Ensemble Cycling Vacations
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Home > Where, When...> Cycling Regions
FRANCE
Provence
  • Ventoux
  • Alpilles
  • Uzege
  • Luberon
Burgundy
Dordogne
Saint-Emilion


ITALY
Tuscany & Umbria

SPAIN
Catalonia

Majorca
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Cycling Regions
The first step to planning an Ensemble Cycling Vacation is to choose the region most appropriate for your group's cycling interests and skills. We know all the regions and properties personally and so can guide you but here are some guidelines to help you start the process.
Our Rating System
We use a scale of 1 to 10 to rate each region on five key factors.

For example, the Saint-Emilion region:
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather and Seasons
8 7 9 8 7
Route Variety – How many different routes – both hilly and moderate – does this region afford?
(Note that we don't do grade inflation. So, no perfect 10/10 ratings. 8s and 9s are outstanding scores.)
Hills – How hilly is the area? Some riders love them, others hate them. How manageable then is the the cycling for moderate or novice cyclists? (N.B. A high number here indicates there are lots of good hills. If your group wants a less hilly area, focus on a low “hill” factor.)
Cycling Safety –How dense is the habitation structure? How heavy is the vehicular traffic in the area? Does the local road network allow you to avoid most of it? Basically how “Free” from the world will you feel on-bike. Experienced cyclists are more comfortable sharing the road than   novices.
A high number here means the area has LESS congestion, and therefore less traffic.
Off-Bike Interest – The cycling might be world-class, but how much is there to do when your group is off their bikes? How much is there for the non-cyclists to see and do?

Weather & Seasons – How reliable is the weather? How early or late in the season is it reasonable to travel and comfortably ride a bike every day?
FRANCE
Of the three three great cycling nations in Europe (in our opinion, France, Italy and Spain) we feel that, overall, France is the most cycling-friendly.

The primary reason is that the system of paved roads goes five levels deep right down to paved vicinal virtually traffic free, single lane tractor paths (Italy by comparison maxes out at three levels deep before you hit the strada bianca white gravel roads.) Furthermore, the network of roads is denser which allows for a greater variety of routes, both difficult and moderate.
 Provence (8.5/10)
The advantages of Provence as a cycling destination are many: the reliable weather (cycling in April and even November is not unreasonable), a wide variety of lightly trafficked routes some of which are among the worlds' greatest (such as the Mont Ventoux) and the wonderful non-cycling diversions such as markets, food and wine.

Ventoux area (9/10)

There are few better cycling areas in Europe than the Ventoux (30 minutes NE of Avignon.) Though just north of the Luberon, the Ventoux area is more spread out and so affords a greater variety of cycling loops. For more details...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8.5 6 & 9 8 9 9
The Alpilles area (8/10)
The Alpilles region is a 300 sq. mile triangular area south of Avignon, border by the Rhone and Durance rivers to the NW and NE and by the badlands below Arles to the south.  For more details...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 6 & 9 8 9 9
The Uzege (west of Avignon) 8/10
The Uzege is the area just 30 minutes west of Avignon, centered by the enchanting market town of Uzès at its center. Cycling in this area is excellent - light on cars, good route variety...
Read More...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 7 9 8 9
The Luberon (6/10)

While the Luberon Valley (about 45miutes east of Avignon) is a wonderfully diverse and fascinating area off the bike, we do not recommend it as a cycling destination. The routes are limited and/or hilly. Plus the main road traffic is superhighway busy.
For more details...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
4 8 5 9 9
Southwest France
Dordogne (8/10)
On the other side of France from Provence is another world in terms of cycling. The Dordogne area (between Sarlat and Bergerac) replaces Provence's agricultural landscape with woods and rushing rivers. Instead of farming villages, the region is dotted with massive medieval castles. Read More...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 7 9 8 7
St. Emilion (7.5/10)
Cycling 7/10; General Interest 8.5/10
What the St. Emilion region might seem to lack in terms of absolute cycling toughness (this is after all relatively flat viticultural land) it makes up for in history, culture food and most certainly wine! This is after all home to some of the world's greatest wine names – Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Angelus, Figeac.
To learn more...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 5 7 9 7
Burgundy
General: 9/10; Cycling 8.5/10
Like St. Emilion, Burgundy combines natural beauty, a deeply ingrained food and wine culture, centuries of history to offer up an outstanding cycling destination. Hosted Villas' roots (both in tourism and in cycling) were in Burgundy and so it is a region we know and love well.  Read More...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 7 8 9 7
SPAIN, Catalonia (Girona area)
General: 9/10; cycling 9/10
Our Catalonia cycling region is around Girona, north of Barcelona. Girona has long been the winter base camp for many pro riders and so you can expect to see them training in the surrounding hills. Again, what's suitable for pros is not always ideal for enthusiasts and in our opinion there is a little more finagling required to stay safe and to find good routes. Read More...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8.5 7 9 8 9
SPAIN, Majorca
General: 9/10; cycling 9/10
 Soller (north coast) is right in the middle of the best (but toughest) cycling on the island. Recreational cyclists though might feel slightly shortchanged. Hiking here is an excellent alternative.
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 9 9 9 9.5
Pollensa (north east coast) offers a better balance between Performance and Recreational routes
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
8 7 9 8.5 9.5
ITALY, Tuscany and Umbria
General: 9/10; Cycling 8/10
Even though it would make the locals scream, we are combining Tuscany and Umbria in terms of cycling regions as they are very similar. 
Cycling is huge in Italy of course but their road structure is less suitable for recreational cycling -- there are fewer paved small roads and so cyclists are forced onto the slightly busier routes. Read More...
Route Variety Hills Cycling Safety Off-Bike Interest Weather & Seasons
7 9 7 9 8
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