Whether you’re after some serious alpine climbs or a relaxing glass of red amongst the vines there’s no doubt France has something for your wish list. The home of the world famous ‘Tour de France’ road cycling event has hundreds of kilometres of well thought out EuroVelo cycleways winding throughout its beautiful countryside and up the side of it’s steepest mountains. In this article we are going to look at a few different routes that bring out France’s sense of adventure and can really earn you that chocolate filled croissant.
The weather in France has clear seasons with the summer months (June to September) being between 20-30oC and the winter months having snow on the mountains. It can get quite rainy unexpectedly so packing waterproofs is always a good idea.
A few things to remember before you set off on your big bikepacking adventure to France.
- They drive on the right.
- You will need some basic French to get you by in the rural areas so pack a phrase-book.
- Check whether the route is clear of snow if going into altitude.
- Check whether you can take your bike on the train, or pre-book this.
- Grande Randonnee (GR) routes are extensive hiking routes as well as mountain biking (with some hike-a-bike).
- EuroVelo routes are signposted long distance routes throughout Europe, 10 of which go through France. These are mainly road or footpath cycling routes.
We have collated a few of our favourite French bikepacking and bike touring routes along with some must see travel inspiration spots en route.
Bikepacking routes in France
The Traversee Du Massif Vosgien (TMV) Alsace
This 1 week long route traverses through the forests and farmlands of rural France. You start in Wissembourg near the German border and ride a dirt trail along the length of the stunning Vosges Mountains of Alsace to Thann. This has everything you’d want from an unpaved ride through France: vineyards, forests, castles, climbs, rural french agriculture, monasteries, lakes and more. You can visit the quaint towns filling your bags full of cheese, wine, pastries and cured meats before setting up camp. This route crosses through the Regional National Park of the Northern Vosges, which is recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site. There are reasonably well signposted paths along the way but this route probably isn’t for beginners. You’ll need a hard-tail mountain bike with 2” tyres for most of this 418km journey.
Grande Traversee L’Alpes-Provence
As the name suggests this is a big old traverse from the high snow-capped Italian Alps through Southern France’s Provence region. Expect 300km of varied awesomeness. This bikepacking adventure route has everything from high alpine lakes through olive farms, picturesque Provençal landscapes, down rocky single tracks spilling out into narrow cobbled streets passing traditional village patisseries. This bikepacking route eventually finishes in Manosque. We recommend some level of mountain biking experience for this route as it has some steeper technical bits to it, some fatter tyres and suspension may be beneficial. Due to the varied nature of this route expect a couple of sections where you need to hike your bike, so pack light for more fun.
EuroVelo 3 – ‘La Scandiberique’ aka ‘The Pilgrims route’
This mega route actually starts in Norway and runs through the heart of France and finishes in Spain. It’s 5122km in length and is the ultimate 7 country European touring route. We want to focus on the 1700km section that runs through France. The reason we love this EuroVelo route is because you can join it straight after getting off the plane in Paris if you can’t get to the starting location at the Belgian border. EuroVelo 3 is signposted most of the way and takes you through the heart of France via Orleans, Tours, Angouleme, Bordeaux and finishes at Saint Jean Pied-de-port in the breathtaking Pyrenees region. It passs through 18 French departments including the famous Loire valley and Bordeaux wine region. This route will give you everything you want from the history, culture, cuisine and landscapes of classical and modern France, and you won’t need a mountain bike! This route is bike touring friendly and has more civilised accommodation options if you don’t want to camp the entire way, but if you do France has some of the best campsites in Europe!
Mountain biking in France
If you want to down your bags and have a day or so getting dirty then France has some pretty mega MTB trails to explore. Mainly open from June to September with many having ski-lift style access. There are so many to choose from but ‘Les Portes Du Soleil’ is the main group of resorts in France and into Switzerland. There’s pump zones, technical routes and extensive XC tracks all linked together by 24 chair lifts. A few of the resorts in this area have hosted world championships so there probably aren’t many places in the world better equipped! There are bike friendly towns all around where you can leave your bags, get services and mechanicals seen to as well.
Travel inspiration in France
Vineyards – Whether you actually take a day off to have a tour or whether you enjoy riding through the endless rolling hills covered in rows upon rows of vines. The world-famous Bordeaux region is on the EuroVelo3 route we outlined and is definitely worth planning a rest day here. That’s what being in France is about, right?
Lavender Fields – If you’re taking on the Provence region during June-July then make sure you take a detour to visit the incredible looking and smelling lavender fields this region is famous for. The thousands of bees buzzing and overpowering yet relaxing smell in the air is something you will never forget. You might even be able to pick up something useful for those smelly socks!
Loire Valley – Famous eminent central region of France scattered with timeless opulent Chateaus, tasty vineyards and the beautiful river valley. This area encompasses the vibrant cities of Orleans and Tours alongside quaint farming villages. The EuroVelo 3 route we chose takes you right through the heart of this historic region.
Paris – Most international flights will go through Paris and it’s worth a few days stop over if you have the time. The classic renaissance architecture, corner cafes and effortless French style oozing from every street just cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. Be a tourist and visit the Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge theatre, Monet’s waterlilies and Le Louvre, why not?
Alps – Two of our route suggestions feature the Alps, and it’s with good reason. There is nowhere quite like them. They are towering snow-capped wonders. Peppered with skiers, mountain bikers, road cyclists, bike packers and hikers all embracing the high tingling altitude and breathtaking vistas. As long as you’re not afraid of a climb or two this really is an adventure lovers Mecca.
Bikepacking through France is not a once in a lifetime trip, you can revisit time and time again and have totally new experiences. The regions all offer something different and unique. Once you’ve tried a buttery French croissant from an authentic patisserie you won’t be able to scratch that itch anywhere else!
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