As a family

Cycling along the Méditerranée à Vélo is a family adventure that it’s possible to undertake at any time of year

Is this the first time you’re embarking on a family cycling trip and are you looking for information to help prepare your journey? No worries, we’ll provide you with all the tips and reassurance you need.

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What equipment to choose?

On basic equipment

It’s clearly essential to start, for each family member, with a bike that’s in a good state of repair. Also remember a repair kit, a bicycle pump and helmets (compulsory for under-12s).

For your little ones, you might opt for a child seat, or then, for a more comfortable option, a bike trailer. Make sure, though, that any trailer you choose is suitable along the whole stretch of the route you opt for (for example, trailers are not suitable for riding along the Canal du Midi).
Your budding cyclists may well appreciate a tag-along or towbuddy option, so that they can feel more grown up, travelling along behind mum or dad.

What if you don’t have any of your own equipment? Then call on an Accueil Vélo-accredited bike rental company that will know how best to advise you.

Where to eat?

Picnic or restaurant

The simplest solution, cycling as a family, is to opt for a picnic. Dotted along the route, you’ll find tables and rest areas, but you can just as well stop in the midst of a vineyard or on a beach along the way. To avoid the hassle of organising your own lunch, book a ready-prepared picnic basket (panier-repas in French) from your Accueil Vélo-accredited accommodation provider.

Prefer to sit down to lunch at a restaurant? Then book one of our Accueil Vélo-accredited addresses. They provide secure spaces in which to leave your bikes, and you can recharge electric bike batteries over lunch if necessary as well as filling up your water bottles.

For a snack or tea, buy sweet treats or ice creams in shops in the towns and villages along the route.

Where to stay?

Bivouacking, campsites, gîtes, B&Bs (chambres d'hôtes) or hotels

After a hard day’s cycling you’ll need a comfortable place to stay. To rest your tired legs, a great idea is to book Accueil Vélo-accredited accommodation. The addresses awarded this label provide secure shelters for bikes, repair kits if necessary and further related cycling services. The professionals who run these places can see to your specific cycling needs.

If you’d like to stay in the country, why not choose accommodation on a farm, in a B&B or at a campsite? While on the subject of camping, we can recommend the lodges, wooden huts and little chalets that are sometimes available at regional campsites, providing creature comforts, but still giving you the feeling of benefiting from the great outdoors and starry nights. To avoid disappointment and searching last minute, remember to book in advance!