"I cannot begin to tell you what a postive and beautiful experience we had. The logistics ran like clockwork, leaving us free to enjoy bicycling, the lovely French people, food, wine and countryside. Accomodations were better than expected and hotel staff were all delightful! I want to go back...now!"
- A. Urso

This is a self guided cycling tour, but you are not alone! Learn more!
self guided cycling tours

Bordeaux Wine Country

Beautiful chateaux, famous wines and terrific food: what more do you need to experience the real France? This cycling tour centered around the Bordeaux vineyards include some of the most famous names of the area: Saint Emilion, Entre Deux Mers and their many small wine villages throughout the region. You will start in Bordeaux, which is easily reached by TGV or flight from Paris, and from there you travel out stress free on excellent paved bike paths. You make your way to the Entre deux Mers region and then to Saint Emilion. The loop tour brings you back to Bordeaux to finish and easily return.

Discover this countryside mixed with vineyards, chateaux, and a rich inheritance of walled towns, abbeys, and medieval castles during an unforgettable cycling tour! While Bordeaux is world famous, a lesser-known part of this region is just waiting to be discovered. In the Gironde, between the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, less than 13 miles south of Bordeaux lies Entre-Deux-Mers, an area brimming with vineyards.

See some blog posts about Dordogne here:

Painted Caves of Dordogne | 5 Chateau to Visit in Dordogne | Delightful Cuisine of Dordogne | 3 Reasons to Cycle Bordeaux


Tour Details

Maps & Profiles

NOTE: Please click on the profile image to see the complete profile in true relief; the thumbnail version below is automatically made small and this distorts the actual relief of the terrain.

Day-2 Day-3 Day-4 Day-5

BORDEAUX_biking_Bordeaux-St Macaire

BORDEAUX_biking_St Macaire-St Gemme

BORDEAUX_biking_Loop St Gemme

BORDEAUX_biking_St Gemme-St Emilion
Day-6 Day-7    

BORDEAUX_biking_Loop St Emilion

BORDEAUX_biking_St Emilion-Bordeaux

    

Tour Map

BORDEAUX_Trip map_Cycling


>Total Distance:
306 km

Total Uphill:
3731 m

Total Downhill:
3731 m

Level: 2

Itinerary

Click on a day to see that days itinerary.

DAY 1 DAY 2

Day 2: Cycling Bordeaux to Saint Macaire - approx 64 km.
Start your tour by riding out of Bordeaux stress free on a bicycle path found alongside the Garonne river going out to the vineyards. Along the way you will pass the famous wine town of Cadillac and can stop at the chateau. Arriving at St Macaire you can relax at the hotel are stroll the town in search of a good wine aperetif! Discover the charming medieval village of Saint Macaire, which used to be a rich merchant town in the Bordelais area. Dinner included. (B, D).

Les Feuilles D'Acanthe

3

Saint-Macaire

Les Feuilles D'Acanthe is located in the very heart of the medieval city of Saint Macaire. It is ho...

DAY 3

Day 3:Saint Macaire to near Monsegur, approx 34 km.
A ride through the Entre Deux Mers region and its vineyards. You will use both bicycle paths and some small country roads on your ride. Numerous small towns and bastides are along the route and each worth exploring. Overnight in a Bacchus (wine theme) B&B property tonight and have a home cooked meal. Dinner & wine included. (B,D)

Manoir du Gaboria

3

Saint Gemme/Monsegur

3 'epis' chambre d'hote or B&B, this inn sits among the vines and offers a quiet country calm. The ...

DAY 4

Day 4:St Gemme loop tour - approx 55 km.
Ride through the quiet country roads and vineyards of this widely unknown area. You will ride into the department of the “Lot et Garonne”! You can see the Chateau des Ducs in Duras, as well as the vineyards of the Cotes de Duras. From there, you cross back into the Gironde department through the Dropt Valley and head back to your B&B via Monsegur where you can stop at the Bastide of Monsegur and imagine this old village closed up at night to protect citizens from bandits in the medieval era. (B,D)

Manoir du Gaboria

3

Saint Gemme/Monsegur

3 'epis' chambre d'hote or B&B, this inn sits among the vines and offers a quiet country calm. The ...

DAY 5

Day 5:Ste Gemme to Saint Emilion approx - 52 km.
A ride to one of the most famous vineyards of the region: Saint Emilion! Discover this World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century AD. The town was named after the monk Émilion, a travelling confessor, who settled in a hermitage carved into the rock there in the 8th
century. It was the monks who followed him that started up the commercial wine production in the area. Take some time to explore this charming town and visit the Tour du Roy which dates from 1237. Dinner on your own. (B)

Auberge De La Commanderie

2

Saint Emilion

The Auberge de la Commanderie is one of the historic sites located at the heart of the medieval town...

