“La Vie Exaltante” literally means 'exhilarating or inspiring life'.  This is how we feel when staying at our 12th century French farmhouse with its wonderful views and glorious sunshine, especially whilst enjoying a glass of chilled rosé by the pool…

This ‘adventure’ is a bike trip with a difference!   All seven nights of the trip bar one are spent at our beautiful old house in the Tarn et Garonne in south western France and each day there will be a ride to a different part of the region, be it the magnificent Gorges du Tarn or the delightful ancient villages around the area.

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One night is spent out in a hotel in the hills in order to give enough time to fully experience the breathtaking landscape of the Cevénnes region. There will be a day off to laze by the pool or to enjoy a long lunch in a nearby village.

Each morning we leave after a breakfast of hot coffee and freshly baked croissants and head off on some great roads to see some of the wonderful countryside that surrounds us, stopping off to enjoy lunch or a coffee in one of the many beautiful villages along the way.  

There are an incredible number of medieval castles and ‘bastides’ (fortified hill top villages) in the area, dating back from the time when England ruled this part of France, each with their own character and they are very much part of our daily rides.  

We will return to the house in the early evening in time to enjoy a cold beer or chilled glass of wine and maybe a swim in the pool, before tucking into a sumptuous dinner cooked by our Cordon Bleu chef.

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The trip offers a great opportunity for your potentially less “bike-obsessed” better half (hard to believe, I know) to join you on a motorcycle holiday without needing to spend all those long, hard hours in the saddle as they can enjoy as much time astride your motorcycle as they/you wish.

Those who wish to spend the day relaxing away from the road can enjoy the pool or visit the local villages with their colourful markets, excellent cafés and restaurants (whilst we will do our best to help with this, it might be better for you to hire a car to give you full flexibility).  We can arrange for you to enjoy a little pampering in the shade with one of our local well-being and massage experts (subject to availability).

This is truly a holiday to cater for all!  It incorporates great biking roads with magnificent scenery, the opportunity to relax in wonderful surroundings and enjoy great local cuisine…It also means that you can go on a bike trip WITH your less-bikey other half, WITHOUT over-exposing them to your (undoubted) riding expertise..!

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We leave in the morning at around 8.30/9.00am and aim to be back home or at our destination by 6.00pm in the evening.  This equates to approximately 6 hours in the saddle - we typically ride for an hour and a half before a leg stretch or a coffee with a stop for lunch and another break in the afternoon. We are definitely happy to stop to admire the view and for photo opportunities along the way.