travelin_girl

We're looking to cycle for several hours on relatively flat ground. We'll be staying in Aix, Gordes (Provence) and Toulouse and probably Carcassone or somewhere in Gard.

Are there any places in the Luberon that are not hilly?

If we cycle the Canal du Midi, are some stretches more scenic or interesting than others?

As always, thanks for your help.

Michael

Along the canal du Midi is your best bet as the tow path will be as flat as the canal itself.

bilboburgler

Central Carcassone tow path is a bit bleak but it soon brightens up East or West.

You need to follow rivers.

bilboburgler

http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Midi_Guide.php
may help

FrenchMystiqueTours

A good website referenced above by bilboburgler. I would also recommend www.freewheelingfrance.com.

Without giving you specific recommendations I can give you tips on how to find good (and flat) cycling routes anywhere in France using nothing more than maps as your sole reference material. Start by getting Michelin maps of the scale 1:150,000 for the areas where you'd be cycling. The Michelin maps have gradient arrows for roads with gradients greater than 5%. However, even a road with a steady gradient of under 5% can present difficulty so you should also get the much more detailed IGN maps of the scale 1:25,000, since they also show topographic relief. They cover a much smaller area than the Michelin maps but in much greater detail.

You can buy the Michelin maps from their website and here is a link to the page that shows you the 1:150,000 scale maps of France (Départementale maps):

http://tinyurl.com/6mt4n64

IGN maps:

http://loisirs.ign.fr/cartes.html

I've given replies before about how to find good cycling routes anywhere in France so rather than retyping what I've said before I'll give you a link to that thread. It's a very long and extensive reply but you can focus on those parts that are useful to you, specifically how to read maps to find good cycling routes:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...inner#20796466

There are loads of websites and books that will cover cycling in Provence, and any other region of France. Tourist office websites will often have cycling info as well.

Gordes and environs are pretty hilly but even in hilly areas like the Luberon it is possible to find flatter routes that skirt the bases of hills. Check these websites (I just googled "cycling luberon" to find them):

http://www.theluberon.com/activities/biking-provence

http://www.provence-cycling.co.uk/ho...ineraries.aspx

http://www.europebicycletouring.com/...beron_Azur.htm

http://www.provenceguide.co.uk/outdo...ing-244-1.html

http://www.luberon-apt.fr/index.php/...lo/item/a-velo

travelin_girl

Everyone, Thanks for your help and the avalanche of info.