By bike

If tour operators use the somewhat barbaric term “cyclotourism”, it is because it is a good definition: visits to sites, towns, and regions by bike, for either a short stay or a longer holiday.

A few years ago Aquitaine drew up a regional development scheme for cycling routes - green trails, cycling tracks and roads with little traffic - which will eventually total 2,000 kilometres of protected, maintained routes for bicycles.

Added to this are the 2,000 kilometres of mountain-biking tracks, signposted and with indications of the level of difficulty, for more sports-minded cyclists.

Unique in France: the first bicycle resort, in Créon in the Entre-deux-Mers region, along the Roger Lapébie track. In the same way as at a ski resort, it is possible to hire all the equipment and to choose between a leisure bicycle and a mountain bike. 35,000 people use the resort each year.

Discover the Valley of Humanity in the Dordogne, cycle through the Bordeaux vineyards, ride alongside the peaceful flow of the Canal de Garonne or follow the footsteps of the Landes tree tappers, just a short cycle-ride from the Ocean… 

Cycling gives you the chance to combine active leisure with sightseeing, at your own pace – or the pace of your leg-muscles – and to discover the natural and cultural riches of a region.

Practical: there are plenty of companies that hire out bicycles, mountain-bikes, or even tandems. There is also a whole host of accommodation for cyclists – campsites, chambres d’hôtes and hotels. The local tourist offices will give you all the information you require for your trip.

It is also worth knowing that the SNCF proposes a train + bike ticket. Your bike goes free or with a small charge depending on the train (TGV, Corail or TER), and is either dismantled or travels as it is: find out more in the train stations.

Symbolic: a must for cycling enthusiasts is the Notre-Dame Chapel for Cyclists in Géou, 2 km from Labastide d’Armagnac. All the great cyclists have left a jersey there as an offering.