Despite the postponement of the Tour de France cycling race in September, we have never talked so much about cycling in early summer. Haloed of all virtues - good for health, ecological, perfect to respect the distancing in force -, the little queen promises to be the most trendy activity of the holidays. Especially since it arouses a renewed interest among 10-15 year olds and that the VAE (electrically assisted bicycle) puts back in the saddle a number of former practitioners and allows amateurs to climb hills and mountains. These are all indicators highlighted by the very serious study "Economic impact and potential for the development of bicycle use in France in 2020" by the Agence de la transition ecological (Ademe), published in April 2020, in full containment.
It recalls that, all types of territories combined, cycling facilities have progressed by 100,000 km in ten years. That France is the second cycling tourism destination, behind Germany, with 16,000 km of cycle routes and greenways. And that last year, 21 million French people cycled during their holidays, 5% of which were roaming.
Read also: A short guide to prepare for your first bike adventure
This nomadic platoon should logically grow this year. “There will be more neophytes. Especially among those who usually go abroad. This summer, they will say to themselves: "Since we are staying in France, let's try something new", " predicts Eugénie Triebel, co-founder of the agency Le Vélo Voyageur, champion of France buzzing on the handlebars.
As of the announcement of the deconfinement, the number of visits exploded on the site of Vélo Tourisme (a mine to explore), the dedicated promotion organization: more 110%, compared to the same week, from May 11 to 17, last year. During these few days, the number of visitors to the 21 French cycle routes jumped 11%. And these routes were a hit on the Ascension weekend with twice as many cyclists as in 2019.
Admittedly, after two cloistered months, the French had ants in the legs. However, cycling tourism has the wind behind it. This is evidenced by the permanent creation of new routes and the multiplication of all-inclusive trips, with reserved stages, transfer of insured luggage and rental of VAE. “With an electric bike, you go twice as fast and you avoid aches. Even on flat ground, you should not hesitate to use it, ” enthuses Jean-Philippe Perrusson, responsible for bicycle tourism at CRT Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and ardent promoter of the brand new Blue Way which crosses the region. This is one of the novelties that we have selected from the rich summer collection 2020.
our selection
The fresh waters of the Blue Lane
It is called the Blue Way because it winds along the water. It is the last of the cycle routes, inaugurated only a month ago. Traced between Apach, on the Luxembourg border, and Lyon, it follows the Moselle valley, the Vosges canal, then the Saône valley. Either 700 km north-south (or vice versa) through the Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions. Accessible to all, this low-level route takes mainly green or protected roads and cycle lanes in built-up areas (Thionville, Metz, Nancy, Épinal, Chalon-sur-Saône, Mâcon, Villefranche-sur-Saône, Lyon) .
On the dedicated site, everything is there: accommodation, restaurants, bicycle rental and repairers, essential visits… As well as suggestions for getaways lasting a few days, very useful because no agency is yet on this route. You must therefore carry your backpack on your mount. Difficult in these conditions to make the complete route: 23 stages from 20 km to 40 km, special mention for the 10 ultra-green stages between Épinal and Chalon.
Information and paper card to order on lavoiebleue.com
The bucolic Doubs
The Doubs Valley, with a view of Besançon. Leonid ANDRONOV / Leonid Andronov - stock.adobe.com
Ten years that Le Vélo Voyageur, champion of cycling roaming, has been crisscrossing France. Among the new 2020s: the Doubs valley in 8 days, including 5 days in the saddle, from Belfort to Dole. The route borrows EuroVelo 6, which runs along the Franc-Comtoise river, passing through Montbéliard, Baume-les-Dames, labeled "City of character", and Besançon, where we will have a full day's break. Heritage tours - Vauban citadels, castle of the Dukes of Württemberg, Peugeot museum, Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans ... - punctuate this bucolic route of 226 km, accessible to children from 9 years old.
