This is a self-guided hotel based cycle tour through the Alpes de Haute Provence starting and finishing in the town of Manosque. Everywhere along the tour you will be amazed at the contrast between the narrow streets and tall, densely clustered houses of the Provencal villages, and the virtually uninhabited and almost empty landscape in between. Provence is the most famous area of Mediterranean France. The air is scented by maquis and lavender; the wine crisp and cool; and the food rich in herbs. This circular ride through the Alpes du Sud is best suited to seasoned bikers. The ride is punctuated by sleepy pantiled villages and pleasant market towns, like Castellane and Moustiers, which is famous for its Faience pottery. There are Spa towns like Digne and Greoux, and medieval citadels like Manosque. Along with these, the natural attractions of the Verdon Gorge (France's Grand Canyon) and the spectacular lakes and mountains of Provence combine to make a holiday full of interest and diversity. The landscape has that special quality of light that inspired the great painters and is a joy to travel through especially in the early spring and autumn when the climate is usually perfect. Luggage is transported daily to the next hotel. The roads are relatively quiet and traffic free. The area is fairly hilly, but then you are rewarded with some very dramatic views.

Season

April to October (except during the August heat)

Level of Difficulty

This is a hilly region where cycling requires a degree of stamina. This trip is graded moderate (with strenuous options). On average you cycle about 45km per day over hilly terrain so a reasonable standard of fitness and stamina is required. It can be windy if the Mistral winds blow. The summer heat can be a problem, but by making early starts you can escape the hottest part of the day.

The Bikes

The normal specification is as follows: 21-gear hybrid with straight handlebars. There is a rear luggage rack (without panniers or carry bag), a water bottle holder. A repair kit with re-placement inner tube, patches, tyre levers and pump is included. A cycle lock is provided. Cycle hire fee is included. Helmets are not included and we recommend that you bring your own. We aim to adhere to the above specification, but occasionally there may be variations.

Maps & Route Notes

We provide specially written route notes & descriptions and a map “Provence, Cote d’Azur” 1:180,000 (1cm = 1.8km).

Accommodation

N.B. Please note a change of nights when evening meals are provided. The hotel accommodation is on a demi-pension basis (evening meal, bed and breakfast) on 4 nights, bed and breakfast only on 3 nights (the 2nd night in Monosque and the 2nd nights in La Palud). All rooms have en suite facilities. The hotels vary enormously in type and style; their variety is a distinct feature of this trip. Most of the hotels are run by their owners, who believe that your stay should be enjoyable and trouble free.

q       Nights 1 and 7. Manosque demi-pension is included on the first night but bed and breakfast only is included on night 7 at this 2* hotel which is located in the town centre.  There are many restaurants nearby the hotel.  All the  rooms have private facilities.

q       Night 2. Digne-les-Bains. A centrally situated traditional 2* hotel in this pleasant unpolluted town, the capital of Haute-Provence, surrounded by hills. The 26 rooms have en suite facilities. The hotel’s restaurant has a good reputation locally so half board is arranged.

q       Night 3. St Andre-les-Alpes. A delightful ‘Alpine’ village on the famous Ligne des Pignes narrow gauge railway that links Digne and Nice. Our preferred 2*hotel overlooks the village and has rooms with en-suite facilities.

q       Nights 4 and 5. La Palud. Our preferred, very welcoming, modern hotel is just outside the tiny village. The hotel well deserves its 2* classification in the Logis de France guide. Its 20 spacious rooms have full ensuite facilities, TV and telephone. Breakfast is usually buffet style and may include yoghurt with honey, a variety of fresh fruit, freshly baked bread and croissants. The hotel also has a pool. There are a number of restaurants in La Palud.

q       Night 6. Riez. We stay at a delightful hotel with a pool in an idyllic rural setting 3km from the town of Riez. The hotel welcomes cyclists and even has its own hire bikes.

Arrival

The starting point of the tour is at Manosque, reached by direct train (about 5 services per day, last train approx 19.30) from Marseille via Aix-en-Provence. Marseille airport is linked by airport bus service with Marseille train station (every 20 minutes) and with Aix bus station (about once per hour). The journey time in each case is around 30 minutes and the fare approx. 10 Euros per person one way. The bus station in Aix is about 7 minutes walk/short taxi ride from the train station, and in Marseille just outside the train station. There is plenty of room for baggage on the airport bus services. There is normally a left luggage locker service in Aix train station but this on occasion is closed.

