{"id":3175,"date":"2012-01-29T20:10:33","date_gmt":"2012-01-30T01:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/?p=3175"},"modified":"2016-12-28T10:42:58","modified_gmt":"2016-12-28T15:42:58","slug":"top-5-reasons-to-cycle-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2012\/01\/top-5-reasons-to-cycle-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Reasons to Cycle France"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest author Maggie LaCoste is a France aficionado. \u00a0Read any further and you risk dropping everything to set off on a tour of one of the world’s most popular cycling destinations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you think of French cycling, most of us think of Le Tour, the Alpe d\u2019Huez, Mont Ventoux, Lance Armstrong, and lots of spandex.<\/p>\n

But did you know that France is now one of the top destinations for recreational cycling? \u00a0Without question, there are other great places to bike, but France has the perfect combination of qualities that make it a perfect choice for cyclists of every age and skill level.<\/p>\n

Granted other countries have great food, wine, cycling and markets. \u00a0But France has a perfect blend of these top features that consistently place it at the top my list of perfect cycling destinations.<\/p>\n

So if you are contemplating your first cycling trip to Europe, are looking to add a weekend cycling adventure to your French vacation, or are just looking for a new way to experience Europe through the back door, take a look at my top 5 reasons to choose France for your next cycling vacation!<\/p>\n

#1\u2013French Food<\/strong><\/p>\n

From escargot in the Loire to Cassoulet along the Canal du Midi, to Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon in Burgundy, to seafood, crepes and galettes in Brittany and the Atlantic Coast, France is a food lover\u2019s paradise! \u00a0Sweets like gateau au noix, creme brulee, tarte tartin, souffles, canneles and light-as-air macaroons make all the hard work on your bike worthwhile.<\/p>\n

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How can you possibly choose?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Then there is French cheese: \u00a0where else in the world would you find cheeses that actually have AOC status similar to wine? \u00a0France has 42 cheeses with AOC status, a quality label granted by the government, designating cheese from a particular area of France.<\/p>\n

From Epoisses in Burgundy, rumored to have been Napoleon\u2019s favorite cheese, to Valencay and Saint Maure in the Loire, to hundreds of goat cheeses and cow\u2019s milk cheeses, France is a playground for cheese lovers.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your budget, regardless of whether you prefer hard or soft, strong or gooey, you will never run out of cheese options in France. \u00a0With ham or salmon for breakfast, with bread and apricot jam and cold cuts for lunch or as a pre-dessert course at dinner, a meal without cheese in France is like a day without sunshine.<\/p>\n

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The goat cheese family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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And how could you forget French bread? \u00a0Thick crusted pain de campagne, whole grain pain aux cereales, sourdough pain au levain, baguettes in every size,\u00a0croissant as light as air. \u00a0Bread in France is an institution in and of itself.<\/p>\n

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#2\u2013French Wine<\/strong><\/p>\n

No matter where you go in France and no matter what your budget, you will always have an incredible variety of local wines to choose from. \u00a0Whether biking in Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Cotes du Rhone, the Loire, Provence or Champagne, just stop into the local grocery store and pick up a bottle to go with your picnic lunch or dinner.<\/p>\n

Throughout the French countryside, you can buy local wines from 2 Euros in the local grocery. \u00a0All but the most posh restaurants feature several local wines by the half bottle or carafe, usually for less than the cost of a Coke.<\/p>\n

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Local Loire Wine for 2.40 Euro.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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#3\u2013The French Market<\/strong><\/p>\n

French markets are a 4th of July for the senses: \u00a0the\u00a0brilliant colors of flowers and fresh produce, the intoxicating smell of lavender and fresh herbs, samples of cheese, foie gras and local delicacies all\u00a0make market days a highlight of any trip to France.<\/p>\n

A trip to the local market is an opportunity to experience French life up close and personal, to find new adventures around every corner. From early morning set up, to shopping for the perfect ingredients for a picnic lunch or dinner, to simple people-watching, local markets are one of my favorite French experiences. \u00a0Local market days are one of the first things that I put on my calendar when I plan a bike trip.<\/p>\n

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Specials of the day in Amboise.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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#4\u2013The French Picnic Lunch<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are few things I love more about France than the picnic lunch. \u00a0Sometime\u00a0between noon and 1:00, the work day comes to a halt as people rush home, to their favorite restaurant, to the closest picnic table or to any available bench to enjoy lunch with family and friends.<\/p>\n

Everything about the picnic lunch is fun; \u00a0planning and buying supplies for the lunch are almost as much fun as eating it. \u00a0There is something so comforting, old-fashioned and\u00a0deliberate about the picnic lunch. \u00a0There is no rush. \u00a0It is a time for story-telling, sharing thoughts, discussing politics, and for cyclists, for meeting new friends. \u00a0It is the antithesis to the lunch on-the-go that is so common here in the U.S. \u00a0The picnic lunch is one of my favorite parts of the day when I am in France, and it is one of the things that I miss the most when I leave.<\/p>\n

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A Picnic in the Vineyards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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#5\u2013A safe cycling environment<\/strong><\/p>\n

While French bicycling is perhaps best known for the grueling annual battle of the Tour de France, over the last 10 years, it has also become paradise for the recreational cyclist.<\/p>\n

So regardless of whether you are young or old, traveling solo or with kids, even if you have never taken a cycling vacation before, France is the perfect place for a safe cycling adventure\u2013no spandex required!<\/p>\n

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