Nice-Toulouse by bike, departing October 15th: route, accommodation...?
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Original post
DU
Hi everyone,

I’m planning to leave Nice for Toulouse around 10/15 and I’m looking for tips / great deals regarding: - The route: I was thinking of taking Nice - Grasse - Draguignan - Salernes - Cadarache - Cavaillon - Arles, then the Camargue, Sète, and the Canal du Midi to Toulouse. The idea is to avoid high-traffic roads and too many steep climbs. Are there any spots to avoid or must-see stops? Since it’s been a while since I’ve been on the road, I was thinking that sleeping indoors might be preferable. If you have any budget-friendly accommodation suggestions along part of the route, don’t hesitate!

Thanks in advance, and if you’re in the area around that time, we could ride together... Ciao.
GÉ Gérard04 Regular ·
Hey Dudule,

DRAGUIGNAN / SALERNES is a good choice—you won’t have too many hills, and you’ll avoid the Verdon Gorge. It might be a shame, but the terrain would be more rugged. From SALERNES, you can head to GREOUX-LES-BAINS. I live there and can put you up if you let me know ahead of time so I’m around. I can also show you the route to ARLES—I did it this summer with my trailer on the way to the Pyrénées. If you’re interested, let me know, and I’ll send you my details in a private message. Either way, you can find my info on the C.A.C (Cyclo-Camping-International) directory—I hope you’re familiar with it.

Gérard
Des kilomètres pour voir plus loin !
VE Velosauvage ·
🙂 Hello Dudule29,

(I’m a cyclist from Nice) and I know the "triangle" section (Nice-Marseille-Avignon) well. If I may: On the "Nice - Grasse - Draguignan - Salernes" route, there’s no shortage of hills! Plus, the Grasse-Draguignan stretch has heavy traffic and no shoulder. Also, right now it’s 5/6°C at 9 AM at 300 meters altitude, so if you’re planning to climb to around 1,000 meters, bring warm gear.

If you’re open to suggestions, personally I’d take: Day 1 Nice (bike path from the port to Saint-Laurent-du-Var), then cross Saint-Laurent-du-Var toward Saint-Jeannet. From there, head to Vence (worth a visit), then Tourrette-sur-Loup, Pont-du-Loup, Gréolières, Andon, Caille, Seranon, and Le Logis du Pin: you’ll have covered about 90 km from Nice. At the exit of the hamlet, take the LEFT BANK OF THE VERDON toward Comps-sur-Artuby. Don’t enter the village (but don’t forget to stock up on water and food—after that, it’s a 30 km desert). Note: In this village (km 115), you can sleep and freshen up: at the entrance, there’s a small cabin where you can take care of "business." Day 2 Head toward the magnificent Gorges du Verdon via its left bank. After a downhill start to the Pont de l’Artuby, you’ll tackle the climb up the Col d’Illoire—take it easy. You’ll reach Aiguines, and then it’s up to you: continue toward the Durance or stay in the Haut-Var? I’d take the "Durance" route: toward Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Riez, Allemagne-en-Provence, the Valensole plateau, the descent to Manosque, and then follow the Durance toward Pertuis and Cavaillon—it’s almost flat (I said *almost*). In Cavaillon, there’s a budget hotel (like Formule 1) that’s super nice, cheap, and the owner welcomes cyclists. Last time, he even let me use the coffee maker and left croissants... at 4 AM. By then, you’ll have covered about 230–250 km from Nice. Day 3 and beyond: I’d just advise heading toward Les Baux-de-Provence and following Tarascon, Nîmes, Sommières, Lacaune, Castres—a more northerly route that’s easier to manage for traffic and accommodation.

Maybe local cyclists will chime in with more tips. Good luck and safe travels—keep us posted when you’re back!
La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette, il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre. A.Einstein
BO Boreon Veteran ·
hi there check out our blog—there’s a Nice-Toulouse route with the addresses of the campsites we used along the way.
A travers la France 2007 La grange Yamaska
DU Dudule29 ·
Hi Gérard

Thanks for your tips and your offer of accommodation—I’ll definitely keep it in mind! I should be in the area late next week, either Friday the 17th or Saturday the 18th. So I’d love to get your contact details. I’m still debating whether to go through the Verdon Gorge—the terrain’s a bit worrying (see the ongoing discussion with velosauvage)! See you soon.

