Provence Cyling Holidays
Provence Cyling Holidays uses a model becoming more and more popular because it saves money and removes a lot of logistics. You "base camp" at a beautiful 17th century farmhouse and take day trips throughout the region, returning to the four bedroom B&B every night. As they say: "no packing and unpacking bags, less stress, more relaxation". We are very experienced with this region, and can attest that there are at least a week's worth of great routes in all directions. There are a wide range of routes ... these guys are very flexible and will help you find the right fit. You can ride just a couple hours a day, or all day. You can climb Mont Ventoux, one of the famous climbs of the Tour de France. This region is home to many of the greatest wines of the Rhone and Luberon, and there is a plethora of great touring (Avignon, Isle Sur la Sorgue ... the Venice of Provence, and one of our favorite towns in Europe: Gordes). Bikes are hybrids and they provide GPS for all routes.
Regional Notes:
fra - Provence
- Operator Type:
Regional Operator - Website:
http://www.provence-cycling-holidays.com/ - Price Tier: $
- Services:
- Country:
France
25 Reviews
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The location in of Provence, FR was perfect, the weather ended up being perfect, our new TREK bikes were perfect, our accommodations were perfect and the family run Provence Cycling Holidays with Neil and his family was perfect!!!!
Working out of a home base everyday on our self-guided and self-paced tours was the way to go. We could bike as little or as much as we wanted, leaving enough time for sightseeing, shopping and of course eating!!! The time Neil put into researching and developing the courses one has to choose from for each days ride, made everyone of them a winner. -
The most thrilling hiking and cycling adventures in the wildest areas of Portugal. Guided, and self guided tours with full support from an outstanding team of passionate professionals. Get to know the local culture along the way, to experience the seasonal best local food and wine, in a mostly warm climate through out the year. Get your own private customized tour meeting the demands you need so that you have the experience of a lifetime.
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We’re just home from a truly memorable way to experience Provence and our best (four so far) self-guided cycling tour. The daily rides were excellent – peaceful country roads, a couple steep hills, and beautiful villages with interesting history/sites/markets and charming restaurants. The Garmin worked great – the weather was perfect. What pushed this trip over the top, though, was the warm hospitality and personal attention provided by Provence Cycling Holidays (Neil and Nat). The daily route briefings, delicious home-cooked dinners, restaurant tips/bookings, binder loaded with info about Provence, and laundry runs were all fantastic. We loved the ease of returning to the same venue every night and getting to know our hosts/other guests. You don’t get this experience with a large cycling company or with point-to-point self-guided cycling. We’d love to return and try out the new Provence Cycling Holidays’ villa in Taillades.
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The uniqueness of this holiday is the variety of rides on offer. The region has been divided into areas and within each area numerous rides have been mapped to Garmin allowing the rider to enjoy the best approaches to historic hill top towns through the beautiful quiet countryside. The classically French accommodation is of a very high standard with excellent meals provided by friendly and efficient hosts.
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A perfect combination of great weather, great food, great company and a comprehensive selection of scenic cycle routes to suit every ability. The bikes were very good quality and the GPS made route finding so easy and enjoyable that you won’t want to cycle without one again. The owner’s advice and local knowledge was absolutely invaluable and helped us to make the most of everyday.
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Excellent holiday exceeding our expectations. It was wonderful to stay with Neil, Nat and family in the french countryside. The hospitality in a friendly environment, great food and spotless accomodation made it a pleasure to stay here. Compared to other biking options,the GPS, combined with Neil’s knowledge of the area made it stressfree and allowed us to really enjoy our daily biking adventures. A trip we will always remember and reccommend to others.
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We spent 5 days with Provence Cycling Holidays and had a really terrific time. I cannot recommend strongly enough if you are looking for an easy going and flexible touring arrangement for the Provence area. You can ride as little or as much as you like, all in the convenience of a lovely rural base. This will not be a 5-star accomodation (though it is lovely), but rather the best value you can find for a premiere holiday cycling in a most beautiful area. Two thumbs up!
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Your host, Neil Cowell, has taken his B&B, a fully renovated 17th century farmhouse, and value added cycling and gourmet dining to the package. His GPS guided tours are a dream. Choose from 40+ routes that accommodate a spectrum of skill and fitness levels, all programed into a bar-mount Garmin instrument that guides you along the backroads of Provence. Then settle in for a great meal, ala Provencal, and a good nights rest.
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Spent 5 days cycling in Provence. GPS self guided tours was the way to go. You get to tailor the ride to your own specific needs and travel at your own pace. Take as long or as short as you want for breaks and meals. Excellent selection of rides, hosted in a wonderful B&B, with great meals. Our host knows the area exceedingly well and can accommodate all your needs.
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I recently spent 5 weeks cycling around France. The major highlight of the holiday was the time I spent with Neil from Provence Cycling Holidays. You get to stay in a 17th Century Farmhouse is a relatively small french town. Neil and his family are wonderful hosts, not to mention Neil’s cooking which is excellent. Each morning, after a scrumptious breakfast, you have the choice of up to 60 rides already programmed into the GPS system. Alternatively, Neil will create a new map for you tailored to meet what you would like to cover that day. Its such an easy way to get around and cover all the major villages in the area. The bikes are excellent and well maintained. Its wonderful to come home in the afternoon and jump into the pool then relax over a glass or wine or two. I highly recommend this experience. You won’t be disappointed.
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We were welcomed into Neil & Natalčne’s home and treated like part of the family. The home, food and cycling was more than we expected, perfect holiday!
