A lovely summer’s day in Alsace, France. You’re gliding downhill with the wind in your hair (or, in my case, over my scalp). Vineyards fly by and you spot a picturesque medieval village, perfect for a pit stop. Over the wind, you hear birds chirping and wave to other cyclists going past. You sit up straighter in the saddle and let go of the handlebars...
I’m a latecomer to cycling holidays, having resisted them for many years. Why would I want to go on holiday to exert myself? Eventually, in a moment of weakness, I agreed to one. Now, I’m a convert and proselytise that cycling holidays are the bomb.
What I love about these holidays is the sense of freedom and impending exploration. Plus, the view from the saddle is unparalleled (in my opinion). Coasting along, you might have a vague sense of destination, but you never know what you’ll find.
In the Loire Valley (Central France) a couple of summers ago, hot, tired, a little lost and slightly irritable, I stumbled, completely by chance, upon a modest café in a negligible village, off the bike path. The owner was a fabulous baker and her brother was the local butcher. The result: one of the most delectable meals I’ve ever had in my life, in disarmingly charming, hospitable surroundings.
- The Colchagua Valley, Chile: Between the Pacific and the Andes. Home to some of the best wines, rolling hills, colonial haciendas and bucolic countryside.
- Yabakei Gorge, Kyushu, Japan: Abandoned railway tracks, Edo-era rock tunnels, maple trees and old iron bridges. Quintessential Japan.
- Bastia, Corsica: Cerulean seas, pine forests and a route that is part of the Tour de France. Classic!
- Otago Peninsula, New Zealand: Rugged coastline, lush, volcanic landscape, marine mammals and oceanic birds. Stunning!
- National Highway 1, Vietnam: Iconic road running the length of the country. Sandy beaches, imperial cities, rural hamlets.
All my cycling trips thus far have been in Europe, and I think that the continent has in store the perfect cycling holiday for everyone. Italy and France are perhaps the best countries to go cycling in. Both are cycling mad, which ensures they’re littered with lovely paths away from traffic, as well as picnic spots, cafés, pubs and inns at regular intervals.
Renting bikes is child’s play, and most towns and villages have shops that rent them by the hour, or longer. They offer great amenities, whether you want to do 10 kilometres a day, or 100.
Avid cyclists Rosalind Ghosh and Stephen Richards say their most memorable cycling trip was in windswept northern Cyprus. They arrived a little worried about the political situation, but it turned into one of the best holidays they’ve ever had.
Follow the map
“We were given cycles and a map and off we went. Our bags were waiting for us at the daily pit stops, along with a hot shower, food and drink, and a comfortable bed,” Stephen reminisces. But, the best thing about a holiday like this, says Rosalind, is: “You feel like you’re being virtuous, so you can eat whatever you want — guilt free!”
Cycling is as much about adventure as it is about leisure. And nowhere typifies this better than Italy. Liguria has one of the loveliest paths I have ever ridden — the Pista Ciclabile del Ponente Ligure. Built on an old railway track, the 24-kilometre path takes you through stunning seaside scenery, atmospheric tunnels and charming Riviera towns. I spent a day riding from end to end; pausing to lounge on the beach at Riva Ligure; wandering through the old city of San Remo and finishing with a fabulous pizza at San Lorenzo al Mare. Cycle rental gazebos along the trail make renting a cycle as easy as falling off a bike. You can even rent a bicycle built for four, shaped like an old jalopy! Perfect for a family day out.
Kamna Muralidharan and Dhruv Menon, and their two young daughters, enjoy doing outdoorsy things together. Muralidharan loves cycling holidays because: “It’s a great way to spend quality time with the children, keep them active and explore new places at the same time.” For Menon: “The perspective you get, whether its cycling along the coast with your family, or with 100,000 others for RideLondon.”
Ultimately, a cycling holiday is about doing what you enjoy, at a pace you choose. It’s all about that feeling of unlimited possibility as you get on your bike and set off.
