Cycling Tours in france

*  Extraordinary beautiful and diverse landscapes: shady forests, boundless vines, fertile valleys, traffic-free lanes

*  Excellent hotels, all with pools; superb local cuisine

*  Flower-decked wooden villages, bustling mediaeval towns, ancient abbeys and Renaissance châteaux

*  Limestone caves, cascading waterfalls, lazy rivers, stunning views everywhere!

*  Great local cheese and wine – tasting opportunitie

This relaxed cycling holiday explores the scenic Juar Wine Route-a network of medieval villages strung out along the sunny, fertile lower slopes of the Jura mountain range.  The region boasts no less than six official vintages or appellation controlee wine producing towns, including Arbois and Chateau Chhalon that lie on your route.  Aside from its fine wines, there are plenty of excellent cheeses and tasty mountain hams that you can try and buy along the way!

Each cycling day is varied, with your route winding through sun dappled oak forests, terraces of swaying vines and beside lazy meandering rivers to discover hilltop medieval villages, ancient abbeys and thundering waterfalls.  Highlights include tasting wine in Arbois's ancient Chateau Pousard, exploring the thousands of stalactites and stalagmites that make up the Moidon Caves, drinking in the views over the entire valley from Chateau Chalon's feudal castle.

You'll receive a warm welcome at all of the charming, family run hotels that you stay in along the way. At Arbois, you stay in a restored water mill that enjoys a stunning setting by a limestone waterfall.  In Passenans, you dine on the hotel terrace that overlooks row upon row of swaying vines.  And at Poligny, Mme Lombard's delighful hotel with its quaint galleried balconies enjoys wonderful views over the surrounding countryside, especially from its tempting pool.  Dinners are a celebration of the rich local cuisine.  Expect to taste poulet aux morilles (chicken stuffed with wild mushrooms) or maybe truite au vin jaune (local trout cooked in the excellent amber colored white wine).