The SmoothRed Tour de France
In only a few days, France will once again gear up for the world’s most prestigious cycling race. 2015’s route passes through Picardy, Normandy and Britanny, then winds across the south coast up to the Alps before finishing in Paris. Basically, apart from the final third of the race (which goes through Languedoc and Provence), it manages to bypass pretty much every winemaking region in the country. Fear not, though, for it’s still possible to get your fill of cycling and wine with our very own carefully thought-out route through France. Just think of it as the Tour de France, but with more wine and fewer crowds. So a much better version of the Tour de France, then.
1st Stage: Alsace
Cycling in Alsace is dichotomous: on the one hand, you’ve got your light, rolling hills and gentle vineyard lanes. On the other, you’ve got the routes through the Vosges Mountains near the German border, which provide a tougher challenge for the more adventure-inclined. In the latter, the Route des Crêtes connects Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines with Cernay and climbs as high as 4,406ft. In the former, the Route du Vin (the clue’s in the name; this is the one you’re really wanting) connects Strasbourg in the north with Mulhouse in the south, and passes through a number of classical Alsatian villages as well as the vineyards which make the region famous. Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Riesling, Muscat and Pinot Gris are all in use here, so stop at any of the communes en route – Colmar, Riquewihr and Ribeauville are particularly beautiful – for a glass and a rest.
2nd Stage: Burgundy
Where Alsace has the Route du Vin, Burgundy has the Route des Grand Crus. Thirty-three towns and villages dot a 60km route from Dijon to Santenay, along which Burgundy’s most famous vineyards and estates can be found. Beaune, the winemaking capital of the region, sits on this route, and provides a nice starting point if you’re after a less challenging journey around Aloxe-Corton and Puligny-Montrachet. Alternatively, the Canal de Bourgogne is also an idyllic cycling route, or take the series of towpaths and quiet roads which connect Migennes to Dijon, with plenty of classic Bourgogne countryside and vineyards to be found along the way.
3rd Stage: The Loire Valley
The 800km Loire à Vélo trail is such an ideal cycling route through Western France that you really have to wonder why it isn’t part of the Tour de France. Then again, the Tour de France tends not to count picturesque scenery and an abundance of local wineries as its priorities when it comes to picking a route. Still, less traffic for you. The trail runs from Nevers through Orleans, Tours, Angers and Nantes, finishing in Saint-Nazaire. Along the way, you’ll find some of France’s most scenic gardens, a number of sleepy villages, and Saumur, the historic town which sits between Tours and Angers on the Loire à Vélo surrounded by some of France’s finest vineyards.
4th Stage: Bordeaux
Where better to finish your Tour des Vins de France? Outside of Bordeaux City are over 20km of St. Emilion vineyards, lined with utterly tranquil country lanes, themselves punctuated by some of the world’s most renowned châteaux and estates. Ride along the Route des Vins – any (or all) of six routes around the Bordelaise countryside, including the Route des Châteaux, Route des Côteaux, Route du Patrimoine, Route des Bastides and Route des Graves – or take in the Atlantic views down the Côte de Bordeaux. Either way, once you’ve climbed off your bike at the end of the day, be sure to open up and enjoy a bottle of Bordeaux’s finest – just don’t spill red all over that yellow jersey.
Check out our Bordeaux Cycling & Wine Experience and our Burgundy Cycling & Wine Experience. All of our trips are fully bespoke to your needs, too, so if Alsace or the Loire take your fancy, just give us a call at +44 (0)20 8877 4940 or e-mail us at sales@smoothred.co.uk to speak to one of our team.
