The Up n’ Down Tour
Dates 10th-17th September 2005
Price £549
Called the Up n’ Down Tour (UDT) due to the very nature of the terrain covered over the six days of the tour. Some parts of the route are gently rolling, and others are on the hilly side. A total of 550-600 k’s will be covered at a pace that allows us to converse and take in the splendid countryside. We will mosey down some of the calmest roads you may ever cycle upon. Not a tour for the faint hearted but good value!
Nights 1 and 7 are spent near Limoges in Central France. Also included are a support vehicle/driver, riding staff, hotels (with pools) for five nights, breakfasts, quality evening meals, an array of energy bars etc, air port pick ups/drop offs and a welcome pack when you arrive. You only have to pay for your lunches en route.
Day one. After a hearty breakfast, we set off towards Lake Vassiviere for the first lunch stop. Re-fuelled, we round the lake and head South West, through Allain Prost country, and on to Pompadour for the first night’s hotel stay. Every hotel en-route has a swimming pool. Approx’ 120 k’s covered today.
Day two takes us due south for a lunch stop. Just slightly more undulating than day one, we end the day sleeping in one of the most beautiful towns that France has on offer - Rocamadour. Built by monks, Rocamadour sits high on a rock face. It is well worth a walk about once you have parked your bike and freshened up. Approx’ 103 k’s covered today.
Day three takes us east to Aurillac. Call this the recovery day in half measure! We meander along to the hotel and that will be it for the day. After some 72 k’s of rolling terrain we will have earned an afternoon off at this excellent 3 star stop-over. Lunch here, or take a chance on the other fine eating places in this lovely town. Spend the rest of the day relaxing by the pool or having a sauna in preparation for the “slap up meal “ ce soir. This hotel has a good name in the region for its food. Bring it on!
Day four gets a lot harder as we go north and into the Auvergne proper. 80 dormant volcanoes dictate the route, as we weave our way along valleys and over Cols to La Bourboule.
On leaving Aurillac (761m alt), we follow the river Jordanne up the valley to the Pas De Payrol (1583 alt), scene of the toughest climb in 2004’s etape. Lunch will be a welcome break in the village of Cheylade (the 59 k mark) next to the river Rhue. That will be the hard part of the day behind us!
Today’s 121 kilometres gets us to the grandest hotel of the trip. This is the toughest day of them all, but we have all day, the support vehicle and one another to get us there.
You can count on tonight’s meal being something to text home about!
Day five. We leave the Auvergne and head North West to a small village some 4 k’s from the well known town of Aubusson, which is famous world-wide for its tapestry.
Well what can I say? The next two days you will, no doubt, wonder why the French bothered building these roads and lanes as there appears to be nobody using them!! Truly very quiet. We are aiming for Moutier Rozielle and following the river Creuse for a few k’s. playing “spot the human” on the way. It gently rolls up to the “Plateau des mille vaches” or Plateau of a thousand cows. Don’t ask!
The hotel tonight is small, but the food has a good reputation! Around 75k’s today.
Final day and just another 94k’s to go! A day spent rolling over the quiet hills of the Creuse countryside. This is the least populated part of France. With the lunch stop at Benevent L’abbaye should be back at the start by 3pm. Rest your bones and relax whilst we prepare an evening feast and a glass of bubbly for an aperitif! A big well done to all.