French Fun with Rob Bennett

This week Rob Bennett takes us to France for another stunning ride through the French countryside.

Each year Rob and his wife, Kathryn, set off in their campervan on the ferry to Brittany for a cycling holiday in France.

Over the years they’ve covered most of the country, and we’ve been lucky enough to have them start to capture these rides to share with the FulGaz community.

This collection follows the pair as they head south through France taking in the magnificent scenery and picture postcard medieval villages, many of them included in the official list of Les Plus Beau Villages of France of which there are around 160 in total!

You can find these rides under NEW or by searching “Rob” in FulGaz.

ÎLE DE Ré

This small island off the Atlantic Coast of France near to La Rochelle is a tourist cycling mecca with over 100KM of cycle paths throughout the island. In high season it makes for awkward riding, however the coastal scenery, salt marshlands, marinas and whitewashed buildings of the pretty villages of La Flotte, St-Martin-de-Re and Ars-en-Re make the frustrations worthwhile.

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26.196km

DISTANCE

1:07:16

DURATION

70m

ELEVATION

PéRIGORD EVENING RIDE

An evening ride setting out from the Plus Beaux village of Aubeterre sur Drone initially a wooded valley to Ribérac. The hillier route back to the start offers fantastic expansive views of the Perigord countryside enhanced by the golden colours of the setting sun.

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32.6km

DISTANCE

1:14:33

DURATION

326m

ELEVATION

CAJARC

The ride heads west along the Lot valley towards the beautiful medieval town of Cajarc with the yellow cliff faces becoming ever more prominent beneath the blue skies. It starts by crossing the River Lot, then passing through lush green countryside before a quick detour to the remarkable Chateau at Larroque Toirac. After passing beneath the hillside village of Montbrun it ends next to the River Lot at Cajarc.

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23.126km

DISTANCE

0:49:24

DURATION

88m

ELEVATION

QUERCY VILLAGES AND VIEWS

An early morning ride starting and ending in the Plus Beaux Village of Monpezat taking in the beautiful countryside views of the Quercy region of France. Rolling hills, medieval churches, Bastide villages, lime tree lined roads, sunflowers (maybe a little late in season) and Citroen cars … all so very French.

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35.702km

DISTANCE

1:26:22

DURATION

500m

ELEVATION

BALCONY ROAD TO CAJARC

A chance to re-ride one of the most popular FulGaz rides, the Balcony Road of the River Lot, but enjoying different views from the opposite direction. Look out for the ancient houses built into the yellow cliff faces, pretty villages and blue river views. Our ride ends in the beautiful town of Cajarc.

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32.902km

DISTANCE

1:13:04

DURATION

104m

ELEVATION