Posts tagged: Biking in Provence

Whether you own a custom-fit, carbon fiber steed with electronic shifters or a three-gear cruiser bike with tassels, you have to admit that watching the Tour de France each July is addictive. The right to wear the maillot jaune is earned over the grueling, 21-stage race by the cyclist with the fastest overall elapsed time. The Tour de France television coverage is obviously inspirational for cyclists, but it is the panoramas along the route that make you want to book a plane ticket into Charles de Gaulle for your own France en Velo trip.

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Recipes & Travel:
Bike Touring in France, Biking in Provence, France en Velo, Self Guided Biking in France

Sassafras is native to eastern North America, not France.  However, she works for an airline and she has made it a personal quest to visit Europe regularly.  With Ginger away in Calgary for 10 days, Nutmeg thought that a little time with her girlfriend in Provence would be enjoyable.
The trip did not quite start as planned, Sassafras’ arrival was delayed due to an airline strike.  Then her in-country train connections took longer than the transatlantic flight.  Despite, those minor hick-ups, she arrived on a beautiful summer day, for a lot of cycling and a bit of culture. Nutmeg had packed a 7-day agenda into 5 days; here is a summary of her visit:

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Recipes & Travel:
Biking in Provence, Markets in Provence, Provence Travel, Travel in France

Ginger and Nutmeg were invited to join some friends for a day of “easy” cycling on L’Île de Porquerolles. This is the biggest of three small islands that make up the Îles d’Hyères or Les Îles d’Or (Golden Islands), located just off the coast from Hyères.  This is the rougher, wilder, “native” side of the Cote D’Azur.  The ferry leaves from a couple locations; you can check the schedule on the official site.
Scheduled departure for the ferry was 10:30am, a bit of extra traffic congestion through Toulon, and a slight wrong turn made for a VERY tight connection.  G&N were absolutely the last to board the boat, but they made it! This late February day was certainly not one for bathing suits or t-shirts, fleece and puffy jackets were in order. The temperature hovered around ten degrees Celsius, with gusting winds and a constant threat of rain. Nutmeg is absolutely not a boat person, so the short choppy crossing…

Recipes & Travel:
Biking in Provence, Cote d'Azur Travel Ideas, L'Île de Porquerolles, Provence Travel, Travel in France