Situated in the southwest of France in the Gironde department, the City of Bordeaux is widely recognised as one of the world’s major wine cities and, as a bonus for cycling enthusiasts, one of the most picturesque places in the country to enjoy a cycling tour. That regret dissipates as we spot a grass snake slithering across the surface of the water.Bike and Boat Cycle Touring in the Bordeaux RegionĪs far as holiday destinations go it doesn’t come any better than the French city of Bordeaux for lovers of fine wine and cycling to combine their passions. Despite the height of summer, it's still not warm enough to take advantage of the makeshift "beaches" along the Lot. Returning the boat to Douelle our only regret is our reticence to swim, due to the inclement weather. That night, we dine on Quercy lamb – rich and gamey – while watching blues bands play in the historic town centre. There's a communal atmosphere on these moorings, with travellers sharing advice, power cords and food. But this turns out to be the launching pad for fireworks, so we choose the other side of town overlooking parts of the original ramparts.Īfter helping several other boats through, we're gifted tiny bottles of Croatian rocket fuel by a set of newly-weds, and soft baguettes by another French couple. Legend has it the architect did a deal with the devil to complete the structure on time in the mid 14th century. We want to tie up next to the famed Valentre Bridge, a brilliant example of Gothic architecture with six huge arches and three medieval towers. It turns out there is a blues festival on to celebrate Bastille Day. In what can only be described as Franglish, we ask about attractions at our last stop, Cahors. Our bodies are weary on the return journey, so imagine our delight when players in the local soccer team race over to wind the locks as part of their training regime. I stock up on wine, while the kids taste violet-flavoured mustard. But the highlight is Le Musee Du Vin, a cave packed with unusual regional produce, featuring an informative wine tasting. We arrive on market day to find fresh berries, zucchini and saffron for barely a handful of euros. This seventhcentury village is a gaggle of shops and restaurants, hidden down cobblestone laneways. ![]() St-Cirq Lapopie is routinely voted the prettiest village in France, and the view from the top – after a 20-minute walk up a scrabbly rock path – is nothing short of majestic: medieval castles on steep cliffs overlooking a patchwork of farmland. The boat is air-conditioned but we leave the windows open instead, to feel the breeze.Īfter a languid lunch at La Truite Doree, a family-run restaurant for five generations serving homemade terrine in an enormous pottery bowl, we take turns at the steering wheel on the upper deck to reach a town that sounds like a lolly. That night, the gentle lapping of the water has a soporific effect, and we sleep deeply. You can also rent bikes to ride through the vineyards and villages, or fishing rods to catch perch, pike or black bass. The kids play hide-and-seek on the lush riverbank, while I glide along its surface on a blow-up paddleboard, hired from the good folks at Le Boat. Unfortunately a large party boat has taken up much of the mooring space, but they turn out to be friendly, helping to guide us alongside. Our destination today is Vers, a picture-book town with a bubbling brook and 11th-century chapel. The black wine is chilled on hot summer days.Ī boat passing under Pont Valentre. ![]() Ditto the wine: only the local varietals are served in the restaurants. It's best to shop locally and seasonally in rural France, to save money and ensure the produce is fresh. The following day, I walk into town to stock up on fresh baguettes from the boulangerie, fillet steak from the boucherie, and cabecou, a local goat's cheese, from the Petit Casino. ![]() We play eucha on deck, snacking on saucisson sec de chevreil – air-dried salami of venison – and stonefruit bought from the store in Douelle. We're the only ones anchoring up here tonight. On our first attempt at reversing, which is one of the more difficult manoeuvres, we're assisted by a lovely local fella. This late in the day many of the moorings are already occupied, so we head to Luzech – the last Gallic town to hold out against Caesar. The riverbank is decorated with chateaux and vineyards, some housing Michelin-starred restaurants. We head west past Chateau de Cayx, the summer home of the Danish Royals, Prince Frederick and Princess Mary. A boat enters the lock under the historic Pont Valentre fortified bridge.
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