Bike to the Sea and See Cassis, Provence

Cassis is a small and colorful jewel of the Mediterranean and one of the last working fishing ports. Quiet and peace reign - this place hasn’t surrendered to time or progress or the pressure of hectic modern lives. It’s truly an extraordinary visual feast, which you will reach after 7 days of blissful cycling after setting out from Avignon.

The route to get there is no less exceptional! Imagine riding by the scenic “Sainte Baume” mountain shrouded with mysteries, lively Aix-en-Provence and its fascinating “Sainte-Victoire” mountain (so well captured by Cezanne), and the Alpilles region (home of Van Gogh during his most productive years). Once you’ve experienced these gems, it’ll be no wonder why so many sound-minded people have been inspired to suddenly quit their office jobs and settle in this amazing region!

Day 1: Arrival in Avignon
Arrive in Avignon at the time of your choice. After checking-in, take advantage of the central location of your hotel to stroll through this magnificent city and discover some of its treasures. If time allows, visit the Palace of the Popes, which also houses temporary exhibits and events. Later that day, you will meet our local representative who will give you all the necessary documents and go over the next few days’ itinerary.

Day 2: Avignon to Mouries (or Maussane) – 50 km or 32 miles
After breakfast, make sure to leave your luggage at reception to be picked up and transported to your next hotel later that day (do this every time you change hotels). Your detailed itinerary will then take you south through orchards and farmlands, before reaching the scenic and artist-inspiring Alpilles mountain range. This beautiful setting has been enticing people since Roman times, and the many ancient remnants in this part of Provence testify to that remarkable heritage.

Day 3: Maussane (or Mouries) to Aix-en-Provence – 70 km or 44 miles
Olive trees and cicadas?! Yep, no doubt, you’re in Provence! Don’t expect to keep to your usual average speed, as you are bound to stop again and again and again for picture taking. Of course, you can organize it the way you want and punctuate the day with a leisurely provençal lunch, or a picnic, or perhaps a nap, or even a visit to some or all of the places mentioned in the route notes. The possibilities are endless! For example, you could choose to visit a Marseille soap-maker today, one whose family business started back in 1900 and hasn’t stopped since! Your ride will then take you on to one of Provence’s liveliest and most beautiful cities, Aix-en-Provence - a jewel that can’t be rushed through and is better savored! Luckily, you’ll be there for two nights.

Day 4: Rest day in Aix-en-Provence
Today is yours to organize - whatever your interests are, you’ll have a wide choice of things to do, taste, smell, and explore! Just walking around through the narrow streets and beautiful squares of Aix is a treat, where you’re bound to run into one of the colorful neighborhood markets - a delight for shoppers. The artist in you will be in heaven as well – this is the land of Cezanne and visiting his workshop is an enriching experience, as is visiting some of Aix’s architectural jewels or wondering at all the unique and varied fountains.

Day 5: Aix-en-Provence – Saint-Maximim – 47 km or 29 miles
Following the Cezanne road--named that way for the fact that the painter set down his easel countless times to paint the “Sainte-Victoire” mountain--you’ll soon discover the magic that has drawn him and many others to this fascinating region. The white of the limestone, the red of the clay, the blue of the sky, and the green of the pines all play with and off each other turning this area into a festival of colors for the eyes. Your destination is Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume with its impressive gothic basilica built where Marie Magdelena’s relics were found, making this a very special place and Christianity’s third holy place after Jerusalem and Saint-Peter’s.

Day 6: Saint-Maximin – Cassis – 60 km or 38 miles
If you’ve read some of our recommended reads prior to taking this trip, such as Marcel Pagnol’s delectable “My mother’s Castle” and “My Father’s Glory,” you’ll be in familiar territory. He succeeded in describing what this short description fails to convey and accurately depicted this area’s true and pure Provençal atmosphere. Imagine it as some kind of a huge outdoor relaxing spa haven where the pace is anything but hurried. Stress is a bad and foreign word in this part of France! A nice downhill will finally take you to Cassis and the Mediterranean Sea - a triple exclamation point to conclude a memorable trip and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you’ll surely want to repeat again and again and again!!!

Day 7: Rest day in Cassis
After 5 days of cycling in Provence, you should be totally relaxed - the right state of mind to experience Cassis! Hiking along the coast, canoeing, or taking boat rides are some of the activities that you can do to turn this day into one of your 2012 highlights!

Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, departure at the time of your choice.

Average daily mileage: 47 to 70 km (29 to 44 miles) on gentle terrain

Level: 3/4 (Moderate/Difficult) (based on a 1- 5 difficulty scale)

Our prices do not include:
-Expenses of a personal nature
-Travel insurance
-Bicycle rentals. Hybrid bikes are available at the rate of 115 euros. Racing bikes are available at the rate of 165 euros (these prices include the drop-off fee in Cassis).