Bordeaux to Lot Valley Cycling Holiday

The perfect route for cyclists with a love of nature, gastronomy, wine and culture. Cycle from Bordeaux along quiet rural lanes and green-way cycle paths to the enchanting medieval town of Cahors in the Lot Valley. You'll also enjoy a loop ride to the beautiful village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie - the jewel in the Lot Valley's crown.

This leisurely route serves up a whole pannier of visual treats along it's 319 kilometres. From Bordeaux, with its intoxicating mix of 18th century elegance, urban street food and prestigious wines, to the simple pleasure of pedalling through the dappled sunlight alongside the Canal de Garonne or admiring the charm and timeless serenity of the beautiful Lot Valley and its picturesque perched villages

Bordeaux to Lot Valley Cycling HolidayValentré Bridge - Cahors

You'll spend two nights in the beautiful medieval town of Cahors that sits on a majestic bend in the Lot river. This area (Quercy) is well known for its black truffels, Quercy lamb and Rocamadour cheese so any meal in one of the town's many restaurants is likely to be a gastronomic delight.

The final ride of the itinerary leads you along the valley to the the visually stunning medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, sitting on a bluff high above the river - a fitting finale to a great cycle holiday.

The daily rides cover between 40 and 60 kilometres along mostly level cycle paths and quiet rural lanes. The last couple of days are a little more undulating but nothing to strenuous and e-bikes are an available option if you prefer.

Bordeaux to Lot Valley Cycling Holiday

The perfect route for cyclists with a love of nature, gastronomy, wine and culture. Cycle from Bordeaux along quiet rural lanes and green-way cycle paths to the enchanting medieval town of Cahors in the Lot Valley. You'll also enjoy a loop ride to the beautiful village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie - the jewel in the Lot Valley's crown.

This leisurely route serves up a whole pannier of visual treats along it's 319 kilometres. From Bordeaux, with its intoxicating mix of 18th century elegance, urban street food and prestigious wines, to the simple pleasure of pedalling through the dappled sunlight alongside the Canal de Garonne or admiring the charm and timeless serenity of the beautiful Lot Valley and its picturesque perched villages

Bordeaux to Lot Valley Cycling HolidayValentré Bridge - Cahors

You'll spend two nights in the beautiful medieval town of Cahors that sits on a majestic bend in the Lot river. This area (Quercy) is well known for its black truffels, Quercy lamb and Rocamadour cheese so any meal in one of the town's many restaurants is likely to be a gastronomic delight.

The final ride of the itinerary leads you along the valley to the the visually stunning medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, sitting on a bluff high above the river - a fitting finale to a great cycle holiday.

The daily rides cover between 40 and 60 kilometres along mostly level cycle paths and quiet rural lanes. The last couple of days are a little more undulating but nothing to strenuous and e-bikes are an available option if you prefer.

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Bordeaux

Make your way from Bordeaux airport to your centrally located hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore this exciting and intoxicating port city. Take a stroll through the atmospheric old town where you will find a giddying choice of cosy cafes, sizzling street food, elegant wine bars and creative fusion restaurants. Don’t miss the charming public gardens on the banks of the Garonne River and wine budding sommeliers will be drawn to the glittering decanter-like building that houses the audacious La Cite du Vin, an exhibition/museum/show on everything wine.

Day 2 : Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers
38 miles/60 kms

Your first day’s cycling starts with a pleasant ride alongside the Garonne River. After a while you leave the river and head eastwards, following a beautiful Voie-Verte (green-way cycle path) through ever-changing scenery ranging from expansive vineyards to cool, shady forests and open farmland. You’ll also pass through some tiny wine-villages along the way as well as the old walled-town of Creon. You’ll stop for the night in a charming guest-house near the town of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne. Dinner is included with your package this evening.

Day 3 : Entre-Deux-Mers - Marmande
25 - 37 miles/40 - 60 kms

Depending on the location of your accommodation at either end of today's route you will cycle between 40 km and 60 km. Once again, you'll be a following a wonderful Voie-Verte cycle path through beautiful verdant countryside. The going is easy and level and the kilometres flick by. Shortly after joining the Canal-de-Garonne cycle path you arrive at your accommodation in or around the town of Marmande.Dinner is included with your package this evening.

