June 5, 2023
Why We Love Cycling France
Six weeks now we have been in France and our infatuation for this country is showing no signs of waning.
Here are a few of the reasons why we love cycling France:
Cycle paths. Well marked, most are smoothly paved and lots of them. We appreciate the paths in city centres making it easy and safe to get around, as well as those for getting in and out of cities hassle free. And the dedicated rail trails on popular routes. Unlike many bike paths at home, these are thought through to be connected and almost never end suddenly onto a busy road. Kudos to the local tourism, civic transport and health officials for facilitating cycling and constantly building new paths.
Bike routes. Good signage makes them easy to navigate and there are often accompanying maps at tourist bureau. Most routes are on very quiet back roads and farm lanes that have restricted vehicle access but generally paved.
Decent drivers. When cycling on roads, both small and large, 99% of drivers are courteous to give space, slow down and not force cyclists into the ditch.
Trains are well set up for taking bicycles, even if the reservation process is complicated, and handy to get past sections without good bike routes.
Language. We speak French.
Accommodation. Lots of campgrounds including "municipal" sites that are close to town, have all the necessary facilities but are quiet with no water slides or entertainment schedules and are very reasonably priced. Simple hotels and apartments are usually easy to find on rainy nights and quite affordable in the off season.
Food. The food in France is wonderful. Restaurants come at all price points, most have outdoor tables and one can usually sample the local cuisine at a reasonable price, including a carafe of perfectly good house wine. Small downtown or local grocery stores carry a reasonable selection of real food, markets have fabulous fresh vegetables, fruit and cheese, and the big box stores on the edge of town have everything -once you figure out where things are. And boulangeries have real, fresh bread.
Culture. Art is everywhere and actively encouraged, both current out in public and preserved in museums. Historic buildings and places are well kept, often with informative plaques. There is an aesthetic appreciation for the built environment that results in plenty of attractive and / or interesting urban spaces. People read books and there are lots of bookstores.
People. We have found that the French will rarely approach, neither to tell you that you are doing something wrong nor to offer help. But when we have approached, most have been very friendly, willing to help or just to chat, more so the further from main tourist areas.
Overall, we love France and look forward to returning to discover different regions as well as to revisit some of favourite places. A long term stay is definitely on our wish list.
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