However, it includes two long stages of 63 km and 59 km. It is therefore better to opt for VAE, invoiced 85 euros in addition to the basic package of 7 nights in a 3-star hotel and guest rooms, with breakfasts, the travel book, the rental of the bike and its repatriation. A total of 4,016 euros in July-August for a family of four with two rooms at the stages.
Le Vélo Voyageur, tel: 01 80 91 98 18; levelovoyageur.com
A little European tour
The Three Country loop runs between the south of Alsace, the canton of Basel in Switzerland and the Black Forest in Germany. Developed from existing routes, it is a brand new 195 km circuit. On the French side, it departs from Mulhouse along the Rhône-Rhine canal to Altkirch, the capital of Sundgau, then goes up the Ill valley to the Swiss border. After the ride in Switzerland, we enter Germany at Rheinfelden, on the Rhine, the natural border between the two countries. Return to the starting point after a last crossing of the river and the Alsace canal.
Allow six days for this small tour on easy terrain, punctuated by dapper villages and medieval curiosities. A dedicated site, along with a tourist card, will be activated in the second half of July. You will find there all the useful information to organize, booking of stages, VAE rentals, visits not to be missed ... But not (yet) all inclusive packages. Good news, however, the service provider My Cab Cie provides on-demand transfer of luggage at a single price regardless of the number of cyclists. Count 200 to 250 €.
Information: alsaceavelo.fr and My Cab Cie, tel: 06 64 53 95 84.
To read also: Circuits in the vineyard or stroll along the water ... Six ideas of cycle routes through Alsace
The best of Routard
Up to now, each Routard cycling guide has presented a cycle route in full on the menu. He has just published the best of this collection. In summary, ten short routes of two or three days, selected on the long routes. Thus, on the Vélodyssée which rolls from Roscoff to Hendaye, a favorite for romantic Brittany in 104 km from Rennes to Saint-Malo, along the Ille-et-Rance canal. On the Vélomaritime which runs along the North Sea and the English Channel, Normandy wins with a 137 km trip on the Côte d'Albâtre, from Le Havre to Dieppe, via Étretat and Fécamp. On the ViaRhôna which links Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean along the Rhône, the new guide opted for the Ardèche, 93 km between Vienna and Valence. Also worth mentioning to Ile-de-France residents who would not be going on vacation: this impressionist stroll from the banks of the Seine to the banks of the Oise, 62 km from Chatou to L'Isle-Adam via Auvers-sur-Oise. And this unique 32 km route between Paris and Versailles.
Getaway in the Little Camargue
The little Gard Camargue can be explored by electric bike. 197604142 / Albachiaraa - stock.adobe.com
Three hours to discover the small Camargue gardoise. Organized by Camargue Autrement from Grau-du-Roi, this outing has been done so far in 4 × 4. Since July 1, the agency also offers it by electric bike (VAE), in groups of ten with a guide. This
25 km loop (instead of 50 km by all-terrain vehicle) offers a complete overview of the local landscapes and traditions: marshes, rice fields, visit to a manade (bull rearing), an olive grove, a vineyard with tasting of sand wine, plus a stop in the superb fortified town of Aigues-Mortes, decorated with a sweet fougasse treat.
To set up this program, Camargue Autrement has invested in a state-of-the-art fleet of French equipment manufactured by Arcade Cycles, in La Roche-sur-Yon. “We bought 40 adult
e-bikes , 25 models for children from 12 years old and, for the youngest,“ crazy bikes ”, these small bikes without front wheels that hang on the saddle of an adult bike, as well as fabric mini-caravans for toddlers, ” explains Olivia Bastide, the agency's founder.
Invoiced 49 € per person (24 € for children under 12), these escapes are organized every day, until October 31, with two departures, at 9 am and 5 pm. “If there are more than ten requests per departure, we will make several groups, specifies Olivia Bastide. The idea is to eliminate 4 × 4 safaris in the long term so that we only offer bike tours. ”
Camargue Otherwise, tel .: 04 30 08 52 91.