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May 30 - TOULOUSE/CORDES SUR CIEL
Arrive Toulouse, France, by
plane or train; we’ll meet you in our van and transport you to our hotel in Cordes-sur-Ciel, a commute of just over an hour. Cordes is one of the prettiest of the many “bastide”, or walled, villages we’ll visit on this tour. With a
commanding view of the countryside, and its steep, cobbled streets, Cordes is the perfect setting for the start of our tour of this beautiful region. We’ll gather tonight for our welcoming dinner and an overview of the tour.
May 31 - NAJAC - 25mi, 1800ft-or-60mi, 2700ft elevation gain
The greater part of our tour's riding will be along flat, winding rivers, with occasional climb (800-1000ft) over the surrounding hills to the next river valley. Today, the rivers are
the Aveyron and its tributary, the Viaur. The long route passes beneath the castle ruins of Penne, before winding up the river for a relative flat 31 miles. Both routes climb up to Najac, a beautiful one-street town. It is situated on a
narrow ridge, rising 600ft from the Aveyron river. The hotel at Longcol is one of the lovliest places you could ever hope to overnight, and the evening meal is one you'll never forget.
June 1 - CONQUES EN ROUERGUES
- 52 mi,
2000ft-or-60mi, 2900ft
Starting today’s ride with a twisting descent to the Aveyron, the first 20k hardly raises a sweat before we arrive at the first pastry stop in Villefranche de Rouergue. This is the main market town for the area, so
there is always much activity in and around the many little cafés and restaurants. Hopefully this will be market day, the weekly event that brings together local farmers and shop keepers from the surrounding villages - a 3-ring circus of
buying and selling. A wooded, winding climb continues up over a series of open pastured hills, with great views and descents to the lunch stop in Rignac. The long route adds a descent to the village of Belcastle on the Aveyron. This
ancient stone village rises steeply from the quiet river to the well-preserved castle above – a perfect postcard vision. Small farming roads lead us along the wooded Gorges du Dourdou, then a short climb to our village. Conques is an
abbey town, rich in Romanesque architecture, and its Abbé Sainte Foy, is filled with France’s most precious religious treasures.
June 2 - CONQUES EN ROUERGUES
Loop ride
June 3 - VÉSAC - 55mi, 3300ft
The ride along the Lot river from Conques to Entraygues will be one of the most leisurely of the tour, as the narrow road hugs the meandering river bank whose hillsides are dotted with tiny hamlets and farm houses. After a
pastry stop, we climb out of the valley onto a high volcanic plateau, which is dominated by the volcano Puy Mary, and comprises the Parc Regional des Volcans d’Auvergne. After our lunch in Mur de Barez, we tackle a series of ridges and
valleys; this scenery is made dramatic by the rivers’ erosion of the volcanic lava flows. Our hotel in Vésac has grand views across the valley to the mountain rising in the distance.
June 4 - LE THEIL (SALERS)
- 30mi, 2500ft
A quick descent to the larger town of Aurillac brings us to the base of today’s climb up the Puy Mary - 24 miles of climbing and only 4000ft of elevation gain. The lava flows from this mountain were very liquid and flowed
rapidly, forming long, gradually sloping ridges and valleys. Our route takes us up the Mandailles valley and traverses just below the summit of Puy Mary. The volcanic formations are strange and the lush greenery covering the mountain gives
them an eerie appearance. The views are amazing in all directions and the viewpoint from the Pas de Payrol is the highest in the Massif Central. A long relaxing descent brings us to Salers, one of the prettiest villages in the area. The
buildings are dark gray, cut from the lava stone, and with their clean lines and turreted roofs, they seem like props in a movie set rather than a real country setting.
June 5 - CARENNAC - 60mi, 1500ft
The high volcanic plateau slopes gently to the west, and is mostly downhill with a few short climbs due to the small rivers that cut across our route. We are suddenly plummeted down a steep incline to the Dordogne river at the
point just below the last dam. Here is where it becomes serene and meandering, and for the rest of the day, we will follow it down river. For a typical French lunch, stop in Argentat, a village renowned for its charming houses,
restaurants, and gardens gracing the river’s edge. Further down river, an ice cream stop is in order, as we explore the streets of Beaulieu and its ancient buildings dating back to the 9th century. Continuing downstream on the small
rural roads, we reach our destination of Carennac, a small, intimate village, selected as one of the most beautiful in the Dordogne region.
June 6 - CARENNAC
LOOP - 37mi, 1500ft
Today is a day not to be missed, with so many things to see and do. Warming up with a ride along the river’s edge, we come to a wooded
climb. Perched at the top, is the bastide village of Loubressac, another of the Dordogne’s villages fleuries. Next stop is Rocamadour, second only to Mont St Michel as a tourist stop in France. Built on the face and top of a limestone
cliff, its stunning location has attracted Christian pilgrims for centuries, but now hosts crowds of tourists. On the return to Carennac, a mandatory stop is the Gouffre de Padirac, an immense hole in the ground, 114ft wide and 300ft deep,
with over 13 miles of cave galleries. At one time this was thought to be the entrance to Hell - in the middle of Paradise, a very unlikely spot for this, in our opinion! A visit to this cave system is one of the favorites of our tour.
June 7 - CONDAT-SUR-VÉSÈRE
- 60mi, 2500ft-or-45mi, 1800ft
We begin our day pedaling down river along one of the prettiest stretches of the Dordogne valley,
passing the Cirque de Montvalent and the cliffside town of Gluges. This route was chosen because of three of the most charming villages in the region, all worth visiting and poking around on foot. They are Mayssac, (buy some picnic
supplies here!), Collonges-la-Rouges (so named because of the red sandstone used in the construction of all the buildings), and Turenne. This last town occupies an imposing site and was the ancient seat of local government. The rest of the
ride is rolling hills through farmland, scrub oak, and little hamlets. Our hotel is a 12th and 15th century chateau, with a large swimming pool, making a wonderful place to relax, so don’t dally too long on the ride today.
