Provence in south-east France is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are lively university towns with picturesque alleyways, pretty squares lined with cafés, architectural monuments and plenty of cultural activities.
The rural areas of Provence are characterised by spectacular landscapes, beguiling light and the scent of lavender. The remote parts of the High Provence appear rough and inhospitable, but this gives them a special charm. You should have a mountain transfer on board and be reasonably fit, as there are small steep "calf-biteers" lurking everywhere, and the passes of the High Provence require a minimum of strength, stamina and perseverance.
The GPX track is available free of charge on the MYBIKE tour portal:
Arrival
Railway: From Frankfurt/Main with the TGV to Marseille and back from Avignon. The bike travels free of charge if it is packed in a cover. From Marseille-St. Charles, take the regional TER train to Aix in approx. 30 minutes.
Flight: Direct flight to Marseille. Deposit your bike case in the luggage storage (SafeBag, Terminal 1) and take the "Zenbus" shuttle to the nearby Vitrolles railway station. From there, take the TER to Aix via Marseille-St. Charles station. Free bike transport. From your destination in Cavaillon or Avignon, take the regional TER train back to Vitrolles.
Car: Take the A7 motorway towards Marseille (toll road). We recommend either parking your car at the start in Aix or, like the e-bikers, starting in Cavaillon. You can reach Aix from there with the regional train TER (change in Marseille-St. Charles).
MYBIKE tip for e-bikers
Stromer e-bikes can be rented at the BMC Cycling Centre at Domaine La Coquillade near Apt (65 euros per day, free parking for cars). After 30 kilometres on the Véloroute du Calavon, you will arrive at Cavaillon train station, from where you can get to Aix-en-Provence via Marseille-St. Charles (change trains). Our route takes us through Roussillon on the last day. From there it is about 6 kilometres to the Cycling Center to return the e-bike. www.coquillade.fr/de/spa/bmc-cycling-center
You can find even more pictures from the cycle tour in our picture gallery:
Food and drink
Many restaurants prepare food from local produce that is freshly brought to the table. Herbs, courgettes, aubergines, tomatoes, mushrooms in autumn and, of course, garlic and olive oil are all part of Provençal cuisine, although it can also be meat-heavy. Our journey takes us through renowned wine-growing areas, where you should taste open wines from the region. At lunchtime, you can eat well and cheaply in the small "restos" where working people socialise.
We stayed overnight, ate (organic) and drank (organic) excellently at:
Château Mentone, Saint-Antonin-du-Var, www.chateaumentone.com
Also recommended: Grand Hôtel Bain, Comps-sur-Artuby, www.grand-hotel-bain.fr
Maps and travel guides
Michelin, No. 527 from the "Regional" series, 1:200,000, 10.95 euros; travel guide Provence Côte d'Azur, Dumont, 24.99 euros, also available as an eBook.
Information
www.tourismepaca.fr/de/,
www.provence-radfahren.de
The travel report "Aix und hopp!" was featured in MYBIKE issue 5/2018.
You can view the output in the MYBIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or in the DK-Shop order.
