Road biking has boomed in popularity in the last five years. For cyclists of all stripes -- from high performance triathlete to round-the-block Sunday pedalers -- biking in Europe should definitely be on their bucket list.
One of the best (and easiest) ways for a group of friends – whether strong, moderate or not-at-all cyclists -- to experience the joys of cycling in Europe is from a home base in a luxury private villa. Signature Cycles is teaming up with twenty year villa vacation specialist (and former Butterfield & Robinson programme) Hosted Villas to propose private villa based cycling stays in France, Italy and Spain.
A Signature Cycles-Hosted Villas Cycling Stay works for all skill levels. Keen cyclists can do 100 miles before meeting up with the 35 mile group for lunch. And the Hosted Villas "Local Host" makes sure that everyone enjoys the non-cycling side of Europe – the markets, historic sites, best restaurants...
Just pick your dates, speak to a Cycling Specialist at Hosted Villas to choose the perfect region and villa (from 3 bedrooms to 15 bedrooms). The European travel experts Hosted Villas do the rest – arrange excellent rental road bikes (or shipping of your own), chefs, transfers, routes and maps, cycling guides, non-cycling activities. You just have to show up ready to ride.
To set the cycling scene, in this newsletter we talk about why cycling in Europe is so great. Hosted Villas also shares some of their favorite bike routes and highlight three villas in regions with particularly good cycling.
Why bike in Europe?
For the best sushi in the world, you go to Japan; the best surfing, Hawaii; the best golf, Scotland.
And if you are a cyclist there is nothing like road riding in Europe, and especially in France, Spain and Italy. The roads are quiet and scenic. The drivers are respectful. And every few miles there is a shop, cafe or restaurant where you can get supplies or a bite to eat.
Why ride with Hosted Villas?
• Bike Widow/er Friendly. For 20 years our specialty has been general interest, non-cycling villa vacations so Light- or Non-Cycling spouses and partners will have a great time too. It's the perfect No Drop cycling vacation
• Better than a hotel. Why be anonymous in a hotel when you and your friends can enjoy the intimacy, privacy, comfort and value of a private villa.
• Flexibility. Riding guides, rental road bikes, a chef, masseur, minibus and chauffeur - we’ll custom design your cycling stay to suit your group’s specific needs. No more, no less.
• Local knowledge. We've lived, traveled and cycled in Europe for more than two decades. We’ve ridden and scouted thousands of miles of the quietest back roads. We know the local bike shops, cycling clubs, performance trainers, and have access to high-end rentals and ancillary cycling services.
• Great Value. Our luxury cycling stays cost far less than a comparable organized luxury bike tour.
• In brief, Picture Postcard Bike Routes + Luxury Villa + Local Host + Local Knowledge + Personalized Service + Fine Amenities = a memorable vacation for cyclists of all levels.
Our Favorite Villas for Cycling
While there are many options, here are just three of our favorite villas for a cycling stay, one each in the Dordogne and Provence in France, and in Italy.
There are few better cycling bases than Bastide de Ventoux, set as it is between the two entry villages for the renowned Mont Ventoux climb. But Bastide de Ventoux is also at the center of some of Provence's other exhilarating cycling routes -- from Beaumes de Venise over the Dentelles to Vaison or the the scenic "anyone-can-do-it" Gorges de la Nesque slow climb. Easy, hilly, rolling, flat, short, long -- cyclists of all levels will find the lightly-trafficked countryside around Bastide de Ventoux appealing.
This outstanding property can sleep up to 12 in 6 bedrooms each of which has a private bathroom. The Bastide is located on the edge of a small village which while quiet still has a cafe and general store and a couple of excellent restaurants.
The cycling around this picture-postcard four-bedroom four-bathroom château is as varied as the Dordogne region itself. You can follow the flat meandering river valleys or head up through shady wooded escarpments to stretch your legs and get your cardio up. Whatever your route, a bakery or cafe is never far away and a new ever so charming village welcomes you every few miles.
Non-cyclists will enjoy Queynac's 19 acres of grounds, the scenic pool area and the tennis court. Your whole group should be sure to take a day off to visit historic Sarlat and France’s most famous prehistory sites.
Famous sprinter Mario Cipollini was from northwest Tuscany. But it is the iconic cypress-lined backroads and rolling hills of southeastern Tuscany that makeup our picture postcard cycling fantasies.
From Il Lauro (4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms) you can ride the dream on a network of tranquil country roads that allow a wide variety of routes and cappuccino breaks in one charming village after another.
