Burgundy by Bike: Tour of the Voies Vertes Greenways

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, local bike guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • Six days of biking
  • Seven nights of 3-star & 4-star accommodations in double/twin rooms*
  • Luggage transfers
  • Breakfasts, dinners, and packed lunches as indicated in the itinerary
  • A visit to the Hospice de Beaune
  • Tourist taxes

What’s not included:

• • Transportation to and from Mâcon
  • Drinks
  • Bike and biking gear (can be rented)
  • Entrance fees to tourist attractions
  • Trip insurance

*Your guides can help you organize an additional night in your hotel in Mâcon after the tour. If you would like that, feel free to let them know before the trip.

This tour is made up of easy to moderate cycling day trips, mostly following walking/cycling paths on an old railway from Chalon-sur Saône to Mâcon or following the rolling hills of the Côte Chalonnaise. On the ‘Voie Bleue’ stages, you will often be on a shared-use lane on quiet small roads.

If you can manage cycling daily distances of 28 – 52 km/17.4 – 32.3 miles with easy to moderate elevation changes, you should be good to go.

During this tour, you will be staying in double bedrooms in B&Bs, 3* hotels (4 nights), and 4* hotels (or equivalent) (3 nights), or in guesthouses with the same level of comfort. Single rooms are subject to availability and require a supplement fee.

Note: in Europe, more and more hotels, B&Bs, and guesthouses are refusing to participate in the star rating system. Even establishments that were classified a year or two ago are now choosing to not take part. This doesn’t mean that they are of lesser quality – far from it, in fact. If we indicate that an accommodation is “3-star or equivalent”, the establishment may have chosen not to receive an official classification, but we believe the level of comfort provided is equal to that of a traditional 3-star establishment.

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:

Clothing:

• • Cycling Shoes – sport shoes that are comfortable for cycling
  • Socks – Sport-specific padded socks, one pair for every day of the trip. No cotton
  • Sun hat – wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap/bandana combo
  • Cycling gloves – padded gloves meant specifically for cycling
  • Cycling shirts – non-cotton, breathable short sleeve and/or long-sleeve shirts (Note: long sleeve shirts provide better sun protection)
  • Cycling pants & shorts – nylon pants and shorts, zip-offs or leggings
  • Windbreaker – a lightweight wind-resistant jacket or pullover
  • Warm top – mid-weight wicking sweater or pullover such as merino wool, fleece, or polypropylene
  • Insulating jacket – down-fill or synthetic-fill insulated “puffy” jacket or warm, lightweight fleece jacket (Note: This item may not be needed in summer months)
  • Rain gear – waterproof jacket and pants or high-quality poncho, breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex® or coated nylon. For the pants, look for side zippers that will easily allow them to be pulled over footwear
  • Casual clothing & footwear – comfortable clothes and shoes to wear in the evening after activities

Cycling gear:

• • Saddlebag
  • Personal luggage – small duffel bag, suitcase, or backpack for extra items and casual clothes
  • Cycling helmet – comfortable fitting, with rain cover
  • Hydration system – 2+ L capacity, water bottles or bladder/hose system
  • Extra water bottle
  • Headlamp – preferably with an LED bulb that works with AA or AAA batteries
  • Picnic/lunch kit – knife, plate/bowl, a box with closeable lid, utensils, etc.
  • Phone & charger – a local SIM card or international plan may be needed
  • Small power bank – optional, but recommended
  • Map or phone holder for handlebars
  • Waterproof travel case or pouch – used to keep important documents & phones safe from weather/water
  • Sunglasses, sunscreen, & lip balm
  • First aid kit
  • Personal toilet paper kit
  • Toiletries
  • Contact lenses & glasses – bring a back-up pair
  • Prescription medication – with an emergency backup supply
  • Money – some local currency, often smaller local businesses do not accept credit cards and/or prefer cash. Some public restrooms require small amounts of cash to use.

Optional items:

• • Backpack – a small sized comfortable pack with a waterproof cover
  • Travel power adapter – Voltage in France is 230 V / 50 Hz, E-type plugs
  • Support braces – joint braces that may be currently needed or from past injuries
  • Sleep mask & ear plugs
  • Bug repellent
  • Quick drying towel or bandana(s)

If you choose to rent a bike from your guides, the cycling helmet, saddlebag, and a handlebar phone holder will come included with the bike.

Your guides emphasize that you should not bring cotton hiking or cycling clothes. Synthetic clothing is very efficient in drying quickly. Merino wool material clothing is also efficient in drying quickly, is comfortable to wear, and has the advantage of not developing a bad odor after use.

Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and pricing

• • For this group adventure, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 12:1.
  • It takes a minimum of 6 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 12 participants.

Cycling in Burgundy can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 but older than 14 may be permitted to join the trip on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
  • Minors under 14 years of age cannot participate in this tour.

If your group has riders under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Mâcon, the starting point of this Burgundy bike tour, most people fly into Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport in Lyon 45 minutes away, or Geneva Airport 3,5 hours away.

You can take a train, bus, or ride-sharing service from any of these two locations to Mâcon.

You will meet your guides in Mâcon at the check-in of your hotel around 3pm. More details on the hotel will be provided by your guide.

We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance.

With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.

If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!