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A leisurely cycling holiday through the vineyards of Entre-Deux-Mers on the banks of the Garonne River to the Bay of Arcachon on the Atlantic Coast. Idyllic cycling on quiet lanes through famous vineyards and Natural Parks, staying in charming hotels in delightful towns and villages. The dunes and beaches around Arcachon Bay are a fitting finale to this wonderful cycling holiday.
You’ll be picked up from Bordeaux Airport/Train station and transferred to your first night’s accommodation in the village of Cadillac or Rions on the banks of the Garonne River. The next morning your cycling adventure begins as you follow quiet roads through a patchwork of rolling vineyards and gorgeous châteaux.
Cap Ferret
You’ll cycle through the Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux wine region one day followed by the famous vineyards of Sauternes the next – stopping at the world famous Château Yquem to sample the wares if you wish.
The route then leads you into the Landes de Gascogne Nature Park where peace, tranquillity and a wild untamed landscape await. Take a refreshing dip in the the fresh water lakes of Hostens and then relax under the pine trees before pedalling on towards the ocean.
Land meets sea at the ornithological reserve at Le Teich where an idyllic cycle path leads you around the bay towards the bustling town of Arcachon.
The 7 night options give you more time in Arcachon with day rides to Cap Ferret – a wild and wooly spit of land with fantastic beaches and Dune du Pyla – Europe’s largest sand dune a few kilometres to the south.
This route is graded as easy to leisurely, meaning it is well within the abilities of anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. There are some unavoidable sections that follow busier roads but the majority of the route is along quiet lanes and cycle paths. On the whole, the route is quite flat but there are some slightly hilly sections at the beginning.
The tour is available in 5 or 7 night durations. If you opt for the five night duration you will spend one night in Arcachon and depart on the morning of day six (see itinerary below). The seven night option gives you the full itinerary described below.
Arrive at Bordeaux railway station or airport where you will be picked up and transferred to to your accommodation in either Cadillac or Rions. Your bikes and route notes will be waiting for you at the hotel and the rest of the day is yours to relax or explore the local area.
Your first day’s cycling leads through the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, an elongated wine growing area on the banks of the Garonne River. The limestone and clay soil of this region produces excellent wines that are renowned for their character and finesse. It’s a picturesque ride and you’ll enjoy superb river views for much of the way. You can if you wish make a small detour to visit Château Malromé, the former residence of the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Eventually you arrive in the charming medieval town of St Macaire (or possibly Langon). Check-in to your hotel and then take a stroll through the bustling, cobbled streets, perhaps stopping in a convivial bar for a glass of the local wine.
Leaving Saint-Macaire you cross over the Garonne River and follow a network of quiet winding lanes through the world-famous vineyards of the Sauternes region. The sweet wines produced here using Semillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle grapes have a very distinct flavour and harvests can be hit or miss but when they are hit, they are very good indeed. Château Yquem is the most famous vineyard in the region and you can stop off here to admire the lovely old Chateau – and perhaps taste the wares. The itinerary then leads you to the nearby village of Budos and then south along the course of the River Ciron, past the sleepy villages of Leogats and Nouaillan and into the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park. You stop for the night in Saint-Symphorien.
Dinner included this evening
Today’s ride leads you on quiet roads through the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park, a protected area of pine forest and wetlands. Shortly after the village of Louchats why not take a break beside lakes of Hostens there’s plenty of shade beneath the pines and if it’s warm you may even be tempted in for a dip. You then head on along the forest road lined by heathland and pine forests to the town of Le Barp where you stop for the night. Please note, if no availability in Le Barp then you will be accommodated 13 km further along the route in the village of Salles.
After breakfast, mount up and continue westwards through the Nature Park towards the Atlantic Ocean. The pine forests begin to thin out and a pleasant cycling path delivers you to the town of Mios. A little further on you reach Le Teich, where the Park finally meets the sea. Here you begin to follow an idyllic cycle path that leads you through a protected wetland area, where all manner of wild-fowl can be seen, to the shores of the Bay of Arcachon. A pleasant ride along a coastal path delivers you to bustling town of Arcachon, a pretty town with a lovely beach and plenty of bars and restaurants. You’ll spend one, or three nights here depending on which duration package you have booked.
5 night option
If you have opted for the 5 night cycling trip your cycling tour finishes after breakfast today.
7 night option
After breakfast, catch the ferry across Arcachon Bay to Cap Ferret, a sandy spit of land that separates Arcachon Bay from the open ocean. The expansive sandy beaches on the Atlantic side are definitely worth a visit as is an ascent of the lighthouse. Pedal to nearby L’Herbe and Le Canon, delightful villages of brightly painted traditional buildings which are part bungalow and part beach-hut – the epitomy of ‘shabby-chic’. This is seafood heaven and our tip is to search out the small locals’ bars in the backstreets that serve delicious dishes at a fraction of the price of the smart brasseries on the sea-front. At the end of the day catch the ferry back across the bay to Arcachon to your hotel.
Today you can choose between a relatively short ride south along the coast to the Pyla Sand Dune or a longer ride around the bay, visiting the chain of small towns and villages along the shoreline. If you opt for the shorter ride to Europe’s largest sand dune then you should of course have the energy to climb to the summit, 110 meters above sea level. The views across to Cap Ferret are quite stunning.The dune is popular with parascenders who’s colourful canopies look like enormous butterflies surrounding the dune.
The other route will lead you along the eastern shoreline of the lake through pleasant towns such as Gujan Mestras, La Teich and Audenge. The majority of the route is on a lovely bay-side cycle path and it’s entirely up to you how far around the bay you wish to ride.
You then return to Arcachon for you last night in this idyllic little town.
After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.
On this tour you can choose between a regular bike, a gravel bike or an E-bike.
Regular bikes: Is an alloy framed touring model with 21 speeds and a comfortable, relaxed riding position, perfect for a leisure cycling holiday. The minimum height for a male specific bike is 160cm and for a female 150cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier, lock and repair kit and handlebar bag.
E-Bikes: These unisex/step through electric bikes are a popular option on this route and ensure riders can enjoy the scenery along the way, whilst not working too hard at the climbs. Minimum height is 150cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier, lock and repair kit and handlebar bag.
Gravel bikes: The rugged, hi-spec, 20 speed male specific bikes have a lightweight frame and drop handlebars which offers a more dynamic riding position and the wider tyres are capable of handling both asphalt and gravel trails. The minimum height for a gravel bike is 155 cm (Frame 48 cm). Bikes come equipped with a rear seat-post, lock and repair kit.
Helmets are not provided, so you will need to bring your own.
Below you will find examples of the accommodations typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.
Comfort: Comfortable hotels and a charming guesthouse.
Cadillac: Hotel du Chateau de la Tour
Saint Macaire: Hotel L'Abricotier
Sainy-Symphorien: Domaine de la Hure
Le Barp: Hotel Le Resinier
Arcachon: Victoria Boutique Hotel
Local taxes
Some hotels in some countries have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night.
Fly to Bordeaux Airport where you will be picked up and transferred to your first night’s accommodation in Cadillac. At the end of your trip catch a train, approx 1 hour, from Arcachon back to Bordeaux for your flight home.
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