Want to embark on a cycling adventure without being a pro?
You don’t need to have done the Tour de France to set off on an adventure.
Nor do you need the latest bike or calves of steel.
What you do need is the desire to move in a different way. To breathe. To discover.
At Evazio, we’ve been accompanying travelers who, like you perhaps, are hesitating to take the plunge, for over 15 years. They love the idea of bicycle travelThey like the idea of traveling by bike, but they’re afraid it’s too physical, too technical, or quite simply… unknown. And every time, it’s the same story: a few days of gentle pedaling, well-thought-out stages, and you find them transformed. Amazed at their own ease. Happy. Free.
Because you can’t improvise your first cycling trip. You have to choose. And it’s all about the itinerary. It needs to be flat, quiet, beautiful, safe, and on a human scale. And above all: you need time to adapt your cycling holiday cycling vacations in slow tourism mode. Time to stop and take a photo, enjoy an ice cream, watch the boats go by, or just take a breather.
That’s exactly what the 5 circuits we’ve selected for you offer. Smooth, accessible routes, tested by hundreds of beginners – and unanimously approved.
So yes, this is your first bike trip. But it certainly won’t be your last.
1. The call of the open sea: the islands of Charente-Maritime
Duration: 6 days
Difficulty: easy
Type: free-roaming
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The bike itinerary
Imagine an itinerary where every stage smells of iodine, sun-warmed pine and freshly baked Charente galettes. Welcome to Charente-Maritime, the perfect playground for your first cycling adventure, with your hair blowing in the wind and your senses alert.
You set off from La Rochelle, a charming seaside town, and very quickly, the bike becomes a natural travelling companion. Away from the stress of the car, you ride along the ocean, through salt marshes where stilts dance, through pine trees and colorful oyster huts.
And then there are the two stars of the circuit:
- The island of Réwith its white streets, hollyhocks and lively harbours.
- The island of Oleron, more natural, more raw, with beaches as far as the eye can see, unspoilt villages, and that perfume of freedom that floats everywhere.
What we particularly like:
- The ubiquitous dedicated cycle paths give you the freedom of choice, even for children and absolute beginners.
- Flexible, modular stages, with plenty of reasons to stop: a market, an oyster, a sunset over the ocean.
- The variety of atmospheres: forests, marshes, fishing villages, wild beaches… each day has its own palette.
It’s a cycling trip that exudes vacation, simple pleasure and disconnection.
We ride to discover, not to perform.
We take our time, and that’s what makes all the difference.
Who is this tour for?
- For couples looking for a sweet, iodized, romantic getaway
- For families with teenagers looking for a real moment of complicity
- For anyone who wants to take an active break… without hurting their legs.
2. The Canal du Midi: pure indulgence
Duration: 4 days
Difficulty: relax
Type: itinerant, accompanied or free-roaming
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The bike itinerary
If there’s one route we almost always recommend for a first cycling trip, it’s this one. And why is that? Because it has everything to reassure, seduce… and make you want to do it all over again.
The Canal du Midi is a myth. A monument of ingenuity, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But it’s also an incredibly benevolent fellow traveler. It never climbs, never puts pressure on you. It gently guides you between Toulouse and Carcassonne, two cities rich in history, gastronomy… and sunshine.
Follow the old towpath, now equipped for bicycles. In the shade of century-old plane trees, you move along with the water. The lapping of barges, the chirping of birds, the clatter of bicycles… and sometimes, a little stop in front of a lock to watch the boats go by. It’s almost meditative.
Which makes this course perfect for beginners:
- Zero stress: no cars, no big efforts, no surprises.
- Zero gradient: one of the flattest routes in France.
- Zero hassle: simple departure from Toulouse, equally easy return from Carcassonne, by train if necessary.
What we particularly like about Evazio:
- The atmosphere of the South: warm, gourmet, colorful.
- Well-calibrated steps to enjoy yourself without getting tired.
- Arriving in Carcassonne along the river banks, with the final climb to the medieval city that just takes your breath away. A suspended moment.
It’s an itinerary that invites you to slow down. To savor. To observe. You pedal, yes, but you also take the time to enjoy a (light…) cassoulet, stroll through a farmers’ market, or stop off at a canal-side guinguette.
Who is this tour for?
- For beginners who want their first ultra-restorative itinerary
- For lovers of heritage, landscapes and beautiful stones
- For epicureans who want to combine cycling, sunshine and the art of living in the South-West.
3. Bordeaux – Royan: the estuary as a common thread
Duration: 6 days
Difficulty: easy
Type: free-roaming
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The bike itinerary
Starting in the city, finishing facing the ocean, and in between: a ribbon of nature, vineyards and light. This itinerary between Bordeaux and Royan, is one of the most well-balanced we offer for a first cycling trip. Not too long, not too technical, but terribly rich.
We leave the sleepy city of Bordeaux via the quays, before leisurely skirting the Gironde estuary. To the right: the Médoc vineyards for wine tourists. Left: the changing reflections of the river. And everywhere, a peaceful, confidential atmosphere.
