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ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrive in Orange, overnight in Orange
Day 2 Overnight in Orange
Day 3, 4 & 5 Overnights in Vaison la Romaine
Day 6 & 7 Overnights in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Day 8 & 9 Overnights in Joucas
Day 10 Transfer to Nice
Day 11 Overnight in Nice
Day 12 Return home
"Bike touring is like seeing the world through a magnifying glass, you see it all up close," Bob W. Monona WI
As you read this itinerary, please keep in mind that this is just a recommended route, with a maximum mileage about 45 miles/72 kilometers, (please note that all distances are approximate). Remember one kilometer (km) = .62 mile. You may decide to cycle more than the daily mileage with additional side trips of your choosing. Intermediate cycling ability level.
Days 1 &2 Orange
Bienvenue to France! Provence is an area rich in Roman history and beautiful sun drenched villages. In this idyllic southeastern corner of France, you’ll find quaint villages stretching out over plains, or beautify perch on top of small hills. As you cycle from one village to another by either following our suggested route or by a direction of your own choosing, you will be fascinated by the brightness and beauty of the landscapes and the gentle character and charm that awaits you around every turn.
Provence, the ancient roman Provincia, will romance you with beautiful vistas, charming villages, and the phenomenal history of ancient Rome still intact roughly 2,000 years later. From hustle and bustle at the outdoor markets to the Renaissance abbeys and Roman aqueducts, journey back in time through 20 centuries-of-life in Provence by bicycle.
Orange The city of Orange contains two of the finest Roman monuments in Europe, the great triumphal Roman arch Arc de Triomphe and the
magnificent theater Théatre Antique d’Orange, a gigantic Roman amphitheater. Orange is a big city, bustling with activity. However, the city center is compact, with walking streets and squares lined with small shops that surround the 17th century Hôtel de Ville. Here streets open on to peaceful shady squares with terrace cafés, and large shady plane trees. Market day is everyday.
Loop ride from Orange:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape This is a medieval village on the side of a hill, with the ruins of an ancient chateau that tower above. Translated Châteauneuf-du-Pape means, "new castle of the pope. The Popes of Avignon in the 1300’s built a summertime château here to get away from the hustle-bustle of the palace. From the chateau, you have an exceptional view. Walk down the narrow village streets, which curve around the hillside alongside the ancient, yet well-restored buildings. Once, two concentric walls encircled the village. The outer wall enclosed the chateau and the entire village, and the inner wall enclosed the chateau and only the highest part of the village. Visit the Musée du Vin to learn the history of the wine making process and enjoy a wine tasting.
The Mistral
The Mistral is a wind which blows down the Rhone Valley and then arrives in Provence as a west wind, attenuated by the mountains. The advantage of the Mistral is that when it blows away the haze on the mountains so you can see forever; and it cools down the air when it is hot. Cycling may be come more challenging when the mistral blows.
Day 3, 4 & 5 Orange to Viason-la-Romaine 18 miles/28 km
Vaison-la-Romaine (meaning Jewel of Roman) is a city split in two by the Ouvèze River. The
two parts of Vaison-la-Romaine remains connected by a 2000-year-old single-arched Roman bridge over the river, which is still in use today. On the right bank: Ville-Basse (village base) is the site of the ancient Roman colony and the modern town. This contains two archeological digs sites; Puymin Quarter and La Villasse have revealed a 6000-seat Roman theater (still used); the House of the Messii, once the home of a wealthy Roman family, and Pompey's Portico, a Roman public building.
Each site epitomizes life in Roman times, where can experience excavate Roman houses, streets and baths. On the left bank on top of a rocky ridge is the 12th century Haute-Ville (High Village). In Medieval times to protect themselves from invasion, the villagers settled at the base of the castle. Today the castle lies in ruins, but Haute-Ville is a picturesque spot, which has been repopulated by a community of artisans. To reach the Haute-Ville, cross at the old Roman bridge. We will stay here three nights to give you plenty of time to explore this great region. We will sample the beautiful market on Tuesday morning.
Assorted bike loops:
Base of Mont Ventoux—famous stage of Tour de France. Mont Ventoux,
name comes from the French word vent meaning wind, stands 6,263 feet above sea level and is, according to legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong, "The hardest climb on the Tour, bar none." The Mont Ventoux is a 1910-m high conical peak that is visible from far across the surrounding countryside.
Day 6 & 7 Viason-la-Romaine to Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue 31 miles/49km
L'Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue This compact medieval town was erected over the islands of five branches of the Sorgue River, 7 km downstream from its source at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The river winds it’s way in and around the town, in its many natural beds and several canals. Water adds a special beauty and character to a town. Sorgue has its many river branches and canals, huge overhanging plane trees and several large, lovely waterwheels. We will be staying here two nights. We'll enjoy the famous Sunday morning market which transforms the whole town to a open air market.
