146 | Cycling World
Le Vélo Voyageur
Self Guided tours designed the free at heart
Eugénie and her bike “ Bobby ” hate being passed by 80-year-old Austrian riders . Bérangère loves trying sign language with Serbian women or grandpas . These two cycle-riding , adventure-loving ladies are the force behind Le Vélo Voyageur , a bespoke travel agency that provides self-guided bike tours focused on the touristic discovery of the France , so that you can experience everything the country has to offer just like a local .
Eugénie and Bérangère describe themselves as two young women who were not predestined to become keen cyclists … but here they are ! The pair met in University , and not long after that , they set out on a lifechanging adventure , biking along the Danube from Passau , Germany , to the Black Sea just for the love of adventure .
“ The first 30 kilometers were not that easy !” they say , but despite little training and much experience as city mice , the next 2,200 km saw them living extraordinary moments on their bikes , thanks to the people they met , the landscapes they crossed and all the unexpected discoveries along the way .
“ We enjoyed both the Burgundy and Alsace routes , especially because we we were mostly on bike paths or small , quiet country roads . We were constantly stopping to take photos of the scenery , picturesque towns and historic sites . And of course the food and wine were wonderful !” – Kathy
Le Vélo Voyageur go all-out to organise turnkey trips designed just for you and your friends . Maintaining a focus on flexibility , they reserve accommodations which range from luxury cycling holidays to bestfor-value Bed & Breakfasts . They organise fully equipped bike rental , luggage transportation from point to point , short legs on 100 % tested itineraries , a road book with maps and descriptions of the routes you will take and a 24h hotline .
Not content to wait for graduation , they started another bike trip to share the pleasure of cycling holidays with others , and they have been doing this ever since , in spades . Visitors come to them from all over for their self-guided cycle vacations in France , Spain , Croatia , and the Lake Constance region at the northern foot of the Alps . More adventurous travellers can even experience their guided tours in Cambodia or South India . Each of these journeys is meticulously planned , and to be sure each trip is a success , the itineraries have been tested first-hand by these intrepid cyclists at the worst time of the year .... in winter !
One of the most alluring features of their tours is the French countryside itself . Their routes send cyclists on mini-adventures on back roads in regions like Bordeaux , the Loire Valley , or Alsace . The popular La Rochelle to île d ’ Oléron route sends day trippers on a wonderful ride , enjoying aromatic wines and baguettes with cheese stops along the way .