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Cycling and barge touring in France's Seine Valley is the ideal way to explore a region rich in royal history. From the lights of Paris to the medieval towns of Ferrieres and Chateau-Landon, you'll experience a diverse range of sights during this cycling tour. The Fontainebleau Chateau, with its perfectly symmetrical Royal Gardens which the French kings had their royal architects design for them, reflects the region's regal past. Cycling along the river in the company of your expert guide, through woodlands and small villages, ensures you'll gain a unique insight into this region.
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101kg of CO2-e PP per day
(705kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)
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Day 1
Embarkation in Paris early afternoon, cruise to Évry
Arrive in Paris and board your comfortable barge from 1:00pm, ready to begin your journey through the waterways of France. Luggage can be dropped on board from 11:00am. Meet your guide and crew during a welcome briefing before the barge departs Paris, cruising upstream along the Seine to Évry, where you’ll moor for the night. We recommend arriving in Paris a day or two before the trip begins, giving you time to explore the French capital and its celebrated landmarks, neighbourhoods and café culture at your own pace.
Meals: D
Day 2
Morning cruise and cycle along the Seine, continue by bike to Melun (30km / 19mi)
After breakfast, hop on your bike at the lock in Évry and follow the river south, cycling through an increasingly peaceful landscape. Pause in Corbeil-Essonnes to wander through its lively French market, before continue along quiet roads and riverside trails towards historic Melun. Set on the banks of the Seine, the town was once known as le domaine des reines blanches – the domain traditionally associated with the widows of French kings – adding a touch of royal history to the end of today's ride.
Meals: B,L,D
Day 3
Cycle through the forests and visit the Chateau of Fontainebleau (40km / 25mi)
Today's ride takes you into the magnificent Forest of Fontainebleau, where leafy trails and quiet roads wind beneath a canopy of ancient trees. Your first stop is Barbizon, a picturesque village that became a haven for artists in the 19th century. The landscape painters of the renowned Barbizon School drew inspiration from the surrounding countryside, and you can discover more about their work at the local museum. Continue through the forest to the impressive Château de Fontainebleau, a favourite residence of French monarchs for centuries and home to lavish rooms, grand courtyards and a museum dedicated to Napoleon. There’s time to soak up the atmosphere of Fontainebleau itself before cycling onwards to Moret-sur-Loing. With its medieval gateways, stone bridges and historic buildings lining the tranquil Loing River, this charming fortified town feels like a scene from a painting – fittingly, it was a favourite subject of Impressionist artist Alfred Sisley. Rejoin your barge here for the evening.
Day 4
Cycle in the Loing Valley en route to Nemours (38 or 49km / 23 or 31mi)
Follow the picturesque Loing Valley, cycling beside tranquil waterways and through a landscape that has long inspired artists. Pass through Grez-sur-Loing, a delightful riverside village that attracted an international community of painters and writers, before continuing to Bourron-Marlotte. Here, the town hall houses a small collection of impressive works by artists associated with the area. Continue through the peaceful countryside to Nemours, an historic town with roots stretching back to Gallo-Roman times. Dominating the centre is the imposing 12th-century Château de Nemours, now home to a museum. Rejoin your barge and settle in after another rewarding day in the saddle.
Day 5
Morning cruise, bike through woods to Neronville (35 or 45km / 22 or 27mi)
Enjoy breakfast on board as the barge cruises through the peaceful French countryside before setting out on today’s ride. Cycle through a varied landscape of shady woodland and striking rocky outcrops, making your way to the Jardin Bourdelle. This sculpture garden features more than 50 monumental bronze works by celebrated French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, beautifully displayed among the trees and gardens. Continue to Egréville, a characterful village that has served as an important regional trading centre for centuries, renowned for its traditional markets and fairs. From here, pedal deeper into the rural countryside, passing quiet villages and farmland on the way to Néronville, your destination for the day.
Day 6
Visit the Abbey of St Severin and continue to Montargis (31 or 55km / 19 or 34mi)
Today’s ride begins with a visit to picturesque Château-Landon, dramatically positioned above the surrounding countryside. Explore its narrow lanes, historic ramparts and traditional wash houses, with the impressive 13th-century Abbey of Saint-Séverin adding to the town’s medieval character. Continue through the countryside to Ferrières-en-Gâtinais, a beautifully preserved medieval town where atmospheric streets lead to its historic abbey. From here, pedal onwards to Montargis, a lively town criss-crossed by canals and waterways. Often nicknamed the ‘Venice of the Gâtinais’, its flower-lined canals, pretty bridges and historic streets provide a charming end to your cycling day. Dinner is not included this evening, leaving you free to choose one of Montargis’ local restaurants and enjoy at leisure.
Meals: B,L
Day 7
Explore Montargis and surrounds by bike (45km / 28mi)
Set out from Montargis for a scenic ride through the peaceful Ouanne Valley, following the river through rolling countryside and quiet rural villages to Château-Renard. Here, discover the ruins of a 10th-century castle overlooking the town before visiting the Living Beekeeping Museum. Learn about the fascinating world of bees and traditional beekeeping, see the hives in action and enjoy a taste of locally produced honey. Afterwards, cycle back through the countryside to Montargis and rejoin your barge.