That’s what makes this route so enjoyable:
- It combines a diversity of landscapes (vineyards, marshes, cliffs, forests) with absolute calm.
- The stages are flexible, accessible even with a minimum of practice.
- The route avoids main roads and uses little-travelled tracks and small departmental roads.
- There are some real nuggets along the way: the citadel of Blaye, the oyster farming villages, the carrelets on stilts…
We also like the flowing rhythm of the route. Each day has its own atmosphere, its own gourmet or cultural stops. Enjoy a glass of local wine in Pauillac, picnic near a marsh, cross the estuary by ferry… And on the horizon, little by little, you can feel the ocean approaching.
The arrival at Royan, a retro-chic seaside resort, marks a real turning point: pine trees replace vineyards, the wind becomes saltier. And for the more curious, the journey can even continue – by taking the ferry to Charente-Maritime to explore the island of Oléron or Talmont-sur-Gironde.
Who is this tour for?
- For lovers of nature, history and good food
- For those who want a progressive, pressure-free but never monotonous bike trip
- Couples or solo travelers looking for a complete, gentle and accessible itinerary
It’s a premium version of a riverside trip: you go slowly, but each stage is a discovery. And that’s often what you’re looking for on a first bike trip: to gain confidence, but never get bored.
4. Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat: cycling vacations
Duration: 5 days
Difficulty: easy
Type: semi-itinerant holiday
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The bike itinerary
This tour is a concentrate of happiness by the ocean. The kind of bike trip where every morning you hesitate between a stroll in the pines, a swim in the basin, or an oyster tasting facing the port. And sometimes, you do all three.
Welcome to the Arcachon basin, the jewel of the Atlantic coast. Here, everything is designed for relaxed cycling: ultra-safe cycle paths, short stages, unspoilt nature and a delightfully relaxed way of life.
The bike itinerary takes you on a tour of the many facets of the basin:
- The charm of Arcachon, between winter town, seafront and Thiers pier
- The tranquility of oyster ports, such as Cap Ferret or Gujan-Mestras
- The enchanting Landes forest, through which we pass in silence
- And of course, the inevitable Dune du Pilat, which you can climb on foot only to come back down again… in awe!
Why it’s a great first bike trip:
- Alternate driving and lounging without pressure
- You can adapt the loops to suit the weather or your fatigue.
- The route is flat, the scenery magnificent, the atmosphere unique
This tour is not a classic loop. It’s a bit like an à la carte mobile vacation, with an eco-friendly, rejuvenating twist. We’re on the move, but never in a hurry. We breathe deeply. We indulge in simple pleasures, with our feet in the water and our hands on the handlebars.
And then there’s the light, the smell of sun-warmed pine, the colorful markets. It’s the South-West at its sweetest.
Who is this bike tour for?
- Families, of course – children welcome!
- Couples looking for a relaxing break in nature
- For groups of friends who want to discover a different way of life, away from the crowds and without stress
5. The Lot valley: vineyards and hilltop villages
Duration: 6 days
Difficulty: relax
Type: free-roaming
👉 See the trip
The bike itinerary
Looking for a change of scenery? Head inland, to the heart of the Quercy region, for a cycling getaway along one of France’s most beautiful rivers. Here, you’ll swap sea spray for vineyards, tides for dry-stone walls, and the Atlantic coast for some of the most enchanting villages in the South West. hiking in the South West.
The route starts in Cahors, famous for its Valentré bridge and its robust wine, then gently follows the Lot towards Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a medieval jewel perched on its cliff. And all along the way, the river accompanies you like an Ariadne’s thread, gentle, peaceful and reassuring.
Why does this tour appeal so much to beginners?
- The relief is gentle and even, ideal for building confidence
- We ride mostly on quiet country roads, away from the main roads.
- The atmosphere is authentic, warm and deeply human.
- We alternate vineyard landscapes, typical villages and gourmet stops.
It’s an itinerary that smacks of terroir, simplicity and the art of living. Each stage is an invitation to slow down: visit a farm, linger on a café terrace, taste a Rocamadour cheese, marvel at a panorama at the end of the day.
And then there’s the arrival at Saint-Cirq-Lapopieone of France’s most beautiful villages in France. Climb up, put the bikes down, have a drink overlooking the valley… and then you realize that there are places where time no longer matters.
Who is this tour for?
- For those who want a sincere journey, far from the noise and close to the heart
- For lovers of heritage, good food and genuine encounters
- To all those who want to rediscover France at handlebar height, in its most peaceful version
A first cycling trip in the Lot valley is a bit like a Proust’s madeleine on two wheels. You go there to try it out… you come back to feel it all over again.
Why leave with Evazio?
Because we’ve been in this business since 2006, and we know every bend in the road, every hotel, every good address. Because our team is human-sized, passionate and accessible. At Evazio, we don’t sell kilometers. We design experiences.
The last word
Embark on your first cycling tripis to dare to travel in a different way. Slower, closer, livelier. And often: happier.
So, ready to get on yours?
👉 Find all our easy tours here: https://www.evazio.com/voyage-a-velo/
👉 Need personalized advice? Contact us, we’ll be happy to guide you.
