Revised: Nov 05
General Information
This is a self-guided hotel based cycle tour through the Alpes de Haute Provence starting and finishing in the town of Sisteron. Everywhere along the tour you will be amazed at the contrast between the narrow streets and tall, densely clustered houses of the Provencal villages, and the virtually uninhabited and almost empty landscape in between. Luggage is transported daily to the next hotel. The roads are relatively quiet and traffic free. The area is fairly hilly, but then you are rewarded with some very dramatic views.
Season: April to October (not Sundays or during August)
Level of Difficulty
Grade B (moderate, with strenuous options). On average you cycle about 45km (28mi) per day over hilly terrain so a reasonable standard of fitness and stamina is required. Strong Mistral winds are possible in spring and autumn.
The grade is 'moderate' rather than 'easy'. The summer heat can be a problem, but by making early starts you can escape the hottest part of the day.
The Bikes
The normal specification is as follows: 21-gear hybrid Peugeot V.T.C. with straight handlebars. There is a rear luggage rack (without panniers or carry bag), lights and a water bottle holder. A repair kit with re-placement inner tube, patches, tire levers and pump is included. A cycle lock is provided. Cycle hire is included in tour price. Helmets are not included but can be purchased. Most customers bring their own. There is no handlebar-mounted map holder. We aim to adhere to the above specification, but occasionally there may be variations.
Maps & Route Notes
We provide AA Road Map "Provence, Cote d'Azur" 1:180,000 (1cm to 1.8km). We also provide specially written route descriptions.
Arrival
The starting point of the tour is at Sisteron, reached by direct train (about 4 services per day) from Marseille via Aix-en-Provence. Marseille airport is linked by airport bus service with Marseille train station (every 20 minutes) and with Aix bus station (about once per hour). The journey time in each case is around 30 minutes and the fare approx. 7 Euros (approx US$8.30) per person one way. The bus station in Aix is about 7 minutes walk/short taxi ride from the train station, and in Marseille just outside the train station. There is plenty of room for baggage on the airport bus services. There is normally a left luggage locker service in Aix train station but this service has on occasions been suspended.
The train times were as follows in 2005:
Marseille St Charles dep. 06.48 13.15 16.14 18.13
Aix-en-Provence dep. 08.33 14.50 17.48 19.31 (not Sat)
Sisteron arr. 09.52 16.08 19.11 20.55
There was also a very convenient direct train dep. Marseille at 17.11 and arriving into Sisteron at 19.11 (2005).
For other train times you can check out our links on the website at www.breakaway-adventures.com or visit the website www.raileurope.com or call Rail Europe toll free, 1-800-848-7245.
Accommodation
The hotel accommodation (normally 2* standard throughout) is on a demi-pension basis (evening meal, bed and breakfast) on 5 nights, bed and breakfast only on 2 nights (normally at night 2 at Digne and at night 6 at Manosque). Where available we have reserved rooms with shower or bath. (Late bookings in high season may on occasion go without). The hotels however vary enormously and their variety has become one of the features of this trip and is much commented upon by clients. All the hotels are run by their owners. They are always concerned that your stay should be enjoyable and trouble-free.
Nights 1 and 7. Sisteron. We use a comfortable 2* hotel conveniently near the train station and the citadel. All rooms have en suite facilities with T.V. and telephone.
Night 2. Digne-les-Bains. Another centrally situated 2* hotel in this pleasant unpolluted town, the capital of Haute-Provence, surrounded by hills. The 14 rooms have en suite facilities. It is a very attractive property.
Night 3. St Andre-les-Alpes. A delightful Alpine village on the famous Ligne des Pignes narrow gauge railway that links Digne and Nice. A centre for parascending. Our preferred hotel, which overlooks the central square next door to the parish church, has rooms with fully en-suite facilities and retains traditional red-tiled floors throughout.
Night 4. La Palud. Our preferred, very welcoming, modern hotel is just outside the ancient centre of the tiny village. The hotel well deserves its 2 star classification in the Logis de France guide. Its 20 spacious rooms have full ensuite facilities, TV and telephone. The cuisine is of a high standard: the evening meal often starts with a buffet course providing a wide choice and ample portions followed by a main course of local meat or fish, cheese and dessert. Breakfast is also usually buffet style and may include yoghurt with honey, a variety of fresh fruit, freshly baked bread and croissants.
