The magic of Provence by bike: from the Rhone Valley to the Luberon

The magic of Provence by bike: Rhone Valley, Mont Ventoux and Luberon

Discover the magic of Provence by bike on this magnificent loop itinerary from Avignon through the southern Rhône valley, Mont Ventoux and Lubéron. A cycling holiday in the heart of idyllic Provencal countryside. On the program: vineyards and orchards in the Rhône valley, ancient remains, charming Provencal villages, lavender fields and ochre earth tones, all dominated by the mythical Mont Ventoux.

On this bike tour, you’ll leave Avignon, the City of the Popes, and cross the vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône, stopping off at Châteauneuf du Pape, the most famous appellation in this wine-growing region, on your way to Orange, home to some of the best-preserved Roman monuments, such as the theater and the Arc de Triomphe. This route through the Provencal countryside, punctuated by pretty villages, then takes you to Vaison-la-Romaine, a Roman and medieval town, and to the edge of Mont Ventoux, the magic mountain! A land of lavender, truffles and hilltop villages, Mont Ventoux has everything it takes to rival its neighbor, the Lubéron, which you’ll be touring over the next few days.

A mythical stage of the Tour de France, we suggest dropping you off at the summit (1900 m) to take full advantage of a long descent of the pebbled west-facing slope at the top, then wooded in the middle, to finally reach the fields of Lavender that surround the village of Sault as far as the eye can see… A moment of pure bliss! At the end of the day, you’ll reach Isle sur la Sorgue, at the gateway to the Lubéron and known as the “Little Venice of Provence”. A long stage, but mostly downhill. However, there is an alternative route to Isle sur la Sorgue that takes you around Mont Ventoux, through the Côtes du Rhône vineyards and the village of Gigondas, not far from Carpentras.

This bike tour continues in the Lubéron. Visit the charming villages of Gordes, Sénanque and its Cistercian abbey, or Roussillon, famous for its splendid ochre rocks. Don’t miss the “sentier des ocres”. A final leg, partly along the Durance and then the Rhône, takes you to Avignon.