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Classic Provence
Nights: 6
Accommodation: La Bastide St Georges (3*), Forcalquier. A beautifully appointed hotel 1km from the centre of this medieval market town. Each bedroom is individually decorated with plenty of elegant touches. Most boast their own terrace overlooking the garden and the outdoor pool, which is surrounded by olive trees. Day 1: for your first day of cycling, we suggest a circuit across undulating countryside to the charming village of Lurs. Perched on a rocky spur, it boasts a ruined castle, a pretty belltower and sweeping views over the broad valley of the River Durance. In clear weather, you can even make out the Alps lining the horizon to the north. For a shorter day without the ascent, it is possible to take a short cut avoiding Lurs. (22km or 28km) Accommodation: La Bastide St Georges, as above. Day 2: take time to explore Forcalquier's ancient streets and hill-top citadel (Monday is market day) before setting off from the town in a south-easterly direction. You pass through the attractive village of Dauphin then rise steadily through oak and pine forest to a pass at 591 metres. From here, you have a long freewheel down to Manosque, another market town. (16km) Accommodation: Le Pré St Michel (3*), Manosque. Owned by the same hospitable family as your first base, this is another very pleasant hotel with attractive, individually styled bedrooms. It sits on a hillside on the edge of the town, and there is a outdoor pool at the front. Day 3: today's undulating ride through the heart of the Luberon Regional Park takes you via the hill-top village of Pierrevert, where it is worth pausing a while to appreciate the old stone buildings, ramparts, 13th-century chapel and the ruins of an old windmill. You continue to rise steadily to the panoramic hill-top village of Montfuron, before levelling off across the hillside, via the enchanting hill-top village of Villemus. You end that day with a pleasant downhill section to sleepy Reillanne. (19km) Accommodation: Auberge de Reillanne (2*), Reillanne. Converted from a fortified manor house, Madame Balmand's much-loved auberge offers spacious, rustic bedrooms, good country cooking and plenty of space to sit and relax in the pleasant gardens. Day 4: relax at the auberge, stroll into the village or enjoy an undemanding ride along the valley to the quintessential Provençal town of Céreste, pausing at the romantic ruins of the 12th-century priory at Carluc en route. (15km) Accommodation: Auberge de Reillanne, as above. Day 5: your final route leads through the oak and pine woods of the Largue Valley, passing several old watermills to reach the fascinating village of St Michel l’Observatoire, named after the observatory that dominates the nearby hill (the site was chosen because the skies here are some of the clearest in all of France). You then continue across the plain, along part of the Via Domitia (the Roman road from Italy to Spain), to the ancient abbey of Notre Dame de Salagon, from where you rise back to your starting point, Forcalquier. (20km) Accommodation: La Bastide St Georges, as above. Recommendations for extra nights: any one of the hotels would make a good choice. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Take the Train and break your journey for a night in Paris on the way, staying at one of our favourite Parisian hotels. Read one traveller's experiences in her personal travel diary. Similar holidays: Luberon Valleys & Villages (grade 2), Dordogne Valley (grade 2), Vézère & Dordogne Valleys (grade 2), Medieval Villages of the South-West (grade 2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airport: Marseille Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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Provence conjures up images of cicadas and cork oaks, fields of lavender and picturesque
villages clustered around ancient stone fountains. Savour, too, the distinctive gastronomy featuring local olive oil, fresh rosemary, plump red tomatoes and creamy goat’s cheese. The rolling hills and bustling market towns below imposing
Mount Lure provide the perfect setting for two-wheeled
discovery. Along this delightful route, you discover sleepy villages, rolling hills, tiny chapels, and medieval Forcalquier whose ancient citadel stands guard over these timeless landscapes.
Forcalquier 