Day 4 : Marmande - Villeneuve sur Lot
37 miles/60 kms

This morning you enjoy a lovely ride along the Canal-de-Garonne cycle path through the dappled sunlight of the tall plane trees that line the banks. At Tonneins you leave the canal and head for Clairac where you may wish to stop to admire the Benedictine abbey before enjoying a beautiful bucolic ride past fruit orchards and tiny villages alongside the meandering Lot river. Your destination today is the charming medieval town of Villeneuve-sur-Lot where you will stop for the night.

Day 5 : Villeneuve sur Lot - Puy Lévêque
35 miles/57 kms

Another very pleasant ride today along the Lot valley following a network of rural lanes. Orchards of plum trees line your route as you make your way along the wide valley. The route flirts with the banks of the Lot river and offers easy level cycling. The hilltop village of Pujols is a nice place to stop for coffee or, a little further on, the perched villages of Montsempron-Libos and Fumel will also tempt you to take a break. Your destination today is the pretty riverside village of Puy Lévêque built on a rocky promontory overlooking the river.

Day 6 : Puy Lévêque - Cahors
35 miles/57 kms

More glorious cycling through the delightful countryside of the Lot valley today. The cycle route has a few more undulations now as it follows the lazy meanders of the Lot river but by now of course your legs are accustomed to the daily ritual. Vineyards begin to appear beside the fruit orchards and once more there are plenty of charming villages tempting you to take a break. The perched village of Belaye, besides being a charming little place, offers stunning views across the valley and is definitely worth the climb. The pretty village of Luzech, marooned between two of the river's meanders, is a good place to stop for lunch before pushing on along the river to historically and culturally rich town of Cahors, where you will spend the next two nights.

Day 7 : Loop ride to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
37 miles/60kms

Your final ride is a round trip to the jewel in the Lot valley's crown, the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. Regularly voted one the of the most beautiful villages in France, this charming little medieval hamlet is set on a rocky bluff high above a gentle curve in the river. It's hard to know which is more memorable the village itself or the view from the castle's ramparts across the valley. You then return to the medieval town of Cahors for the last night of your holiday. Along the narrow winding streets of the old town you are bound to find the perfect restaurant to celebrate completing your Lot valley cycling adventure.

Day 8 : Departure

After breakfast it's time to head for home or your next adventure.

Bikes

On this tour you can choose between a regular touring bike, a gravel bike or an e-bike.

The regular touring bike is an alloy framed model with 21 speeds and a comfortable, relaxed riding position, perfect for a leisure cycling holiday. These bikes come equipped with handlebar bag, rear panniers, lock and a repair kit with pump.

Keen cyclists may be tempted to opt for a gravel bike instead. The rugged, lightweight frame and drop handlebars offers a more dynamic riding position and the wider tyres are capable of handling both asphalt and gravel trails. These hi-spec, 22. speed bikes come equipped with handlebar bag, rear seat-post bag (instead of panniers), lock and a repair kit with pump.

E-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. These bikes come equipped with handlebar bag, rear panniers, lock and a repair kit with pump.

Helmets are not provided, so you will need to bring your own.

Accommodation

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.

Superior: Comfortable 3 and 4 star hotels

Bordeaux: Hotel de Normandie

Camiran: La Camiranaise

Marmande: Hotel Le Capricorne

Villeneuve-sur-Lot: Hotel Le Moulin de Madame

Puy L'Evêque: Hotel La Truffière

Cahors: Hotel Divona

Getting there

Fly to Bordeaux Airport and then take the regular shuttle into Bordeaux and make your way to your centrally located hotel.

From Cahors - at the end of the trip - we recommend taking the train to Toulouse central station and then the short bus ride out to the airport (1hr 50 mins total). You could also opt to return to Bordeaux for your flight home but the journey will take longer, about 3hrs 30 mins.


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