 21 days of tour departure will incur a surcharge of 15 € per person.
A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (French time) by phone - +33 458 140 435 or by mail - info@france-bike-trips.com.
In order to confirm our guided tours, we need to reach a minimum number of participants (usually 5 persons are necessary). Therefore booking a guided tour does not necessarily mean the tour is confirmed. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your chosen tour, we will offer you the opportunity (no less than 21 days before departure) of switching to another (confirmed) tour, or receiving a full refund.
Self-guided or custom tours: We confirm bookings of self-guided tours and custom tours directly after booking.
In both cases, please await our final booking confirmation before making any travel arrangements.
Tour balance payment must be made no less than 30 days before tour departure. Your travel documents will be sent to you once we have received your balance payment. Road books and maps will be sent to you 3 weeks before departure.
In the event that you are obliged to cancel your tour France Bike Trips will reimburse the entire sum paid for the tour, minus the following cancellation charges:
Full details of our sales conditions are available here
It is important to be correctly insured when embarking on a cycling holiday. We recommend checking the details of your travel insurance (if you have one) and, if necessary, subscribing to our contract below. Please note that France Bike Trips is simply an intermediary between you and the insurance company.
You can choose between these travel insurance contracts while completing your booking form:
Recommendation: |
By train: From Paris Gare de Lyon train station to Montpellier train station then to Manosque or Meyrargues (about 5h by TGV train).
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/
Then you'll ned to book a taxi transfer to Esparron.
By plane:
By car:
Route planner: en.mappy.com
You will receive an email 2 weeks before departure, containing all the information necessary for your upcoming tour, including the following navigation tools:
Follow your route with comfort and ease! Thanks to the Velorizons navigation app, download the full trip itinerary to your smartphone, view route maps and profiles, access the list of booked accommodation, services and useful contacts, and use the integrated route guidance (visual and vocal) for navigation.
►See the mobile app presentation video
To benefit fully from the app navigation system, we strongly recommend attaching your smartphone to the bicycle handlebar using a dedicated mount. An example can be viewed here.
| Operating system | Android | Apple | Windows Phone | Blackberry |
| Compatibility | Version 8.0 minimum | iOS 8.0 minimum. iPhone compatible, iPad compatible if GPS equipped | Non compatible | Non compatible |
Your tour road book will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The road book contains:
Tour GPS tracks will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The tracks are in .gpx format, compatible with all GPS devices/apps.
If you sign up for a guided tour, we offer you the opportunity to see if you can carpool with other participants to get to the point of departure. To do this, go to "Car sharing" in our website. By entering the complete reference and the date of departure of the tour (available on the registration confirmation that we have sent you), you have access to route details and emails of other participants who wish to carpool.
For guided trips we limit the size of our groups from 5 (min) to 12 (max) persons in order to ensure security and conviviality.
You will be guided by English-speaking French mountain bike guides.
No size limitation for self-guided trips.
We favour comfortable accommodation with warm hospitality. For more details, please see the "Costs and services" section.
For private groups and self-guided tours it is possible to choose alternative accommodation (upgrade) depending on availability.
"L'art de la table"
We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals. Fresh and local produce will be served wherever possible.
Depending on the meals included in your chosen tour:
Please check the "Dates & Prices" section for meal plan details.
During the day you carry only a daypack for additional clothing, water, food, camera, etc. The rest of your baggage is transferred each day to the following nights accommodation.
We strongly recommend having a medical check-up before your holiday.
- A "group" tour: If you join a guided tour, you will be part of a group for several days. This is a superb opportunity to meet new people and share some magical moments. However, a group tour requires that each person show friendliness, openness and mutual respect for their fellow travellers.
- An "adventure" tour: despite the most careful preparation, adventure tours can present unforeseen events. Accepting these risks will help you enjoy your trip to the full, in the knowledge that your guide, our local partners and the entire France Bike Trips team will offer you the most suitable solutions to any given situation.
If you decide to bring your own bike, be aware that transporting a bike by plane or train is no longer an issue. However a few simple guidelines help to optimise the transport and avoid potential damages that could occur.
Your bike must be transported in a designated bike bag (standard size 120x90cm). This maximal size allows you to travel with your bike as "hand luggage" in any TGV and SNCF trains.
It is very important that you protect your bike in the bag. After having deflated the tires, removed the wheels (by removing the quick release mechanisms), pedals and rear derailleur (which is left hanging on the chain), we recommend you wrap your bike inside the bag in a sheet of dense foam (thickness of 3 to 5 cm). A piece of cardboard or rigid plastic positioned between the foam and the inside of the cover can be beneficial to provide more rigidity.
Once folded up the bike bag will take up very little space and will be transported by the assistance vehicle during your tour.
Bike bags are available directly from France Bike Trips at a cost of 70 euros, plus postage.
All your luggage must fit in two bags: a daypack and a travel bag.
This is the bag you will keep with you each day whilst riding. This bag should not be too large (up to 30 litres).
It will contain: a picnic lunch, camera, waterproof and extra clothing, etc.
Each day, your guide will advise you on what to bring in your bag according to the route and the weather.
This is the bag that will be transported from one accommodation to the next by vehicle. It should contain all the belongings you will not use during the day.
IMPORTANT: Your luggage transported from one accommodation to the next must fit in a single bag and must not exceed 20kg.
If you rent a bike from France Bike Trips, this material is not necessary.
In order to achieve the planned tour programme, you must:
Self-guided tours are undertaken without a guide and at your own risk. France Bike Trips cannot be held liable for any route error, misconduct, personal imprudence, inadequate planning or inappropriate reactions in the event of incidents.
Any programme change of your own initiative is under your responsibility and at your expense.
Having said this, with our advice and good preparation, you should be able to look forward to a wonderful, trouble free holiday. Enjoy your trip!
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A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
Your email will not be communicated to any third party or company outside France Bike Trips / Velorizons. You may receive occasional emails from France Bike Trips, with the possibility to unsubscribe at any time. CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)
