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Cycling from Bordeaux to Rocamadour. Dordogne and Vézère valleys

Price per person

From 885€

Type of stay

Bicycle trip

Location

Bordeaux, Souillac - France

Duration

8 to 9 days

Difficulty

Departures

Daily from April to October

Capacity

2 people minimum

Reference

Cyclo 09

Your stay

The Dordogne Valley by bike: cycling from Bordeaux to Rocamadour via Sarlat and Souillac

On this bike tour from Bordeaux to Rocamadour, you’ll cross the Gironde, Dordogne and Lot, three leading departments in the South-West of France, with their own distinctive identities, thanks to their prestigious vineyards: Saint-Emilion, Monbazillac and Bergerac, and their cultural heritage, including Bordeaux, Sarlat and Rocamadour, “Unesco World Heritage Cities”. The Bordeaux and Périgord regions, both rich in vestiges and history, are also regions that cannot be mentioned without mentioning their renowned gourmet cuisines, which will delight your taste buds!

After crossing the Bordeaux region on small country roads between vineyards and wine-growing châteaux and along the Dordogne River, you’ll enter Périgord Pourpre, the color of the wine, before discovering Périgord Noir, the most emblematic of the region and the cradle of prehistory, and finally the rolling, wooded landscapes of the Lot.

This bike tour from Bordeaux to Rocamadour offers a remarkable diversity of landscapes, and a rare wealth of history between the Dordogne and Vézère valleys. In the evenings, you’ll be able to stroll through remarkable towns and villages such as Saint-émilion, Bergerac, Les Eyzies and of course Sarlat, the jewel of Périgord, and finally Souillac, home to the remarkable Saint-Marie abbey church.

An optional “must”: a visit to the Lascaux caves (Lascaux II or Lascaux IV) after half a day’s cycling along the Vézère.

Your tour ends in Souillac in the Lot department, the starting point for a final cycling loop to Rocamadour, the sacred city clinging to the cliffs and a major pilgrimage site. Surrounded by greenery, the sacred city’s cascade of houses and chapels is crowned by a castle.

You'll enjoy :

The vineyards and medieval town of Saint-Emilion
Greenways on the banks of the Dordogne River
A trip back to prehistoric times in the Vézère valley (Les Eyzies de Tayac, Lascaux…).
Sarlat La Canéda, jewel of the Périgord and Rocamadour, sacred city of the Lot

Back to travel

Daily program

Day 1 - Arrival in Bordeaux

You’ll receive your bike, documentation on the region and a route booklet indicating your route.

Bordeaux, the ancient Roman “Burdigala”, indissociable from its vineyards… shines brightly in its stone finery to dispense with artifice. The Garonne River, the heart of the city, welcomes strollers on its banks or for boat trips. Everyone can make the quays their own, in the hope of witnessing the stopover of a cruise liner, the “astonishing spectacle” of a giant of the seas right in the heart of the city.Bed and Breakfast accommodation in hotels**** in the heart of Bordeaux.

Day 2 - From Bordeaux to Saint-Emilion

You’ll leave Bordeaux via the majestic Place de la Bourse, skirting the quays, then crossing the Pont de Pierre before joining the Roger Lapébie cycle path.

This itinerary allows you to discover the Entre-Deux-Mers region on 50 km of trails/greenways and small roads… A real treat!

You’ll enjoy an ideal route for a bike ride, in the heart of natural landscapes. You’ll follow this pleasant trail with its easy-to-ride surface, and discover Créon, the region’s typical fortified village.

An unspoilt natural heritage with varied, rolling landscapes accessible to all, and a rich architectural heritage of medieval towns, bastides, abbeys and Romanesque churches.

Overnight in a bed and breakfast (2+ or 3-star equivalent) in Saint-Emilion.

Day 3 - Saint-Emilion - Ste-Foy-la-Grande or Saint-émilion - Bergerac

On this new cycling stage, you’ll discover the prestigious Saint Emilion vineyard and its 5,000 hectares of vines, the first vineyard to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a “cultural landscape”.

You’ll then reach Castillon-la-Bataille, a land of history, before continuing along the Dordogne to the bastide town of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande.

At the gateway to Périgord, the oldest bastide town in Gironde was founded in 1255. Prosperous thanks to the wine trade, it still boasts a square surrounded by covered marketplaces, and its old houses – stone-built in the 13th century, and timber-framed and carved in the 16th century – are particularly remarkable. Overnight in a bed and breakfast** hotel in Sainte-Foy la Grande.

Day 4 - Sainte-Foy-la-Grande - Bergerac

The little roads of the Pays Foyen will take you to Monbazillac and its château, at the heart of the prestigious vineyard bearing its name. Perched on a pretty hill, Monbazillac proudly dominates the Dordogne valley, and is a real “jewel” of a wine village. You’ll end the day in Bergerac, a town of art and history on the banks of the Dordogne, where you can stroll along the quays and through the old town, admiring its half-timbered houses and 15th and 16th century mansions, before sampling the famous local produce, an integral part of the Périgord heritage.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast*** hotel in Bergerac.

NOTE: Option: Saint-Emilion to Bergerac in 1 stage – 70 km

Ascent: approx. 110 m Descent: approx. 150 m

Day 5 - Bergerac - Les Eyzies

Leaving Bergerac, the itinerary follows the Lalinde canal on a dedicated track, taking you through charming little villages.