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Neil and his wife Nat have put together a great tailored package for cyclists, beginning with the wonderful 18th century farm house that you stay at which is surrounded by vineyards, cherry trees to the great evening meals that Neil cooks up. The cycling routes that Neil lays out due to his extensive knowledge of the historic areas and wonderful cafes for lunch are outstanding. His use of the Garmins is a great idea and was very accurate and easy to follow. It made it much easier to follow then any printed route and our climb of Mt Ventoux was exciting! Overall I would recommend this trip to any cyclist.
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We received personal service with easy-to-use comprehensive hi-tech guidance for cycling around a beautiful part of France. Accommodation was comfortable and homely with great hospitality including lovely home-prepared food. Suitable for a broad range of cycling ability too.
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We were looking for an authentic experience of Provence and we found it in this 17th Century farmhouse. Friendly English-speaking host, Neil, bent over backwards to make sure we were comfortable and were having fun. The breakfast was wonderful and abundant with local fresh produce. The location is convenient to the most scenic hill towns providing a variety of riding experiences. The best part was that each bike was equipped with its own GPS allowing us true custom tour routes. Just do it! You won’t be sorry.
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We travelled to Provence for a short cycling break. The accomodation was great, with traditional Provencale accomodation and food to a high standard, a fastastic welcome from Neil and Nathalie,and terrific bikes. The GPS on the bikes was brilliant, and made the tours very enjoyable. We would definitely come again- and probably will next year.
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Exactly as the website said. Great cycling in beautiful surroundings with some great places of interest to visit. Accomodation excellent and the host family were lovely. Equipment was ideal for its purpose and the sat nav’s made life so easy.Very easy to get to by train so great for the environment too! All in all a perfect holiday.
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My daughter (14) and I just returned from a perfect holiday in Provence. We wanted to do some cycling, but wanted more flexibility than what the other tours had to offer. Here, you could take off for a ride at your own schedule, travel at your own speed and stop whenever you felt like it…which was often as there were so many spectacular photo opportunities. The GPS system works perfectly and you can feel completely comfortable going out for a beautiful day of cycling. Neil has a complete menu of different rides to choose from, depending on the kind of challenge you want. Or he can create a route for you right on the spot. He knows the area so well and keeps you on beautiful, quiet, country roads. We passed vineyards, olive groves, lavender and travelled through beautiful Provencal villages. The B&B was a quintessential Provencal stone farmhouse, across from a cherry orchard with a beautiful view of the Luberon Mountains.
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My wife and I recently stayed at Provence Cycling Holidays for 8 days on a self-guided bicycle adventure. We were extremely happy with the accommodations, cycling, and the excellent breakfasts and dinners every other night. The stay was an outstanding experience. Neil is a cyclist himself and knows the area in detail. He works hard to fit you with bikes and GPS routes appropriate for your abilities; whether beginner or seasoned cyclist. He provides pocket guides on recommended sights and restaurants along the route. Neil created a couple of special routes for us, and we never once felt lost or uncomfortable with the surroundings. It’s also very comforting to know that a friend with a car is just a phone call away should you need help. It’s an ideal way of bicycle touring because you can ride at your own pace and schedule, or just take a day off to be a regular tourist. Staying with Neil and Natalene was everything we hoped our Provence bicycle trip would be, and we’d give them six stars if that was posible.
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This is a very unique cycling vacation which allows each cyclist to choose his or her choice of trips, levels of difficulty and length of tour, all by means of a well planned menu of available tours guided by personal gps. The hosts, Neil and Nat Cowell, and their two beautiful children, make you feel right at home in their cozy B&B. Neil cooks for the guests every other night, and his dinners are superb, among the best we tasted during our 11 day tour of France. We highly recommend Provence Cycling Holidays!!!
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The best cycling holiday if you are looking for freedom of choice away from the madding crowds. Neil will customise your routes daily to accommodate any level of cyclist, all you have to do is follow the simple routes on the provided GPS. The accommodation is excellent and friendly with outstanding food provided every other day, this holiday is by far and away the best way to see the gorgeous provence countryside.
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Neil and Natalie’s operation offers great food, great company, and great cycling routes. If you haven’t used GPS before this will transform your cycling experience. As well as the rides that exist on the computer, Neil will create a tailor-made one for you in 5 minutes. This is a perfect location in the middle of beautiful medieval France. And by the way – really comfortable beds! If this is your choice of somewhere to stay, you won’t be disappointed.
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Great family cycling holiday based from Coustellet, France with Provence Cycling Holidays. Each day Neil organized great rides personalized for the various cycling abilities of our family, taking in wonderful villages and lunch venues along the way. His GPS navigation worked perfectly and each day we covered a different area in the region. Hospitality, accommodation and evening meals were superb too.
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Just the best experience. Neil and family achieved a perfect combination of hospitality, local knowledge, expertise, equipment and lots of fun as well. In short, Provence Cycling Holidays provided the right amount of support and autonomy for our group. Unforgettable.
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My husband and I have had many cycling holiday experiences, this was the best to date in every way. The bikes provided for the cycling we did were perfect, light, hybrid and well maintained. The cycling routes are varied in length and difficulty; just state your preference to Neil and he will advise you. The GPS system works great and Neil goes over the trip in as much detail as you would like before you go off for the day. There are so many beautiful towns to see and wonderful scenery en route. The accommodation Neil and Nat offer is homely and comfortable. You feel relaxed instantly and it is home from home. Neil cooks dinner every second night and the food is fantastic, and there is plenty of it. We loved it so much we’re going back.
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Our five days Provence Cycling Holidays in May 2015 was exceptional in all regards. Owner Neil Cowell provided very nice bikes and a careful orientation to the use of the GPS devices that guide you along routes. Neil gave personalized advice in selecting routes that were just perfect for us; we went along incredibly quiet county lanes and bike routes to the picture-perfect hilltop towns of the Luberon. The B&B is a well restored, charming stone house where Neil, Natalie(his wife) and two children made us feel completely at home.
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