Atlantic France Biking
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Overview
Highlights
- Enjoy a catamaran cruise across tranquil waters to the Ile de Ré, and depending on the tide
- Cycling through the little fishing villages of La Cotiniere and Saint-Pierre d’Oléron, savour the contrasting landscape of pine forests and ocean front
- Arguably the best ride of the week, follows the ancient Route du Sel to the top of the island
- Discover the south of the Ile de Ré by bike along a stunning seaside route
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Trip includes
- All hotel accommodation
- 4 Dinners, 3 Lunches and all Breakfast with wine (as selected by B&R)
- Services of B&R guide(s) and support van
- Use of a customized hybrid or a racing bike with drop bars, equipped with handlebar bag and helmet
- Use of two lightweight, telescoping walking sticks
- Detailed maps, route suggestions and water bottle
- All special events and private tours
- All transportation from rendezvous to drop-off
- All baggage transportation
- All gratuities for baggage, porters and hotel service
Itinerary
Beginning in the protected pine forest of Ile d’Oléron, ride along quiet bike paths through the oyster fields and farms of the bay. Arriving in Le Grand Village, enjoy lunch in the famous Relais des Salines by Chef James Robert followed by a short ride to the protected sand beaches of Vert Bois and La Rémigeasse.
Cycling through the little fishing villages of La Cotiniere and Saint-Pierre d’Oléron, savour the contrasting landscape of pine forests and ocean front. Stop in the afternoon at the untouched oyster producers' village of Fort Royer and learn how to produce the best oysters in the world!
Enjoy a catamaran cruise across tranquil waters to the Ile de Ré, and depending on the tide, we’ll stop on Ile d’Aix. This National Park sits in the middle of the bay and offers an exceptional environment for a light hike
Discover the south of the Ile de Ré by bike along a stunning seaside route. Spend the afternoon poolside at Villa Clarisse or explore the village of St Martin de Ré before an evening walking tour.
Arguably the best ride of the week, follows the ancient Route du Sel to the top of the island, stopping in some of the most beautiful villages of France. Challenge yourself with the Century Ride, or return to St Martin before an incredible last evening in a secret location: a classified historical monument privatized just for us!
After breakfast catch the TGV to Paris from the La Rochelle-Centre Ville train station, and say au revoir to the Charentes Maritimes!
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Butterfield & Robinson.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Tour Operator
It's been almost 50 years since we made a conscious decision, on the back of a cocktail napkin, to encourage people to "slow down to see the world." Ever since, Butterfield & Robinson has been leading trips that amble where others stride, linger where others inhale, bike where others motor and sip where others quaff. In the words of Gypsy Rose Lee, a woman who, if nothing else, knew the value of doing things very, very slowly: "Anything worth doing well is worth doing slowly."
There’s so much more to B&R than the high thread count of your sheets. Our kind of luxury takes you to a place you never knew existed. It’s a feeling of freedom. A feeling of exuberance. A feeling like you don’t need a watch or a wallet and you haven’t a care in the world. Wherever we travel, we delve deep into the heart of the local culture, your meals are some of the best in your life, and your sleeps every bit as delicious. But this merely sets the stage for the magical, ineffable part of B&R—the moments of discovery—and self-discovery—that you’ll never, ever forget.
The B&R difference is the best biking and walking routes in the world’s most incredible places. It’s the most capable and genuinely friendly guides you’ll find anywhere. It’s the most interesting hotels the region has to offer. It’s amazing culinary experiences. It’s state-of-the-art equipment, great wines at dinner, a water bottle that’s always filled, route suggestions you won’t find in any guidebook, et cetera! Are you starting to get the picture?
Our Expertise
Incomparable Service
From the first phone call to the final nostalgic photo swap, we pride ourselves on anticipating and answering each and every question you might have before, during and after your trip – plus a hundred more we thought you might like to know. That way, the only surprises on your trip are good ones.
50 Years of Experience
BB&R’s been slowing down to see the world since 1966, and while a steady diet of good food, great wine and miles of biking and walking has kept us feeling sprightly, we can’t deny the truth: we’re about to turn 50. Fortunately, “mid-life crisis” isn’t in our vocabulary—in fact, we’re actually pretty excited about it.
Amazing Routes
We meticulously map out easy-to-follow route notes for our trips. By no means do you have to follow them, but if you do, we promise nothing short of spectacular (think quiet country lanes, glorious vistas and, often, being the only ones in sight). Our guides always have additional scenic routes up their sleeves, too. Up for more of a challenge? Ask and you shall receive.
Impeccable Guides
B&R guides are an exceptional group: consummate hosts, mind readers and raconteurs, among many other things. Think teachers, painters, travel writers, architects, botanists and biologists. The only documents thicker than their CVs are their passports. They’ve lived all over the world. They speak a gazillion languages. And they’re ridiculously fun.
Expert Trip Designers
Our talented team of Trip Designers are the best in the world at what they do—and what they do is turn fantasies into reality. (We thought about changing their title to “Dream Weavers,” but we didn’t want to re-print all those business cards.)
Exceptional Hotels
Winning hotels are a hallmark of B&R; we go to great lengths to find properties that are unique expressions of the region. Often that means they’ve had a previous life as a monastery or a castle. Think of them as the charming and intimate garnish atop your trip. Best of all? We’re friends with our hoteliers, which means preferential treatment for you.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- Personal expenses
- Passport and visa
Accommodation
If you have to cancel your B&R trip for a reason not defined in the Trip Mate Travel Insurance Policy, you are entitled to the return of these amounts:
Number of days prior to your trip:
270+ 100% Refund of deposit
96-269 will be 50% Refund of deposit
61-95 is 75% Refund of penalties
31-60 will be 75% Refund of penalties
0-30 is 75% Refund of penalties
Between 270-95 days prior to departure each traveler will be charged $500 to cancel or the traveler may choose to keep the full US$1,000 deposit in a holding account with us for a future trip.
All Breakfasts, 3 Lunches and 4 Dinners
Activity Level
- Occasional: Daily biking distances vary from 30 to 50 km (18 to 30 mi.), with options on some days as far as 100 km (63 mi.). The terrain is all flat. Any difficulty in the ride will depend on which way the wind is blowing. The walking route on the third day on Aix is mostly flat along unspoiled landscapes and beaches.
- Gear( The Bikes): You can't enjoy a great biking trip without a really great bike. On this trip you'll be riding a customized hybrid or a racing bike with drop bars. We also equip you with handlebar bag, helmet and water bottle.
Support:
- 24/7 Guided: Our B&R guides are with you throughout, anticipating needs, translating languages, providing advice and—above all—facilitating fun.
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