The train times from Marseilles St Charles were as follows in Jan 2007.

Marseille St Charles    08.50    13.16    15.29    18.59    19.33

Manosque                 10.30    15.33    18.29    20.38    21.15

For train times from other places you can check out links on the Sherpa website or visit the French Railways website at www.sncf.com. Check train times before traveling.

Itinerary

q       Day 1. Arrive Marseille or Aix and take bus/train to Manosque. Short taxi transfer to a comfortable 3*hotel with pool. Manosque has a medieval town centre that takes hours to explore fully. It is compact and densely populated, with very narrow streets and tall buildings. There are numerous irregularly shaped squares, notably Place St. Sauveur and Place de L’Hotel de Ville.

q       Day 2. Manosque to Digne-les-Bains. This is a fairly long day as far as distance is concerned but the terrain is not too challenging and offers a good opportunity to get your cycling muscles in tune before heading into the hills. Digne-les- Bains is a tourist centre and is known in particular for its thermal baths. It is a large centre for fruit production and for the production of lavender. It is also a stopping place on ‘Napoleon's Route’.

q       Day 3. Digne-les-Bains to St Andre-les-Alpes - 46km. Alpine scenery dominates the day's ride.

q       Day 4. St Andre-les-Alpes to La Palud sur Verdon - 46km. A spectacular ride along the shores of Lac de Castillon then through the market town of Castellane. A remote town with echoes of Napoleon's march on Paris, as well as battles between maquisards and retreating German occupiers in 1944. From Castellane we follow an old Roman route which now links remote and picturesque hamlets high up on the north side of the Verdon valley. Reach the ancient village of La Palud sur Verdon on a scenic plateau in a bend of the river Verdon and close by The Verdon Gorge, Europe's Grand Canyon.

q       Day 5. A free day in La Palud to relax, explore The Verdon Gorge on foot or cycle on the balcony route above the Canyon. Walking or cycling can be tailored to suite your requirements for the day.

q       Day 6. La Palud sur Verdon to Riez -32km. A relatively gentle day today, which will enable you to spend some time in the attractive town of Moustiers, renowned for its pottery and its beautiful situation. The whole town is built straddling a ravine with waterfalls. You can walk up to the Hermitage and may well wish you could linger here for another day to explore the paths up the cliffs behind the town - or just to admire the view. Beyond Moustiers, the scenery abruptly changes; you are suddenly out of the Alps. The scarp and plateau landscape is like a more arid version of the Cotswolds or East Devon. You will pass farmhouses selling little bottles of lavender essence, which make nice presents or souvenirs, as does the local honey. Our next night is spent close to the historic town of Riez.

q       Day 7. Riez to Manosque - 35km. You are now in Provence proper, the Roman Provincia. Having admired the group of Roman columns at Riez, you continue to St. Martin de Bromes and Greoux-les-Bains. Here there are fortifications associated with the medieval Knight Templars. Greoux lives off its thermal springs, used since Roman times, and by Napoleon’s sister among others. The spa has had a recent facelift, and you may be tempted to try a soothing hot bath in naturally hot (37 C) water. Beyond Greoux you leave the hills behind and cross the Durance valley to Manosque.

q       Day 8. End of Tour. The tour ends in Manosque from where you return by train via Aix-en-Provence to Marseille airport. There are limited trains back to Marseille. Depending on the time of your flight back from Marseille, you may have time on the last day to break your journey in Aix-en-Provence.

The train times were as follows in Jan 2007:

Manosque dep.                  06.15       11.05       15.59

Marseille St Charles arr.      07.35        12.44       17.39 

General Information

Baths: it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that it takes up a lot of space, some hotels may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but usually en-suite facilities include a shower.

Breakfasts: in countries such as France usually consist of coffee and croissant; sometimes, bread rolls, yoghurts, ham and cheese as well. If you want more for breakfast then we would suggest you purchase some food the night before. It is important for you to tell us if you have any dietary requirements when you book your holiday so that we can inform the hotels.

Single Supplements: are payable on most of our tours. The single supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin rooms.

Language: Note that you will not necessarily come across people speaking English. Remember you have left home to find things different bring a phrase book, try to learn a bit of French

Luggage: When arriving at hotels, your luggage may have been taken to your room awaiting your arrival. However, don’t be surprised if your luggage is waiting for you at reception.