DAY 6

Day 6:Saint Emilion - Loop tour around the region to Castillon La Bataille and among the vineyards for a great wine theme day! Or day off to explore the village and taste some local produce! Optional ride - approx 52 km.
Your choice to ride and visit, or just take the day off the bike and visit. Wine tastings, shopping, and cultural visits abound in this famous town. It is also rather touristy, but as a cyclist, you can easily and quietly escape. Same hotel, dinner on your own again. (B )

Auberge De La Commanderie

2

Saint Emilion

The Auberge de la Commanderie is one of the historic sites located at the heart of the medieval town...

DAY 7

Day 7 :Saint Emilion to Bordeaux. approx 51 km.
Ride back to Bordeaux through wine country and the charming town of Creon where you pickup the cycle path back to Bordeaux. Dinner out on your own again in Bordeaux, perhaps a celebratory dinner with an excellent bottle of local produce to commemorate your journey! Overnight in Bordeaux. (B)


Hotel de Normandie

4

Bordeaux

DESCRIPTION OF HOTEL: The Hotel de Normandie is located in the center of 18th century Bordea...

DAY 8

Day 8: Departure after breakfast, trains from Bordeaux to Paris all day long. We can help with added nights, car rentals, or other extensions to your travel. (B)


General Tour Information

Bordeaux Wine Country Cycling
7 Nights / 8 Days

Dates - Dates of Tour availability: can start any day, but subject to hotel availability, advance planning suggested for high season, April through October.

Level - Level is intermediate, rolling terrain (2). Good physical condition suggested. Average riding of 46 km per day on the circuit; additional riding at client leisure.

Details - Train: From Paris Montparnasse - Bordeaux St Jean; 3 hours 20 min TGV in both directions. Flights to Bordeaux possible from many European cities; from Paris Orly 1 hour 5min.

What is self-guided touring?

Misc Info - Triples and larger rooms are occasionally available.

Optional Services:

Travel insurance, Paris museum & metro passes, Paris day tours, Lido shows, and other services. Cell phone rental and luggage storage services.

Note: prices subject to change based upon currency fluctuations. See Booking Terms and Conditions.

What's Included

gps and road book for cycling tours in france

The Trip Includes
 all lodging consisting of 7 nights in charming 2 and 3 star hotels; all breakfast and 3 dinners, daily bag transfer, arrival orientation with bike delivery and set up, road book with detailed maps and directions, GPS - 1 per 2 persons, site/visit information, emergency support. We also provide travel planning to add Paris hotels, car rentals, France hotels, trains, airport transfers, trains, and more.

To learn more about the road books and GPS units we included, visit this link: GPS & Road Book Details

For hotels included in this tour, please see the Itinerary tab; each hotel is shown for each day.

UPGRADE: an upgraded hotel version is available for supplement (see price tab); the hotels on this version are: Hotel Burdigala, Feuilles d'Acanthe, Manoir de Gaboria, Hotel du Grand Barrail.

Additional Night Bordeaux: TBD - please inquire

Tour Rates

Price

- Standard 3&4 star hotels

Standard Double Occupancy:

1260 €/person

Standard Single Occupancy:

1452 €/person

- Upgraded Deluxe 3/4/5 star hotels+

Upgraded Double Occupancy:

1543 €/person

Upgraded Single Occupancy:

2090 €/person

***Bike Rentals are available for a supplement of 105 euros, please see the Bike Rental tab for all details about the bikes we offer. NOTE: a supplement of 60 euros applies per person for travel between June 16-22.

(convert from euros)

Photos & Videos

Virtual Tour

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

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Bike Info

Bike Rentals:
bike rental discover france cycling tours Scott Sportster P3/P4 & P40 hybrid rentals - the best rental bike available in the region!
Bike Equipment: Scott Sportster P3/P4 or P40 hybrid; see details on this page including a virtual photo tour, specs and all information.

Rental Rate: 105 euros/bike for the duration of the tour. This includes all the gear shown as well as bike delivery, set up, and bike return. Every bike is given an inspection by our mechanics in the bike shop before they go out again. Pedals with or without straps available. Clients can bring their own Clipless pedals to be changed over.



Scott Sportster P3/P4 & P40 hybrids; see link for full details and picture. Helmets and add on materials included in the rental rate of 105 euros.

You are important to us; so we make you thoroughly prepared and include:
Pre-trip travel documents: you will receive extensive information as a customer prior to your departure, see below. Upon confirmation of your tour we will send you some general information about preparations including passport info, training tips, and reading lists, cell phone rental, travel insurance, and more!

Upon final payment, we will send to you a complete list of documentation by email including Hotel List, contact numbers, itineraries, a packing list, regional information about sites, culture, regional specialities, important towns and historical sites, general France travel information, bike travel tips, vouchers, train travel tips, language phrases, holiday info, tour details, culture and customs tips, and much, much more!

Other Tours: Travel for this region
Dordogne Multisport Tours

Bicycle Tour Regions
Alsace Burgundy Dordogne/SW Loire Valley Poitou-Charentes Rhone-Alpes
Brittany Champagne Languedoc Normandy Provence