Provence Cycling: Avignon to Arles

Overview

Historic routes: Explore palaces and ancient cities at your own pace. Picturesque cycling: Journey through vines, orchards, and rice paddies. Inspirational culture: Come face to face with the region that inspired Van Gogh. Easy cycling: Quiet country roads make for a leisurely ride - no rushing required. Camargue Park: Observe flamingos and egrets flying lazily overhead. 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, luggage transported, route notes, GPS navigation, high-quality bicycle included. Holiday type: Cycling. Grade: Easy cycling for all with shorter days mainly on the flat, but some gentle ascents. Terrain: Riverside paths, country lanes & vineyard tracks. Average carbon footprint: 58kg CO₂e per person, excluding travel. Nights: 6. Accommodation: One 3-star hotel; one 4-star hotel; one boutique hotel. Meals: Breakfast every day. Bikes: Prices are based on push bikes as detailed in the FAQs, but e-bikes can be requested. Price (excluding flights): From £1,236pp. Travel options: We can arrange flights and connecting transfers (or simply the latter); rail travel from London; See ‘Prices & Travel’ for details. Start: Any day. When you can travel: 15 April 2026 - 30 June 2026, 01 September 2026 - 31 October 2026. A cycling holiday in Provence: Roman monuments such as Arles' amphitheatre, scenery that inspired Van Gogh, Avignon's papal palace, olive-oil mills, medieval villages. This holiday takes you on a journey southward - with the warm prevailing winds to your back - to reveal quintessential Provençal landscapes of olive groves and sunflower fields framed by the dramatic hills of the Alpilles, ending in the Rhône's luxuriant delta, a unique area known as the Camargue. You begin in Avignon, home of the 14th-century popes, with its famous bridge and Gothic palace, from where you cycle through farmland and sleepy villages to the town of St Rémy-de-Provence. Van Gogh spent the last chapter of his life here, furiously capturing on canvas the olive groves and vines that nestle beneath the jagged Alpilles; you can visit the monastery-turned-asylum where he painted masterpieces such as _Starry Night_. Quiet country roads continue southbound, past ancient farmhouses, to vibrant Arles, a wonderful juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern, where you stay right by the imposing 2,000-year-old amphitheatre. From Arles, a final bike ride into the Camargue Regional Park reveals a very different landscape, where flamingos and egrets fly lazily overhead while _gardians_ (cowboys) ride the region's famed white horses to herd their black bulls across the patchwork of grassy waterways, reed beds, rice paddies and lagoons. Itinerary flexibility: You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights. Day 1: Circular route from Avignon: 13.5km, ascent/descent 60m. Cross the mighty Rhône to Île de la Barthelasse, an island in the river that is a similar size to Avignon itself. A trail set right beside the banks of the Rhône offers the best views of the city and its famed bridge, today spanning only partway across the water. The island's quiet lanes pass between fruit orchards and vineyards, while a casual riverside restaurant makes a good place to stop for refreshments. Day 2: Avignon to St-Remy: 27km, ascent 100m/descent 70m. Leaving Avignon, you cross the River Durance and head southwards, passing myriad fruit orchards, and old farmhouses with long rows of cypress trees. You cycle through a couple of sleepy villages before reaching St-Rémy and Hotel le Gounod, your base for two nights. Day 3: Circular route from St-Remy: 29km, ascent/descent 130m. We suggest that you cycle eastwards, at the foot of the jagged Alpilles range, amid scenery that inspired Van Gogh during the time he spent here towards the end of his life. Olive mills and wineries dot the landscape, and there's the chance for a wine-tasting if you wish. Your target is the medieval village of Eygalières, which perches on a hilltop; it's worth parking your bike and climbing to the crest for 360-degree views over the plain and the Alpilles. There is a handful of restaurants for lunch, or if you are visiting on a Friday, you could buy a picnic from the market. When you are ready to leave, you return to St-Rémy along a different route, passing farms and apple orchards. Day 4: St-Remy to Arles: 27km, ascent 70m/descent 100m. Today you follow the Alpilles range westwards, perhaps pausing to learn about (and taste!) the region's coveted olive oils at the Moulin du Calanquet (pay locally; closed Sunday). At the westernmost point of the Alpilles you can visit a 12th-century chapel with an ornate façade, before turning due south, on forgotten lanes lined with vines and the first of the rice paddies. In Arles, you circumnavigate the impressive Roman amphitheatre on