Cycling Occitane and Provence, from Montpellier to Nice
The Southern coast of France is a really dazzling place to cycle.
There are climbs to improve yourself with racing bikes and hills and flat roads to ride with hybrid touring bike for a relaxing cycling holiday.
Ideal for couples, families, kids. No matter of age. This side of French country it's absolutely amazing for everyone!
We suggest a route from Montpellier, town of Occitanie region to Nice, Provence.
Group of customers starting their journey in Montpellier. |
Montpellier seems to be a little Paris, a French jewel outside of the most traditional tourism routes. The heart is the Place de la Comédie. Lots of details attract attention: the beautiful Tre Grazie fountain, the Operà theater and the large buildings with the typical slate roofs. For a chocolate or a tea, you shouldn't miss to taste something at the Georges Café.
Cycling East, you will cross the Parc Naturel Regional de Camargue where you can ride trough, exploring and admiring the flora and the fauna. Sleep in one of the little villages around, such as Arles, famous for having inspired Van Gogh's paintings.
Continuing your journey you will cross Marseille where the centerpiece of the center is the Old Port where the fishmongers sell fresh fish along the jetties crowded with boats. The Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde and the The Château d'If are absolutely to be visited. The second one was a fortress and a prison, famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas' adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo.
Certainly you'd need to spend a day in Aix en Provence , a really amazing pearl of Provence. The legacy left by Cezanne, who was born and lived here for a long time, is still strong and present. There is the name of his family on the manhole covers of the whole city, but above all, there is the Atelier where the painter lived that represents a must for anyone who passes by these parts. The center of the city is the Corso Mirabeau. Really recommended a stop at Café des Deux Garçons.
Cycling towards Nice, you can ride the countryside, visiting lovable town like Brignoles with its nice cafes and pastries or, along the coast, where you deserve a break on the beach in Saint Tropez or Cannes. Here it takes place a famous Movie Festival every May.
Anyway, the Côte d'Azur it's marvelous and you can enjoy food, people, weather, beach and nature at 360° in the best possible way.
So, at the end of the cycling there is Nice. First, you need to have a ride on the Promenade des Anglais and then visit the old town. Unmissable the the Marché Aux Fleurs, which colors and perfumes the days of this enchanted town in Provence.
As we said at the beginning of the post, this is a good suggestion both for touring holidays and for who wants to cycle a little bit harder too. There are lots of climbs just few chilometres from the coast area and the countryside it's stunning in spring and summer. Just to make an example the Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d'Azur it is a to do stage for good cyclists!
You can cut, enlarge, change all the stages. Do more, or less. This is up to you!
Veloce will send you all the information stitched for your needs. Write us here booking@velocerental.com or via WhatsApp using this link to receive all details and a quote with discounts up to the 25% for advanced reservation!