Villages on the way to L'Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue:
All of these villages are famous for their wines. They are successfully continuing a wine-making tradition dating back several centuries. The wine-growers of these regions finally obtained official recognition of the quality of their wines, which have now become a Côtes du Rhône appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC).
Vacqueyras Home of a famous troubadour, Rimbaut de Vacqueyras, he was born here in the
11th century. His father was a knight, but Rimbaut held the profession as a juggler who performed for the Prince of Orange. He apparently later died on a crusade. The old village itself is enclosed in a circle of buildings forming a protective wall. The guard tower dates back to the 12th century. This circular village clustered around the church is situated on a mound. Follow the narrow village streets on foot, which lead you to the ominous walls of the château and the church.
Today, Vacqueyras is essentially an agricultural community, that produces one of the three major vintages of Côtes du Rhône de Vaucluse. To sample this wine, visit the La Vigneronne wine co-operative, on a secondary road that takes you to Gigondas.
Gigondas is suitably located at the foot of a hill, nestled beneath its 11th century church, which dominates all the vineyards in the village. The church square offers a brilliant and panoramic view. The village chateau, was built in the 14th century by the Counts of Orange. The Dentelles de Montmirail Mountains situated near Gigondas, add to the spectacular locale of this village. The Dentelles de Montmirail are a short, steep section of mountains, with a distinctive rocky ridge. They extend west from Mont Ventoux, and have a jagged, rocky top called dentelle meaning lace. Next to the church, you will be able to visit a cluster of buildings called the Hospices. They were erected in 1678 by a religious brotherhood in order to care for the poor. Today the Hospice is home to the Winegrowers' Association where you will find wine cellars, wine tasting and a gallery of contemporary art exhibitions.
Sablet is located at the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail. This authentic Provençal village is
captivatingly peaceful and serene. Stroll through the village center and discover charming and picturesque shady lanes constantly adorned with flowers. Walk through covered passageways with exposed beams. Meander past traditional fountains, and houses that seemly congregate round the 12th century bell tower of the St Nazaire church. Notice that this village was deliberately designed in a round shape, here the streets and homes wind in a coiled fashion surrounding the church. See the remaining 14th century towers and ramparts and know that Sablet was not always the quiet tranquil village it is today.
Séguret The village of Séguret is located in the northern part of the Vaucluse, north of the Dentelles de Montmirail. This village lies at the base of a hill, beneath the ruins of a feudal château. The medieval character here will mesmerize you, a typical Provencal atmosphere with delightful made-to-stroll-streets. Wander through the village, between the grey steeply sloping lanes and beautiful aristocratic facades. Visit, the ornate 10th century Saint-Denis church, wind down the Rue des Poternes lined with ancient homes, or stop in to the Roaix-Séguret wine cellar (co-operative) to sample the wines of this village.
Day 8 & 9 Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue to Joucas 37 miles/61km
Joucas This small quiet village is a perfect finish to your Provence experience. It has wonderful views of the Luberon. We picked a great place to relax from your long trip and a super location to feel the heartbeat of Provence. There are many options to explore on the countryside on your bike. We will stay two night here.
The Luberon region The word “ Luberon” applies to a mountain range that extends approximately 55 km between the villages of Cavaillon and Manosque, which is officially a regional park, called the Parc Régional du Luberon. The Luberon is a beautiful region for bicycling and wine making. The mountains and forests are picturesque. These, ancient villages many contain castles, forts, ruins, towers, and other ecological and historic locations. This region is very famous for dry-stone bories.
On the way to Joucas:
Gordes is a very picturesque old village, perched on the southern edge of the high Plateau de
Vaucluse. You’ll see stone buildings built in tight against the base of the cliffs with a 16th-century castle Chateau de Gordes and church of St Firmin perched on the rocks above. The 17th century Caves du Palais St Firmin, which has been recently refurbished, houses an impressive old stone olive press. Behind the village (to the north), small roads lead into the rocks, valleys, and forests of the picturesque Abbaye de Sénanque only 4 km away.
L'Abbaye de Sénanque Found in the peaceful hollow of a small valley, the Abbey of Sénanque still remains home to Cistercian monks and nuns. It was originally founded in 1148. You will notice that some roofs of the building today are tiled with limestone lauzes (which are also used in making the tradition stone huts called Bories).
The Abbey’s simple, yet spectacular design has rustic walls of stone, unadorned windows with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. As you approach the Abbey, it is customary to see the monks in their blue or brown robes toiling in the fields. They harvest their homegrown produce and lavender, some of which is for sale.