your bike to reach Hotel le Calendal or Hotel du Musée, where you spend your final two nights. Day 5: Circular route from Arles: 50.5km, ascent/descent 100m. South of Arles, between two branches of the Rhône, the Camargue Delta begins. Thousands of flamingos, herons and egrets inhabit this vast, sun-drenched but often windy marshland with its salt-rich soils and small ranches on which white horses and black bulls are reared. We recommend that you follow the network of tiny roads as far as the shores of the extensive Vaccarès marsh, a great spot for birdwatching, before making your way back to Arles. Accommodation: Your three hotels have been hand-picked for their superb locations and friendly service. Nights 1-2: Cloitre Saint-Louis or Hotel de l'Horloge in Avignon. Housed in a 16th-century stone building that once served as a Jesuit seminary, this hotel offers a peaceful retreat near Avignon's historic centre. Alternatively, converted from a 19th-century house in the heart of Avignon's historic district, close to the Popes' Palace, this smart hotel makes a great base from which to explore the city. Nights 3-4: Hotel le Gounod in St-Remy. This charming hotel, the oldest in St-Rémy, is centrally located. Blending elegance with warmth, it offers uniquely decorated bedrooms, many boasting picturesque views of the extensive gardens, which feature an excellent terrace and stone paths leading to the pool and spa. Nights 5-6: Le Calendal or Hotel du Musee in Arles. Le Calendal is perfectly placed in Arles, between the Roman theatre and amphitheatre. Hotel du Musee is a characterful hotel with a sense of history, tucked away on a quiet backstreet near the Rhône and the Roman baths, away from the bustle of the centre. Extend your stay: Nîmes City Add-On (2 nights, from £185pp) for the best-preserved Roman remains in France, or Marseille City Add-On (2 nights, from £270pp) to complete your holiday in Provence. Prices (£ per person based on 2 sharing): 6 nights, 15 April 2026 - 30 June 2026 & 01 September 2026 - 31 October 2026. Start any day. Price from £1236pp. Electric bikes available: pricing confirmed at time of booking. Flight options: Recommended airports: Nîmes, Montpellier or Marseille. Travelling from the UK: Flights available from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Humberside, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Southend, London Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, Teesside International. Travelling from outside the UK: Recommended flying via Paris CDG. We can book onward connecting travel for you. Connecting travel options: Rail and taxi connections available from Nîmes, Montpellier, and Marseille to Avignon and Arles. Self-guided hotel-to-hotel cycling works by sending route notes 2-3 weeks before your holiday. These notes contain directions, practical information about places of interest and eateries, plus cultural information about the area. Luggage is transferred ahead to your next accommodation. Bike provided: Hybrid bike with 27 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; panniers/saddlebags; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock. Helmet hire available free of charge, if requested at the time of booking. GPS navigation: GPX tracks provided prior to departure for use on smartphone or dedicated GPS device. Bike security: You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike. Always lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories. Booking flights through Inntravel: More convenient, and offers ATOL protection for your travel arrangements. Travel arrangements for customers from outside the UK: Onward rail travel and/or taxis can be booked if flying to continental Europe. Solo travel: Recommend calling for a chat before booking. Single supplements and single traveller charges apply. Booking process: Provide party details, pay a deposit to secure accommodation. If accommodation cannot be secured, deposit is refunded. Travel is then booked, and Booking Confirmation and Invoice sent. Travel insurance: Insisted upon, covering medical emergencies, repatriation, cancellation, and loss of luggage and passports. Visa and health for France: UK citizens need a full British passport, but not a visa. New travel authorisation system being introduced. Apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Other travel information for France: Official language is French. Currency is the Euro. French time is GMT/UTC + 1. Daylight Saving Time applies. Brexit impact: Visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein for practicalities. General travel advice: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides country-by-country travel advice.

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Accommodation & Services

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What's Included