Dordogne & Vezere - 10 Night - Aggressive

Our longest, most challenging bicycle tour of Dordogne creates the greatest opportunity to thoroughly explore the region.  With the option to pedal 60-80km nearly every day, the stunning backdrop of the Vezere and Dordogne river valleys can be experienced completely and thoroughly enjoyed.

Wonderful cycling roads, beautiful countryside and 40,000 years of history make Dordogne the perfect arena for an unforgettable cycling vacation.  It is a well-kept secret among the French.  Our 10-night aggressive tour offers optional excursions to the Lot region, where you will visit Rocamadour, St. Cirq-Lapopie, and Cahors wine regions as well as Mercues.  Accommodations will find you in small, family hotels that serve delicious breakfasts, which, in addition to five gourmet dinners, are included in the price. See full itinerary below. CLICK HERE to learn more about all of our Dordogne bike tours.

Dates: Your pick! We offer tours in the Dordogne as early as March and as late as October and into November.
Length: 11 days, 10 nights
Service: Supported, Private, “Self Guided” tour. For more about how our Self Guided tours work CLICK HERE.
Type of riding: Rolling to flat terrain with some climbs.
Bikes suggested: Road bikes, e-bikes, or hybrids
Average daily riding: 60km
Start city: Les Eyzies
Finish city: Les Eyzies
Suggested transport: Train from anywhere.

We work with only local guides, cooperating with those that have a love for cycling, and a desire to show guests the beauty of the land they call home. On our self guided tours we do not bring in guides from other destination to work with you. Having the local perspective only enhances your experience, providing insider knowledge and opportunities that only a local resident can offer.

From greeting guests when they arrive, to personally handling luggage transfers, to curating excursions, to problem-solving (e.g., flat tires and other unforeseen issues) our concierges assist guests daily. They also set you up on your rental bikes, and can help with routing and simple questions. Need help finding a good lunch spot? Is it raining too hard or you’re too tired to continue? The concierge is a phone call away and are there to help you! Each tour group works with a single, dedicated concierge who can be called upon for in-person assistance at any time.

We generally target 3 and 4-star hotels, which we hand select to maximize comfort while minimizing cost. The star rating is using a French rating system, which has proven to be the standard around the world. Therefore we use the same standards in France and beyond.

Over the years we have developed relationships with many amazing 3 and 4-star properties that distinguish themselves as providing much more than their rating suggests. We have loved getting to know these hotels and sharing them with our guests. For tour groups wishing to upgrade their accommodations, we can provide custom pricing for four and five-star hotels, pending availability. Below are an example of some of our favorite hotels in the region that we target using on our tours, pending availability.

Location Hotel Photo
Les Eyzies Hotel Cro Magnon  
La Roque Gageac Hotel Belle Etoile  
Meyronne Hotel La Terrasse  
Saint-Cirq LaPopie Auberge du Sombral  

 

All bikes come with helmet, repair kit, pump (or CO2 cartridges), lock, and water bottles. During the registration process, you will be asked for sizing specifics to ensure we have the correct sized bike waiting for you. We can supply a number of styles of pedals – please ask if you don’t see the pedal type you’re looking for on the registration form.

Road Bikes: Our rental road bikes are a racing style with drop handlebars.

  • Type – Road
  • Sizes – 47cm, 50cm, 53cm, 56cm, 58cm, 60cm, 62cm
  • Components – Aluminum frame with midrange of Shimano components. Triple or compact chainrings.

Dordogne Road bike

 

 

 

 

 

Hybrid Bikes: Our rental hybrid bikes are a relaxed style with flat handlebars.

Dordogne Hybrid Bicycle

 

 

 

  • Type – Hybrid
  • Sizes – 46, 50, 54 with sizing for all sizes.
  • Components – Mixture of Shimano road and mountain components with either triple cranksets.

 

eBikes: These semi-powered bikes allow for non-riders to share the experience with their friends and family who are stronger cyclists.

Dordogne eBike

 

 

 

 

  • Type – eBike
  • Sizes – S, M, L
  • Components – Mixture of Shimano Acera and Deore.

