Provence - cycling

Good quality bikes are available for hire. If you would like to join our cycle rides, please note that we ask everyone to wear a helmet. 

We will follow a range of carefully selected routes, which gradually increase in length from around 20 miles on the first day to around 45 miles on the last day. All the rides are of course optional but by increasing the length of the rides through the week, the groups build up their fitness and you may well be surprised to find how far you can cycle! 

There are also options at certain points to extend or shorten the distance. For example, on one of the rides you can either stop to explore St Remy, where Van Gogh painted some of his most famous pictures, or challenge yourself by riding up Les Baux de Provence with the reward of excellent views at the top. 

The jewel of Provence is the fortified city of Avignon on the banks of the River Rhône, with its castle, Pope’s Palace, and hillside gardens. We stay on a campsite which is within sight of the famous bridge (‘Pont d’Avignon’).

From this base we can cruise by bike through the outstanding scenic beauty of Provence to a different location each time for our lunchtime stop.

Orange, for example, is an historic town containing an ancient Roman theatre where world-famous concerts are held. Another lunchtime stop is the Pont du Gard, with its famous aqueduct and the option of canoeing on the river.

At the campsite, we provide the tents and you can bring whatever makes you comfortable for sleeping, such as an airbed (for more information about what to bring, please see the summer section of our FAQs). We generally allocate two people per tent but they are large enough to sleep three people if you would prefer. 

After a day’s cycling we return to our campsite for an energising meal prepared by the Oak Hall team, as well as a Bible talk that is always a highlight. We can then relax and share stories of the day’s cycling or take part in games and activities.