Fontaine de Vaucluse is an enchanting medieval village. Tucked away in a closed valley, it contains one of the natural wonders of Provence. An easy 15-minute walk takes you above the village to a poetic setting, 
a deep pool of (seemingly) tranquil water, surrounded by high rocky cliffs of the Plateau de Vaucluse. However, you soon discover that this peaceful pool is in fact the beginning of a full-blown river, which is erupting from the unfathomable depths below. This pool is literally the source (virtually the starting point) of the Sorgue River.
Only a few short meters from the peaceful setting of the pool, you see white water rapids crashing over huge black rocks, demonstrating the incredible waterpower that lies beneath the surface. Below the rapids, the river calms down and stretches-out in front of dams and waterwheels, passing under the bridge at the center of the village, and continues flowing downstream as a peaceful river. The collective rainfall in the Plateau de Vaucluse feeds the source pool. If it has been a dry season, then will not be a lot of water. Nevertheless this pool has been measured at maximum output, to produce water at an amazing 200 cubic meters a second! This makes the Sorgue River source pool one of the most powerful natural springs in the world!
Borie
A Borie is a dry-stone hut, roughly in the shape of an igloo made of lauzes (limestone slabs). The Luberon region is famous for bories, which may date back to the 2,000 BC. Since timber was scarce and the stone was abundant, farmers and shepherds built everything from small U-shaped huts (bories) to larger farm buildings with lauzes. Instead of just clearing the land, and creating an enormous pile of stones, they chose to use their creativity in combination with muscle, resulting in the construction of something functional.
Bories were not built-in-a-day. The critical portion of the construction process involved the immense detail in stone collection. Stones of varying thickness were then constructed into tightly compacted walls with painstakingly straight edges. You can visit 20 restored Bories in the Village des Bories, located just outside the village of Gordes.
Nearby villages to bike to:
Roussillon This village is among the most beautiful villages of France because it is situated on the most significant ochre layer in the world.
Ochre literally means "yellow ground. Ochre, discovered in ancient times, was used by the Romans to paint/color the exterior walls of their homes. Ochre mined from France’s Vaucluse region, may span an interesting range of colors, from a light yellow to a strong red.
In Roussillon, you’ll see ochre everywhere. Coated in a traditional way throughout the village, this astonishing pallet of blazing colors is the perfect backdrop for such a spectacular landscape. While in Roussillon, visit the Academy of Ochres’ and Pigments discover the history of this region. There will be a wonderful market here on Tuesday.
Lacoste is a charming village suspended on the east end of a mountain spine rising up out of the plains between the Plateau de Vaucluse to the north and the Luberon to the south. Park your bike and travel back in time as you walk down the narrow village streets. The “Marie” (town hall) has an exquisite old sundial built into the wall above the doorway. At the top of the village lie, the ruins of the Château of Marquis de Sade dating back mostly 16th-18th centuries. For a closer look,you can continue your climb upwards to view the castle remains. The legendary Marquis de Sade lived here from 1774 until 1778 until he was arrested and jailed. From Lacoste you can look across to the lower farmlands of Bonnieux, perched on a hilltop just 2 km to the east.
Bonnieux The village of Bonnieux, hovers on a narrow, steep ridge, rising up from a flat plain
to the 12th-century "Eglise Haute " (high church) with its high, pointed steeple at the top. Access to this church is via 86 steps going up from the village.
Day 10 & 11 Au revoir to Provence, transfer to Nice along the French Riviera
Welcome to the gateway of the French Riviera. Nice has numerous, well-preserved traces of its illustrious past. Stroll the narrow and traffic-free, streets of the Old Town, filled with a treasure-trove of baroque architecture from the seventeenth century. Here you’ll find a daily morning food market, filled with the gastronomical delights of the area. View the spectacular Russian Orthodox Church erected in the late 1900’s by five hundred wealthy families, it is claimed to be the finest inexistence outside of Russia. In addition, Nice contains a full pallet of museums, boasting that it has (only second to Paris) the highest of number of museums in all of France. Take a leisurely walk along the Mediterranean Sea on the magnificent beachfront promenade. Or hike up Nice’s Castle Hill (on foot or with the petite tourist train) to experience breathtaking city panoramas. Savor fabulous Mediterranean cuisine, rich in cultural ingredients derived from both France and Italy. 
Day 12 Farwell France
You bid farewell to France, as fond memories of the Provence and the French Riviera whirl through your mind. You’ve made new friends and experienced the French way of life, by bicycle. Bon voyage.
"Conquering the language barrier - actually there was no barrier because everyone we met was able to communicate. The bike shop in Abbey was the most fun and the proprietor was ever so helpful and gracious. Finding the back way cobblestone street up to the castle in Chinon was so unexpected and we fancied ourselves to be comrades of Joan of Arc as she trod that pathway. The French store keeper who offered kisses and explained the Parisian style of "4" pecks on the cheeks...would I do it again? You bet!," Mary Ann D., Waukesha WI