Lalinde, the first English bastide in Périgord, was built on the banks of the Dordogne and has preserved vestiges of its medieval past.

You’ll continue this stage by following the tributary of the Dordogne: the Vézère, which will immerse you in the Périgord Noir and lead you to the world capital of prehistory: Les Eyzies.

“Les Eyzies is the place where Cro-Magnon Man was discovered, and where you’ll find the world’s finest examples of cave art. Discover an exceptional concentration of prehistoric sites, most of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Overnight accommodation in a *** hotel in Les Eyzies.

Day 6 - Les Eyzies - Sarlat (direct or via Les grottes de Lascaux)

Hop on your bike and ride south to Lacanau Océan!

Here, the velodyssey continues on a bike path through the pines, between lakes and oceans.

Nearby, take a break in Hourtin, home to France’s largest lake. “Lacanau-Océan”, where cycling is a way of life, is appreciated for its long ocean beaches sheltered by dunes and forests, its lakes and unspoilt natural areas. The resort is also renowned for its surf spots. Villas built in the early ^20th century bear witness to a rich past.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 7 - Sarlat - Souillac

You’ll leave Sarlat gently on a “voie verte” (greenway) laid out on an old railroad line, along the Dordogne Valley, leading you to Cazoulès, just a few kilometers from Souillac. This easy, safe route offers a varied landscape, in the shadow of cliffs, between forests, small villages on the banks of the Dordogne and the countryside.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast *** hotel in Souillac.

Day 8 - Souillac - Rocamadour - Souillac looping

This day-long loop takes you to the small village of Lacave, on the banks of the Dordogne, before reaching the sacred city of Rocamadour.

The world-famous medieval town, clinging to the cliffside in an overlay of houses and chapels, dominates the Alziou canyon from a height of 120 metres!

A major pilgrimage site on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Rocamadour is also famous for its Basilica of Saint-Sauveur and the Crypt of Saint-Amadour, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as the Chapel of Notre-Dame, home to the Black Madonna.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast *** hotel in Souillac.

Day 9 - Departure

After breakfast.

rates

Price per person

6 days – 5 nights: €885 (Bordeaux to Sarlat without the stopover in Sainte-Foy la Grande)
7 days – 6 nights: €970 (Bordeaux to Sarlat with stopover in Sainte-Foy la Grande)
8 days – 7 nights: €1055 (Bordeaux to Souillac without the stopover in Sainte-Foy la Grande)
9 days – 8 nights: €1135 (Bordeaux to Souillac with stopover in Sainte-Foy la Grande)

Price includes

5 to 8 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels with breakfasts (in double/twin rooms)
Road book (with map and directions)
1 GPS smartphone application
Luggage transfer at each stage
24/7 technical assistance

Supplement

	6 days – 5 nights	7 days – 6 nights	8 days – 7 nights	9 days – 8 nights
Touring bike (VTC)	155 €	170 €	180 €	195 €
Electric bicycle (VAE)	280 €	310 €	320 €	350 €
Gravel bike	265 €	295 €	305 €	325 €

Further information

We take care of transporting your luggage every time you change accommodation, so you can travel light and enjoy your day’s hiking.

Leave your luggage at the reception desk of your accommodation before departure.

At the end of the afternoon, you’ll meet them at the reception desk of your new accommodation or directly in your room.

Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (maximum 23 kg) + 1 carry-on.

Your travel file corresponds to the documents or files you receive prior to your trip (generally one month before) and/or on arrival at your first accommodation.

It includes :

A welcome letter with key practical information:

Baggage transport times
Details of delivery and collection of rental bikes if required
Your local contact and emergency telephone number(s)
Any additional information

Travel logbook including map with route (at the appropriate scale) and directional, tourist and practical information

Any necessary vouchers to be given to the service provider(s)

On request and depending on the tour:

The “Evazio” application, downloadable onto your smartphone, for GPS navigation with visual (reading the route on your smartphone screen) and/or spoken guidance. The app also contains practical and tourist information. Once the trip has been downloaded, no Internet connection is required.
Loan of a GPS device with pre-recorded tracks
Send GPX tracks of each stage for use with your own navigation device

On this tour, we can provide you with a choice of the following, upon reservation:

A VTC bike adapted to the ride and the route

An electric bike adapted to the route

With equipment :

Bag 1

Handlebar bag

Repair kit

Anti-theft device

Headset

1 rear bag
1 handlebar bag
1 repair kit
1 helmet (on request)
1 anti-theft device
1 charger (for electric bike)

For younger children, depending on age and size, we can offer

Children's bikes

Bicycle follower

Trailer

Second trailer

A child’s bike
A baby seat
A trailer
A follower bike

The bike is adjusted to your size and delivered to the first accommodation.

At the end of the tour, the bike must be left at the last accommodation with its equipment. We’ll take care of collecting them.

This tour is offered in the “superior” category

Hotel categories :

Comfort: The tour features mainly 2 and 3-star hotels (or equivalent comfort level) and bed & breakfasts.
Superior: The tour features mainly 3- and 4-star hotels (or equivalent level of comfort) and charming bed & breakfasts.
Luxury: The tour features mainly 4- and 5-star hotels (or equivalent level of comfort).

For the duration of your stay, our telephone assistance service is available:

7 days a week
from 07:30 to 20:30.

Itinerary

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