Dudule
DU Dudule29 ·
Hey velosauvage

Your plan sounds amazing—thanks so much for sharing! The question, though, is whether I’ll actually go through with it! Anyway, two days seems a bit tight for all that, but maybe three would work. Plus, it’s the start of the trip, so I’ll be a little out of practice! I don’t have my IGN map yet, and I’m a bit worried about the elevation—do you have any idea of the climbs and slopes I’d need to tackle? Otherwise, to avoid heavy traffic, is there a way to take the train from Nice to Draguignan?

For the last part of the route, since I lived in Toulouse for several years, I’m sure the northern route is worth it. But again, it depends on whether the rider can handle it.

Oh, one last question since you’re from Nice—any bike shops you’d recommend there?

Thanks again, and see you soon.
DU Dudule29 ·
Thanks boreon, I did check out your blog—it’s super thorough, and I actually used it to plan my first route. That said, your experience seems to confirm the rumor about traffic being a bit rough and dangerous on the Nice–Draguignan stretch?

I also took note of the campgrounds, the good and the not-so-good! Thanks again, and see you soon.

Dudule
GÉ Gérard04 Regular ·
Hey Dudule,

You're right about NICE / DRAGUIGNAN: lots of traffic.

The route recommended by vélosauvage is nice. The only issue will be the altitude—you’ll often be on a kind of plateau above 1,000 m, and at this time of year, it’s all or nothing: very chilly nights and gorgeous days if the sun’s out. Watch out for rain at this time. On the other hand, while it’s pretty hilly, the gradients aren’t too steep—the climb up the gorges to Vaumale is only about 5-6%. Why not grab a Michelin map at 1:200,000 scale? It’s perfect for this kind of trip, and it even has chevrons to show the gradients. I’ll send you my details in a private message.

Gérard
Des kilomètres pour voir plus loin !
VE Velosauvage ·
hello,

3 days for this stretch? Perfect for taking in the scenery! As for the gradients, an average of 4–5% seems reasonable. But as Gérard mentioned, the Col d’Illoire can hit 6%. another "easier" option: Nice-Antibes-Cannes-Théoule-St Raphaël: 75 km following the RN 98 the whole way. Then: at St Raphaël, head toward Ste Maxime (still along the coast) and continue toward Cogolin. Then take the direction of La Garde-Freinet, Vidauban, Lorgues, Salernes..... That’s one option...depending on the weather... About the train—why not take the "Train des Pignes" from Nice? As far as Digne-les-Bains, and from there, you could coast down to Manosque or Cavaillon? But yeah...trains aren’t for everyone. A bike shop in Nice? La Roue Libre, rue Auguste Gal. Young, friendly, and knowledgeable.
La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette, il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre. A.Einstein
JA JacquesDesj ·
Hi! Back in 2005, a friend and I did Bordeaux to Nice, and our route—though the reverse of yours—was very similar. The most "annoying" part of the trip was the Sète to Montpellier leg. We had to use roads that were pretty busy, with cars going at high speeds. Apart from that, the rest of the journey was fantastic. Happy travels!

Jacques Desjardins Ontario, Canada
VE Velosauvage ·
😉 hey there,

so, this trip? SPILL THE DETAILS..

thanks
La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette, il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre. A.Einstein
Pédaler ·
Hey Dudule! From Brest itself?! Here’s a Kerhorre living in Toulouse talking to you—I just biked from Menton to Toulouse, so fire away with any questions you’ve got! Just a heads-up, I don’t have a computer at home, and getting online is a pain, so the easiest way is to call me at 06 28 07 65 33 with a map in front of you! Kénavo! Lucie
Pédaler ·
Woooow!!!!!! Just saw the date of your question! I'm laughing my head off! Well, I hope it went well! Dying of laughter... Bye! Lucie
IT Itinerant06 ·
Bonjour Je ne sais pas si c’est encore d’actualité, mais je serais intéressé par la trace de ton itinéraire, je compte partir de Mouans-Sartoux pour rejoindre Toulouse en passant par le canal du midi Merci

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