 

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

  • All hotel accommodations – mostly 3 and 4 star but ask for custom accommodation requests.
  • An OBT cycling jersey!
  • Detailed route notes, maps, and tourist information. This includes standard cue sheet, and GPS courses to upload to your own GPS device.
  • Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel.
  • Meals as explained in the tour itinerary pages. Usually this means all breakfasts, no lunches, and some dinners.
  • Access to your personal guide/concierge (See Guides/Concierge tab).

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

  • Transportation to start location and from finish location.
  • Bikes, but we have rental bikes available.
  • Travel and Health Insurance.
  • Admission to sightseeing venues, unless explicitly mentioned as included.
Available to rent for $150 per unit per tour. These easy to use GPS units provide an excellent worry-free routing method that you can depend on throughout your tour.

If you choose to rent we will have the until ready for use with the routes pre-loaded onto the unit. All you have to do is start the daily route at the beginning of your riding day, and follow the highlighted line! We will also provide instructions that you can reference when needed. As a backup and supplement to the GPS, we will also provide a local map as well as routing instructions.

garmin edge touring screens

Tour Cost Per Person:

  • Double Occupancy: US$3,145
  • Single Occupancy: US$3,745 (for single room occupancy on multiple person tours)
  • Solo Tour: Please contact us

Bike Rental Per Person:

  • Road Bike: US$480
  • eBike: US$480
  • Hybrid: US$295
What’s Next? Registering for your tour!

Questions: First, please feel free to ask us any questions about the tour. We are happy to help clarify any details.

Registration: Once you are ready to register please go to https://outfittertours.com/registration/ and complete the registration form. EACH tour participant will need to complete the form. At the end of the registration for you will be asked for a US$800 deposit. You can pay the deposit by bank check, wire, or credit card. Once we have all registrations we will secure all of the details of your tour – hotels, bikes, etc.

Final Payment: 60 days prior to your tour we will invoice you for the balance of the tour.

Tour Packet Delivery: Once the balance is paid and approximately 30 days before your tour we will send you a complete tour packet containing all details of your tour – accommodation information, detailed routing, a suggested packing list, maps, tourist guide, and much much more!

For more information on our Terms & Conditions please CLICK HERE.

Daily Itinerary:

Day 1:  Les Eyzies Arrival

Welcome to the pre-history capital of France, Les Eyzies! We will meet you at the train station and, depending on the time of your arrival, assemble your bicycle or take you to be fitted for your rental.  Hear a short orientation and take an afternoon warm-up loop if you are eager to be in the saddle, or visit historical sites by foot if you want to stretch your legs.  When you are ready, we will take you to your spectacular historic hotel—one built into the side of the cliffs next to where the Cro-Magnon man remains were discovered.  Settle in for three nights.

Day 2:  Le Bugue Market & Vezere Loop Ride – 20km to 80km

Depart early to catch a local street market in Le Bugue, 10km down the Vezere River from your hotel.  It is an excellent market and a great way to adjust yourself to the local way of life.  After visiting the market, return to Les Eyzies for the day or take a beautiful loop ride that begins with a pedal down to where the Dordogne and Vezere Rivers meet and which can be enhanced by a ride up into the hills.  Distance may range from 20 to 80km, depending on your choice.  Dinner is on your own tonight, with many delicious options in town.

Day 3:  Montingnac Loop – 20km to 80km

Today you follow the Vezere northeast to Montignac with several great pre-history sites along the way: Site Madeleine, Le Roque St. Christophe, and also the lovely Chateau de Losse.  The day’s loop ride is can be customized to distances of 20-80km, with moderate to very challenging climbs.  We recommend the town of St. Leon for a picnic or cafe lunch before continuing to Montignac.  Explore at your leisure before returning to Les Eyzies for dinner on your own.

Day 4:  Les Eyzies to Meyronne

A long ride will take you over the ridge from the Vezere River to the Dordogne and up the Dordogne River Valley.  Pedal past countless old chateaux and through beautiful villages such as La Roque Gageac, Carsac, St. Julien de Lampon, and Souillac.  You will fully pass through the Dordogne district and into the Lot district before you arrive in Meyronne. Your hotel is on a bluff overlooking the river and boasts outstanding food.  Dinner is at the hotel—settle in for two nights.

