Provence - Alpilles and Luberon

Your cycling adventure starts in Avignon, 2h 45 min by fast train from Paris or 1 hour from Marseille airport. Known for its beauty and rich history, we recommend taking the afternoon to stroll the walled city, among cosy alleys and pretty bridges. Highlights include the Place du Palais, Place de L’Horloge and the famous Le Pont Saint-Benezet bridge over the Rhone River. There are also plenty of museums to visit and many cafés and restaurants with great food and drink.
Tomorrow the journey really begins!

Today you will cycle between the Durance and Rhône rivers, through a mosaic of orchards and cypress trees. You will cycle into the picturesque town of Barbentane before climbing the small mountain of ‘Montagnette’ with sweeping views across the plains and the scent of pine forest and aromatic herbs. At the back of Montagnette you will find the abbey of St Michel de Frigolet, built over eight centuries, with architecture ranging from Romanesque to neo-Gothic. You’ll finally cycle through the charming villages of Graveson and Maillane before reaching Saint Rémy de Provence, an artist’s town where Van Gogh spent the last years of his life.
35 km +250m / 200m

Today you can either relax and explore Saint Remy or take a tour through the countryside and visit Les Baux de Provence. When you leave St Remy, you can stop at Saint Paul de Mausole, where Van Gogh spent the last year of his life and did some of his best work. Adjacent to the abbey is Glanum, a Roman archaeological site with massive limestone ruins, with a 2000-year history. You then continue along the winding roads of the Alpilles mountains, among pine trees and wild flowers until you reach Les Baux de Provence, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. A town on top of a cliff surrounded by the ruins of castles. Take time to explore Les Baux, its castle and Les Carrieres de Lumieres, which is an old quarry that has been transformed and displays various works of art on huge stone walls. From here you will return to St Rémy.
42 km +400m/ 400m

Today you cycle along the Alpilles massif to the Luberon. Your first stop is Eygalières, surrounded by vast olive groves and beautiful stone houses. Cycle up the hill to the ruined castle where you’ll be greeted by magnificent views. Continue on through farmland and endless orchards until you cross the Durance River and arrive in the bustling town of Cavaillon, famous for its delicious melons. It’s full of restaurants, cafés and shops selling locally grown fruit and vegetables. Just outside the town, there’s a spot shaded by a centuries-old plane tree, perfect for a picnic. Continue to Isle sur la Sorgue, also known as the Venice of Provence, with its many water wheels and canals. This small town is completely surrounded by the clear-green waters of the Sorgue River. Here you will stay for the next two nights. Explore the antique shops that line the quays and settle into one of the many waterside cafés.
42 km + 130m/ 140m

‘Wow’ is probably the best way to summarise today’s bike ride: Today’s bike ride is full of beautiful views and wonderful medieval villages. You start the day with a fairly steep hill and once up you are greeted by the beautiful villages of Gordes and Roussillon. After visiting both Gordes and Roussillon, there are two options: the easiest of the two is returning to l’Isle sur la Sorgue via a pleasant and peaceful cycle path along an old railway line. The second option is a route via the villages of Bonnieux, Lacoste, Ménerbes and Oppède le Vieux, all spectacular in their own right.
The day offers several alternative cycle routes:
Option 2: Isle sur la Sorgue – Gordes – Roussillon – Bonnieux – Lacoste -> Oppède – Isle sur la Sorgue: 75km +/-1000m
Option 3 : Isle sur la Sorgue – Fontaine de Vaucluse – Lagnes – Isle sur la Sorgue: 22 km +/-230 m
Option 4: Isle – Pernes les Fontaines – Venasque – Isle sur la Sorgue: 40km +/-650m

We at EverTrek hope you have had a great trip!
We hope to see you again.