June 8 - SARLAT - 36mi, 1000ft-or-48mi, 1000ft
If we had only two days to ride in the Dordogne, these next two would have to be them. Everything that is grand and beautiful in the Dordogne is represented on this route - caves, castles, villages fleuries,
forts, winding scenic roads, cliffs and panoramic views. Six miles down the road is our first stop, the world famous caves of Lascaux and their incredible prehistoric art. There are more than a dozen other caves along the way, but this is
the best. La Roque St Christophe is next, a cliff-face dwelling, inhabited for the last 40,000 years. Les Eyziès, where the first skeletal remains of Cro-Magnon man were discovered, is the Pre-History capital of the world, and merits a
stop. From here, there are two different routes to Sarlat, both winding through the forests and farmlands. Sarlat is a wonderfully preserved ancient market town, dating back to the 9th century, and our hotel is beautifully situated for
total relaxation after such a busy day.
June 9 - SARLAT - 25mi, less than 1000ft
Today there are more places to see and things to do, per mile, than any day of our tour. The dispute over ownership of the Dordogne region is the reason that the French and English fought the Hundred Years War.
Two of the big strongholds, Baynac, of the French, and Castlenau, of the English, sit high atop their respective hills, glaring at each other across the Dordogne River. These two castles are the main attraction of today’s short ride, but
there is also the riverside castle of Cingle de Montfort, and the fortified hilltop town of Domme. We will also pass through one of France’s plus beaux villages, La Roque Gageac. Here the cliffs rise above the river, leaving just enough
room for one row of buildings and a narrow road with a castle in a commanding position at the far end of town. There is also an extra short loop of six miles, along a beautiful stretch of the river to Milandes, the castle (now a museum),
beautifully restored by the American chanteuse, Josephine Baker.
June 10 - ST CIRQ-LAPOPIE
- 54mi, 1800ft
For anyone who loves cycling, today will be a real
treat. France’s gift to cyclists is the myriad of small, paved roads, winding through forests and farmlands, giving France the highest density of good cycling roads in the world. For much of the day we will be following the Ceou River,
from its terminus at the Dordogne river, to its source near Labistide-Murat. Other than the caves at Pech Merle, there are no major obligatory stops on today’s route, but the scenery will be beautiful and the numerous small villages,
castles, and churches, will make this a very enchanting day. The Grotte du Pech Merle has one of the very best tours, not to be missed, and is one of the few caves where you can still see the original cave art.
Our quaint hotel is tucked away in ne of France’s most beautiful
villages (by many accounts)
June 11 - ST
CIRQ-LAPOPIE Loop
Ride - 66mi, 300ft
Whether you relax and explore St Cirq or set out for a leisurely
loop ride, your day will be very well spent. The ride to Figeac is a most enchanting route, as we follow the Cele River along
limestone cliffs with hamlets perched in impossible settings. In the beautiful village of Marcilhac are the ruins of an historic abbey. St Sulpice village is built under an overhanging cliff beside a castle, and Esoagnac-Ste Eulalie is
especially attractive with its delightful houses with turrets and pointed roofs surrounding the old priory. In Figeac, be sure to see the covered market and the monument to the Rosetta Stone. Plan for an unhurried restaurant lunch and time
to wander the ancient streets lined with half timbered, architecturally adorned houses. Our return route is along the Lot river, with more castles at every bend in the river, and more cliff-clinging villages in between. For pure cycling
enjoyment, this might be one of the better days of the tour.
June 12 - CORDES SUR CIEL - 54mi, 1800ft-or-62mi, 1600ft
This is our last day of
cycling, and after all we have seen and done, today may seem somewhat anticlimactic. Just another scenic road connecting pretty villages - but at home this would be your most special route! We climb out of the Lot valley and over the Causse de Limogne, one of the best truffle growing regions in France, although it will be off-season for truffle hunting. This is a good day to find one of those small, wonderfully French restaurants, and enjoy one final gourmet lunch
before heading back to our hotel in Cordes, where we’ll have plenty of time to pack up before our farewell dinner tonight.
June 13 - Departure
Van transportation provided to the Toulouse airport.
COST:
$2900.00 per person Based on Double Occupancy
$500.00 Single Supplement
INCLUDES
·2-4 star Hotel Accommodations ·
·Breakfast daily (except arrival day) ·Dinner daily (except one night and arrival/departure
days)
·Airport transfers from/to Toulouse airport
·Bike mechanic and van
support with cellular phone
·Ground transportation for all passengers, luggage & bikes
·Regional map plus detailed daily route maps & cue sheets
NOT INCLUDED
·International airfare
·Tips, gratuities, laundry, telephone, & items of a personal
nature
·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be
charged for those who want wine with dinner, and can be prepaid
before departure)
PRE-TRIP PLANNING
A complete trip packet will be sent upon receipt of your final payment, including tour t-shirt, hotel lists, maps, and luggage tags. Our guidebook containing
information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying, equipment list, and changing currencies, will be sent upon receipt of your secondary deposit (due by March 1). All participants must possess a current passport.
TRAVEL
INSURANCE Erickson Cycle Tours strongly recommends purchasing insurance for trip cancellation, injury, illness, and loss of effects. A traveler's insurance brochure will be included in your confirmation letter.
AIRFARE
We offer the services of
our travel agent, Rogue Travel, in obtaining economical,
expedient air reservations, and we are happy to assist with pre-
and post-tour accommodations. Please contact Shannon or
Steven for flight information:800.443.9216 or
shannon@mind.net
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