Day 5:  Rocamadour, Gouffre de Padirac, Carrenac Loop Ride – 80km

This is a beautiful sightseeing day with two very different destinations: Gouffre de Padirac and Rocamadour.  The Gouffre is a 100 meter deep hole in the ground which leads to caverns formed by an underground river that is navigable by boat.  Rocamadour is a famous stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.   A 30km ride with a lot of climbing awaits you if you choose Rocamadour alone.  Add another 24k if you go to the Gouffre as well.  There is a beautiful ride option to return to the hotel via the upper Dordogne Valley.  This will make it a 80+ km day, with a number of short climbs. You are on your own for dinner tonight in the village of St. Sozy across the river or again at your hotel.

Day 6:  Meyronne to St. Cirq-Lapopie – 70km

We are moving to the Lot River Valley today with several exciting options.  There is a challenging and beautiful 70km route over remote countryside.  Or, ride 10km up to the train to Figeac, and ride the train to a starting point of an amazing 50 km downhill ride along the Cele River Valley to the Lot River. From there it is another 6km farther to St. Cirq-Lapopie, including a final 2km steep hill into town.  St. Cirq-Lapopie is another village on the cliffs and a pilgrimage stop on the Santaigo de Compostela route.  It is extremely picturesque, which partially explains why it is an artist colony.   Dinner is included at our small family run hotel in the heart of the village tonight.

Day 7:  St. Cirq-LaPopie to Mercues – 50km to 100km

Start your day with a visit to one of the most interesting pre-history sites anywhere: Grotte du PechMerle.  Next, descend into the Lot River Valley to the wonderful wine town of Cahors.  After lunch and exploration, pedal through the famous Cahors vineyards before heading to your hotel, a country Chambre d’Hotel with excellent rooms and food.  Today’s distance could be as short as 50 km for Cahors alone, another 14 if you do Pech Merle, and up to an additional 50 km if you explore more of the wine country along the Lot River before going to the Inn.  Dinner is included tonight.

Day 8: Mercues to La Roque-Gageac – 65km

It is a beautiful ride from the Lot Valley to the Dordogne Valley, with a route that takes you over two ridges and along the Ceou River.  Enter the Valley through the town of Domme, which sits high above the river with a magnificent view of the valley below.  Make your descent to the river and find our lovely hotel right on the banks of the Dordogne in the amazing town of La Roque-Gageac.  Total distance is 65 km with several options for additional mileage.  Settle in for 2 nights.  Dinner is included tonight.

Day 9:  Castelnaud, Les Milandes & Beynac

If you like a completely flat ride, today is your day.  You will first visit the old fortress chateau of Castelnaud and explore its siege weapons collection.  Next is Chateau Les Milandes, the former home of American entertainer Josephine Baker.   A hilly option is available if you crave a climb (2 steep kilometers will find you on the cliffs of Domme).  Then on to Chateau Beynac, high on the cliffs overlooking the valley.  You can also canoe on the Dordogne or take a guided tour by boat. Or, you can just hang out in this lovely town – one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France (designated as one of Frances most beautiful villages).  Dinner is on your own in the village tonight.

Day 10:  La Roque-Gageac to Les Eyzies via Sarlat Market -33km and up

You depart early for Sarlat and the street market, the region’s largest and finest.  Sarlat also has many fine shops, with better prices than Paris.  We suggest lunch at the market, then a short (or long) ride to Les Eyzies.  It day can be as short as 33 km, or as long as you want, remembering you may need to pack up your bike this evening in preparation for tomorrow’s departure.  Alternatively, visit another site like Font de Gaume in Les Eyzies.  Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 11:  Les Eyzies departure

Sleep late, have a leisurely breakfast, and enjoy your final morning in Les Eyzies.  We will collect your bike if you rented one, and help transfer your luggage to the depot, before bidding you farewell!

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