Bicyle in the Auvergne

Trails, tracks, ridges …, diverse and beautiful, the Auvergne was made for mountain bikers. A large number of tours, waymarked and documented in guides, invite you to discover the region in an original way. The Auvergne has 8 specialised bases which have received the French Tour Cycling Federation's quality label. These centres are very handy and offer cycle lover's accommodations and/or catering. They also care for you and your machine: cycle washing facilities, repair-workshop, locked cycle garage, laundry and ventilated drying area to get your gear back into condition... So jump into the saddle. There are also 10 sites and areas approved by the French Cycling Federation, which together account for almost 4,000 km of waymarked routes offering all the necessary facilities for Mountain Bike riding.

From the Bourbonnais to the Cantal Mountains, from the Puys Range to the volcanic pitons of the Velay, the Auvergne presents a wide range of areas for Cycle Touring. Among dozens of cycling ideas, here are some which deserve a pedal. Why not ride a part of even the whole of one of the four Tour de France stages that go through the Auvergne in 2008? Around Aurillac, an area renowned for its roads and cols, there are a number of possible tours to be made. The circuits go from 60 to 100 kilometres, with altitude differences ranging from 600 to 1800 metres with 6 cols for “La ronde des grands espaces”. Legendary climbs: pulling yourself up from the village of Mandailles to the Puy Mary Col (1589m) means putting your foot into a piece of legend. Or a wheel, more like, as these hairpin bends are part of the great history of the bicycle. After the effort, your reward will be a breathtaking view of the Cantal Massif. There is a total of 44 cycle routes to choose from … take your pick !

Watch our videos on the beautiful Auvergne roads:

• Video Allier
• Video Cantal
• Video Haute-Loire
• Video Puy-de-Dome

For easy quiet rides and outings with family and friends, the Auvergne is the ideal place. With its undulating landscape and its substantial network of small picturesque roads, the Allier departement is particularly adapted for bike rides. The Puy-de-Dôme and the other departements also present a number of routes.

Escape for short time, from a few hours to a few days, and let yourself be surprised by the wealth of the natural and cultural heritage … in a green environment full of castles and curiosities, you can be sure of a pleasant ride!

Facilities for safe cycling.
Why not take one of the 4 green ways and follow the trails for a family adventure with even the smallest members of the family … for example, "La Tracolline Velay Forez" will take you through wonderful landscape but, be careful, don't forget to pedal!...
The vélo-rail, another way of pedalling.
Bicycles are mounted onto a platform which fits on the rails of an old railway line... The view can be surprising! It's a great and handy way of exploring the Auvergne.

Guides

A selection of pretty cycle touring and mountain bike routes taken from quality guides is available in bookstores (1) or at the Comités Départementaux du Tourisme (Local Tourist Boards) (2)

(1) Guides available in bookstores:

• Cycloguides FFCT / IGN of the Allier, the Cantal, the Haute-Loire, and the Puy-de-Dôme
• Chamina Guide “Grande Traversée du Massif central à VTT” and “Tour du Parc naturel Livradois-Forez à VTT”

(2) Free downloadable guides:

• “ The Great Crossing of the Volcano on Bicycle ” (Cantal)
• “ Cycling in the South of the Auvergne ” (Haute-Loire)
• “ Mountain Bike in the South of the Auvergne ” (Haute-Loire)