Night 5. Riez. We stay at a converted chateau in an idyllic rural setting 3km from the town of Riez. The chateau welcomes cyclists and even has its own set of mountain bikes.
Night 6. Manosque. Our slightly old-fashioned but very welcoming hotel in the old town is only one minute on foot from the Place de l'Hotel de Ville. The rooms are spacious and all have private facilities.
End of Tour
The tour ends at Sisteron on the morning of day 8. Return by train via Aix-en-Provence to Marseille airport. There was a very convenient train dep. Sisteron at 09.55 and arriving at Marseille at 11.50 (2005). Depending on the time of your flight back from Marseille, you may have time on the last day to break your journey in Aix-en-Provence.
The train times were as follows in 2004:
Sisteron dep. 06.36 9.55 14.56 21.09
Aix-en-Provence arr. 07.51 11.15 16.14 22.44
Marseille St Charles arr. 08.51 12.46 17.30 23.20
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ITINERARY |
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Day 1. Arrive Marseille or Aix and take train to Sisteron. Transfer to a comfortable 2 star hotel near the old citadel. Sisteron is a Roman town and was an Episcopal seat as early as the end of the 4th century. In the 11th century, it became a fortress town.
Day 2. Sisteron to Digne-les-Bains. There is a choice of two routes on this first day. If you are not an experienced or fit cyclist, we recommend you choose the easier valley route (43km(27mi), height gain 30m) rather than the harder route crossing two mountain, passes (58km(36mi), height gain 800m). Digne-les- Bains is another stopping place on Napoleon's route. It is a tourist centre and is known in particular for its thermal baths. It is a large centre for fruit production and for the production of lavender.
Day 3. Digne-les-Bains to St Andre-les-Alpes - 46km(29mi). Alpine scenery dominates the day's ride.
Day 4. St Andre-les-Alpes to La Palud sur Verdon - 46km(29mi). A spectacular ride along the shores of Lac de Castillon then through the market town of Castellane. A remote town with echoes of Napoleon's march on Paris, as well as battles between maquisards and retreating German occupiers in 1944. From Castellane we follow an old Roman route which now links remote and picturesque hamlets high up on the north side of the Verdon valley, to reach the ancient village of La Palud on a scenic plateau in a bend of the river Verdon and close by The Verdon Gorge, Europe's Grand Canyon.
Day 5. La Palud sur Verdon to Riez -32km(20mi). A relatively gentle day today, which will enable you to spend some time in the attractive town of Moustiers, renowned for its pottery and its beautiful situation. The whole town is built straddling a ravine with waterfalls. You will probably wish you could linger here for another day to explore the paths up the cliffs behind the town - or just to admire the view. Beyond Moustiers, the scenery abruptly changes; you are suddenly out of the Alps. The scarp and plateau landscape is like a more arid version of the Cotswolds or East Devon You will pass farmhouses selling little bottles of lavender essence, which make nice presents or souvenirs, as does the local honey. Our next night is spent close to the historic town of Riez.
Day 6. Riez to Manosque - 35km(22mi)/32.5km(20mi). You are now in Provence proper, the Roman Provincia. Having admired the group of Roman columns at Riez, you continue to St. Martin de Bromes and Greoux-les-Bains. Here there are fortifications associated with the medieval Knight Templars. Greoux lives off its thermal springs, used since Roman times by Napoleon's sister among others. The spa has had a recent facelift, and you may be tempted to try a soothing hot bath in naturally hot (37 C) water. Beyond Greoux you temporarily leave the hills behind and cross the Durance valley to Manosque where the medieval town centre takes hours to explore fully. It is compact and densely populated, with very narrow streets and tall buildings. There are numerous irregularly shaped squares, notably Place St. Sauveur and Place de L'Hotel de Ville.
Day 7. Manosque to Sisteron. An exciting ride in the shadow of the Montagne de Lure. There are a number of options for the final day. You can cycle all the way to Sisteron. This is a marvelous ride but it is 60km(37mi). The alternative is to cycle as far as Forcalquier and then make a circuit back to the main road that runs down the Durance Valley. From there you can take a train from La Brillane to Sisteron with your bike. This route is a little under 40km(25mi). Along the route are the fascinating towns and villages of Dauphin, Forcalquier, Lurs and St Etienne.
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