Day 8
Trip concludes
The tour ends after breakfast. Disembarkation in Montargis by 9:30am.
Meals: B
Embarkation in Montargis mid-afternoon, evening walk to explore the town
Arrive at the barge in Montargis, with embarkation at 2:00pm (you can leave your luggage on board from 11.00 am). There will be a welcome briefing with your guide and an introduction to the crew, followed by a bike fitting and short test ride. After dinner you can join your tour leader for a walk through Montargis, the second-largest town of the Loiret region after Orléans. Unfortunately this former royal residence was destroyed by a big fire in the 16th century, but the canals are still here. They are decorated with flowers and give the town a lot of charm.
Explore Montargis and surrounds by bike (45km/28mi)
From Montargis we bike along the l’Ouanne to Château-Renard, where we can visit the ruins of a castle from the 10th century. We will also visit an Apiculture’s Living Museum. Here you can see beekeepers and their bees at work, and sample some delicious honey. Return to the barge in Montargis.
Cruise to the lock of Cepoy, cycle to Neronville (39 or 46km/24 or 28mi)
Today we cruise to the lock of Cepoy during breakfast. We then start cycling, heading north east out of town through the beautiful forests of Montargis. We ride to the medieval town of Ferrieres, with its beautifully preserved old town centre. In the middle of the narrow streets there is a splendid monastery. Afterwards we continue to Egréville, where we will visit the sculpture garden of Bourdelle. Our destination is the rural town of Néronville.
Visit the Abbey of St Severin, continue to Nemours (29 or 43km/18 or 26mi)
Our route today is through an old area, cultivated during the Gallo-Roman era. Our first stop is the old Gallic stronghold of Château-Landon, a beautifully situated fortified town. Its Abbey of St Severin dates from the 13th century. Later on we find the rocks of Nemours on our way, and meet the boat in Nemours. The castle, erected around 1120, is now a prehistoric museum of the Ile-de-France region.
Cycle in the Loing Valley en route to Moret-sur-Loing (32 or 43km/19 or 26mi)
Today we stay in the valley of the Loing and visit Grez-sur-Loing, where many artists lived in the early 20th century. We continue cycling to Bourron-Marlotte where we can admire a few magnificent Impressionist paintings in the town hall. We stay overnight in Moret-sur-Loing, a charming medieval fortified town strategically situated on the banks of the Loing. The painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful Impressionist paintings here.
Cycle through the forests and visit the Chateau of Fointainbleau (40km/25mi)
Today we cycle through the wonderful forests of Fontainebleau. Our first destination is the city of Fontainebleau, with its palace, which was much in favour among the French kings due to the extensive hunting grounds in the surrounding forests. In the castle itself there is a museum dedicated to Napoleon, among other things. Fontainebleau is also a pleasant town to explore. We continue to the artistic village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters have found inspiration. At that time, a group of landscape painters formed the Barbizon School, and here we can visit the local museum. Today's destination is the town of Melun, known as ‘le domaine des reines blanches’, because in former years it was the domain of the widows of the French kings. Dinner is at leisure, with an opportunity to sample one of the local restaurants in town.
Cycle along the Seine river, then cruise to Paris (31km/19mi)
This morning there is a short bike ride, following the river banks of the Seine to the lock of Evry. We are nearing Paris so you can expect more traffic. In Evry we board the boat and cruise into Paris, with lunch on board. The boat will moor in the centre of Paris, handy for sightseeing. After dinner you can join the tour leader for a city walk.
Trip concludes in Paris
Your tour ends after breakfast with disembarkation by 9:30am.
What's included
What's not included
Cabins
On the lower deck the Fleur has 10 comfortable guest cabins with 2 separate beds. Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. Also the cabins have central heating and air-conditioning. In each cabin you will find a small safe and hair dryer.
This is an e-bike trip. Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are designed to make cycling easier. The pedaling ‘boost’ provided by an e-bike opens up more options, allowing people of different fitness levels to cycle together or for cyclists to take on routes they may otherwise consider too tough for their current fitness capabilities. Please note that e-bikes are heavier than normal bikes and given the higher speed possible should only be ridden by confident cyclists. The e-bikes have a unisex (low bar) frame and a comfortable upright sitting position. Helmet rental is included.
GRADE 3 - Daily cycling distances from 29km / 18.2mi to 49km / 30.6mi along usually well graded low traffic roads. There are some short stretches on some busier roads and off-road bike paths. The cycling is generally along virtually flat terrain, with about 4 hours of cycling each day. The accent is on keeping a relaxed pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos. Electric bikes ensure the cycling is comfortable for less physical cyclists - however it is still essential that you are comfortable cycling on roads and in light traffic in variable weather conditions. A good level of fitness and cycling experience is recommended to fully participate in this trip.
Per Person, Twin Share
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
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