michalcrum

Hello! Between stays in Switzerland and Paris in June, we're planning to spend 3 nights in southern France, probably Provence. We will not be renting a car. Wherever we stay needs to be accessible by train. However, we would like to see a bit of the countryside, too. I just came across the idea of renting bikes. There is a place in Avignon where we could rent bikes and child trailers. We have two boys, ages 9 and 7, and two toddlers ages 2 and 1. If we stayed in Avignon and rented bikes, would there be a couple easy, short (~20km) day trips we could take out into the countryside? Maybe to a vineyard or another village? I see a lot of cycle paths and routes in the area, but I'm having a difficult time seeing routes where we could begin and end in Avignon.

michalcrum

Another idea would be to rent electric bikes--it would allow us to cover a lot more ground, and it looks like Sun-e-Bike rents e-bikes with trailer bikes and baby seats. They have a location in Aix-en-Provence (which also has a train station).

StuDudley

There is a lot of ugly urban sprawl around Avignon - except directly west. Consider taking the train to l'Isle sur la Sorgue, staying there, and start your bike trips from there.

Stu Dudley

bilboburgler

There is a little island across the river that gives you short ride possibilities

Here is a good link, http://www.provence-a-velo.fr/itiner...0000137-1.html

while your french maybe perfect, the comment suggests that you can get maps from l'Office du Tourisme in the town

PalenQ

I've ridden a bike from Amboise to Chenonceaux and though that is too far for you by about three if you have an electric bike maybe - but just south of Amboise after you climb the hill in town and leave town you come to a National Forest that makes superb biking - you need not go farther than a few miles - bring a picnic and chill.

The Island bilboburgler mentions is more than a little one IME - a few miles long and you get neat views of the castle from it. The island has a history from the French Revolution as prisoners I believed were stashed here.

Now there is also a lovely Piscine Municipale - or public swimming pool on the tip of the island - by the bridge that kids will love and if you go down behind the Auberge de la Jeunesse or youth hostel the Loire here has a wide sandy beach - great for younger kids to play in - and you see the really wild nature of the Loire from there - one of the few rivers in France not made by canals into navigable waterways (well it once was as the old docks in central Amboise hint at) - anyway the island makes sense for a short bike ride - again picnic - and at other times for a late afternoon swim - kind of a carrot I would hold out to my about 8-year-old son when we camped in Amboise several times (the camping is right next to the swimming pool).

If you want to bike to another town - Onzain is not far away and has nice back roads - leading to it - cross the Loire Bridge and follow the signs. Onzain is a typical small French town.

StuDudley

Pal
Avignon in Provence, not Amboise in the Loire Valley.

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

Stu - Oops - brain freeze - from Avignon - when bilbo said there was a little island opposite it fit Amboise too - I agree that Avignon and its agglomeration is very busy getting in and out and in summer it is very very hot and roads busy.

But yes scrap Amboise - my mistake.

michalcrum

Thanks, all, even if the destination region did get mixed up. That's exactly what I was wondering--will we end up in the middle of urban sprawl. Sounds like I need to find another starting spot, or find out if the bike rental company can drop us off somewhere for the start of our ride.

Thanks!

bilboburgler

If you click on the link I gave you, click the Union flag (the British flag), click on "cycling routes" you will find over 39 rides documented.