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Family Cycling Holidays

Trips and weekends suited for your family.

Traveling by bike with the family: “not so complicated!”

The project of a family cycling adventure often brings its share of questions and doubts, especially when leaving for a first time experience.

Will the children be able to cover the distances without difficulty? What do we do if our child does not want to move forward and there are ten kilometers left before the next accommodation? Do we have the right equipment? How to transport all our luggage? These are some questions parents ask us most frequently.

However, with a little experience, solutions exist to get started and make your family bike trip unforgettable and comfortable. The most important thing is to approach your stay for and with children by adapting it to their ages and interests.

The importance of suitable equipment

It’s easy to find a bike that meets the expectations of adults. There are also many solutions for children of different ages.

The child trailer

It can carry 1 or 2 children up to 22kg each.

The baby seat

It is a little less comfortable than the trailer over several days on the bike but can be a good addition to switch it up between the trailer and let your child enjoy the great outdoors a little more!

Children’s bikes

Children’s bikes (city bike, mountain bike or road bike) are available in different sizes from 12 to 24 inches (from 2 years old to over 10 years old) so as to adapt to the size of your child. Be careful to have a fairly large number of speeds if you are going on a hilly or slightly uneven route.

The Follow-me

It is a connection system that ensures the traction of the child bike by the adult bike. It is connected between the adult bike and the child bike. It allows a child from 3 to 6 years old to be helped by the parents when needed, while keeping the ability of pedaling. The connection forms a real tandem which allows your child to maintain the sensations and pleasures of cycling.

The luggage trailer

It is useful when you go away for a long time or if you do not have enough storage space in your saddlebags. If you subscribe to our luggage transfer packages, it is of course not necessary.

The pannier

There are different models of panniers (handlebars, frame, saddle, luggage rack), of different sizes (expressed in liters). The waterproof and robust models are to be preferred in case of unpredictable weather.

You can also opt for a more comfortable solution with the transport of your luggage. Abicyclette Voyages offers stays where the transport of your luggage between your accommodations is included. This allows you to travel light by taking only a few clothes as well as the necessary to carry your snacks and your picnic.

With our bike rentals, you benefit from the provision of a handlebar bag (4 to 6 liters) and a waterproof pannier on the luggage rack with a capacity of approximately 20 liters.

Safe and family-friendly cycle routes

If you want to fully enjoy a family cycling holiday (even more so if this is your first experience), do not hesitate choose flat cycle paths and routes, offering signage, and especially far away from car traffic. We recommend the following routes:

The Nantes-Brest canal

From the city of the Dukes to the north of Finistère, the Nantes-Brest canal takes you to the heart of Brittany. Made up of 238 locks, the 364 km long route combines large wilderness areas and towns with well-preserved historical heritage.

The Loire by Bike

It is the best known cycle route in France. 900 kilometers long, it connects Nevers to the Loire estuary which leads to the Atlantic Ocean. The course offers a wide variety of landscapes and crosses the Loire Valley nicknamed the Valley of the Kings because of its large number of castles. This is the westernmost section of EuroVelo 6 which links Saint Brévin to Constanta in Romania.

The Vélodyssée

This route is a cycle route that follows the Atlantic from Brittany to the Basque Country over a course of 1,200 kilometers. 70% of the time, you travel on greenways on site. The Vélodyssée is the French part of the EuroVelo 1 route which connects Norway to Portugal.

The Ille et Rance canal

This greenway begins in the city center of Rennes and guides bike travelers along the banks of the Ille et Rance canal in a green setting. Flowery locks, and towns such as the medieval city of Dinan punctuate this rejuvenating route. Via a greenway that extends the Ille et Rance canal, you can go as far as Dinard and Saint-Malo to contemplate the sea.

The Canal du Midi

From Toulouse, you ride towards the Mediterranean on towpaths that run along the Canal du Midi. Historical curiosities and rich gastronomy are on the menu of this trip which breathes the sweetness and joviality of the South of France. The 250 kilometers of canals invite you to relaxation and contemplation. Be careful, however, some sections on its eastern part are not developed and sometimes have bumpy paths. A stay with a child in a trailer is therefore not recommended.

 

A family adventure

Here are some additional tips for carrying out your bike trip project with your toddlers:

involve your children in building your project. This will increase their excitement and make the most of your family adventure. During the stay, involve them, for example, in the preparation of water bottles or panniers. Or ask them to carry the snacks (cereal bars, dried fruits, compotes, etc.) that they will be happy to take out during your breaks.

make the rides fun (reading the GPS or the map, reading the compass, songs, include visits, breaks in playgrounds, reading tourist or educational information panels).

take “test” rides. This is to ensure that your equipment is in good condition and suitable for each member of the family. This is also the way to check your children’s physical abilities and start putting our tips into practice!

– plan regular breaks (games, supplies, meals, naps). Children get tired quickly but they also recover very quickly!

choose the route, the distances, the period and the duration of the stay according to the desires and the physical capacities of your children. Do not underestimate your children, they have the ability to cover distances that are often well beyond what you think! Distances of around 30km are generally possible starting at 6-7 years old.

include “rest” days. Especially if you are going for a duration of more than 7-8 days of cycling, it is important to plan days without cycling. This is the opportunity to organize tours or enjoy a swim.

The family bike trip: “what a joy!”

The family bike trip is above all a shared adventure that brings each member of the family common memories that strengthen family bonds.

It is also the opportunity to arouse your children’s curiosity by having moments of interaction with the locals, by making them discover the heritage, the customs, the fauna, the flora or even the gastronomy of each visited region or countries. Children who travel can only become curious adults who are open to the world.

In addition, beyond opening up to the world, it is an opportunity for the whole family to learn more about themselves. The use of the bicycle leads to surpassing oneself, to the development of self-confidence (what pride and satisfaction to reach your stopover town each day). We also realize that cycling is an effective method of personal development. It helps to slow down. It allows access a sweet reverie that can be compared to a mindfulness meditation.

Traveling as a family with Abicyclette Voyages

As you can see, we encourage you to take the plunge and set off on a family bike ride through the most beautiful regions of France. Abicyclette Voyages now offers many trips suitable for families. Our travel advisers are at your disposal to accompany you and discuss your projects in order to personalize your trip and meet the expectations of your whole family.