Cycling Tour through the Luberon

Welcome to Provence and Aix-en-Provence, a place that the French consider to be one of the cities with the highest quality of life. Paul Cézanne was not the only one to settle here. Pablo Picasso also lived here for several years and was enchanted by the town and its surroundings between the Sainte-Victore mountains, the rivers Touloubre and Arc, the Durance valley and the vineyards of Trévaresse. Have a coffee in the city's most famous café, the Deux Garçons, where the novelists Émile Zola, Paul Cézanne and Jean Cocteau frequented.

Get on the saddle and get cycling on the first stage of the cycling tour through the Luberon. You cycle to Silvacane Abbey, a beautifully restored Cistercian abbey dating back to 1145. The journey continues to Lourmarin, in the South of the mighty Luberon. Named one of the most beautiful villages in France, the small town with its Renaissance castle and typical Provençal flair has enchanted famous writers such as Peter Mayle and Albert Camus.

You leave the small town of Pertuis and cycle through the Luberon Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on this rather challenging stage. The rugged cliffs and wild, lush nature with its pine forests are very popular with cyclists and hikers, as you are away from the crowds of tourists. In the pretty little town of Céreste, you can take a breather in a café before heading to Apt, the center of Provence. Sample your way through the wide range of candied fruit on offer.

You can still explore the narrow streets of the old town, but then you should soon be on your way. Look forward to this stage of the cycling tour through the Luberon, because it will be beautiful. The picturesque mountain villages of Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes are bursting with Southern French charm. Above Lacoste, you can visit the ruins of the castle of the same name, a former residence of the Marquis de Sade. But that's not all, because the overnight stay in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a small green paradise with many side arms of the river Sorgue, where old paddle wheels still turn. The town has evolved from a fishing village into a center for antiquarian treasures.

On this stage of the cycle tour through the heart of Provence, you have two options. You can either opt for the shorter stage, which takes you via the melon city Cavaillon to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Or you can take a detour of around 20 kilometers to experience the vibrant city of Avignon, the city of the popes. Whether a visit to the much-vaunted bridge over the Rhône, the Notre-Dame-des-Domes cathedral or the papal palace is on the agenda, Avignon is rightly one of the tourist magnets of Provence.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence deserves even more time to be explored, as Vincent van Gogh spent his last years here. Famous paintings such as The Starry Night were created in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Nostradamus was born here and the Romans left their mark. Glanum is one of the most important archaeological excavation sites in France. Cycle through the Alpilles on the cycling tour through the Luberon to the magnificent fortified town of Les Baux. Even the Greeks were inspired by this special landscape to write the legend of Heracles. Salon-de-Provence marks the end of this exciting day on the bike saddle.

The last stage, back to the starting point of Aix-en-Provence, is just around the corner. But before you leave, take a stroll through the Château de l'Empéri fortress or the collegiate church where Nostradamus, who worked as a clairvoyant, pharmacist and doctor, is buried. After an entertaining cycle tour that takes you through pretty villages in the South of France, you will arrive back in Aix-en-Provence. Take another stroll along the Cours Mirabeau, the beautifully shaded boulevard, and enjoy the savoir vivre of Provence.

After breakfast, your cycling tour through the Luberon comes to an end. Take a stroll through the famous flower market before starting your individual return journey. We are happy to extend your stay in Aix-en-Provence.