Reading time: 0 min Published on 13 April , updated on 1 August Why not make the most of the sunny days in the autumn to get out and about by bike? To plan your next family holiday, here are some cycling itineraries to suit all, taking in some of France's highlights along the way, from canals to coastlines to chateaux.
Whether you fancy a weekend or a longer stay, there's something to suit everyone across the Channel. Its royal estate alone can be the focus of a day's bike ride. Allow a week for the Amboise to Chambord itinerary including 40km between Chenonceau and Blois , along with visits to local sites. Well-known to cyclists, the Tour de la Bourgogne is an kilometre circuit, tying in an exploration of the region and its rich history and heritage, food and wine.
The Burgundy Canal by Bike. Between Jons and the center of Lyon, along the Jonage canal, you can ride on secure greenways. Families can picnic in the 2,hectare Grand Parc de Miribel-Jonage: a favourite of the Lyonnaise, there are hectares of water here, ideal for swimming and all manner of watersports. Allow an hour and three quarters each way between Lyon and Jons. For a sneak peek, families can try a one-day trip with three hours of cycling along the great beaches of Pays de la Loire, on the Atlantic coast.
Start in Les Sables-d'Olonne and enjoy the beaches and rocky creeks. Set against a pine forest, the itinerary will lead you to the endless sandy beaches of La Tranche-sur-Mer where sandcastles, kites and surfing await! Welcome to the heart of the Normandy Bocage! Here, green meadows rub shoulders with vast beaches.
This itinerary starts in Arromanches, the site of the Battle of Normandy in Except for a few roads to cross, the itinerary is not difficult and is well adapted to families with children on bikes. Don't miss the view when you arrive at the Bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel: from Ducey, its silhouette is revealed at the bends when the bocage gives way to the salt meadows.
