Gay Bike Tours in France

Above: Our gay bike trips in France combine physical activity, good food, and the camaraderie of traveling with a lively, friendly, gay and lesbian group.

Alyson Adventures, which specializes in active vacations for gay men and lesbians, offers a range of bike trips in France. Why France? Many reasons.

First, France is gay-friendly -- Napoleon abolished the anti-gay laws, and most French believe that what you do in your bedroom is your own business.

France is bike-friendly. Biking is the national sport here, and French drivers give you a wide berth. But you won't see many drivers on the quiet, well-maintained roads we've sought out for much of our travel.

Finally, France is rich in both history and natural beauty. In a week of biking you can stand atop a towering aqueduct erected by the Romans, relax in a cafe built before the United States was founded, and bike past the sunflower fields that Van Gogh painted.

Each of our bike vacations in France takes on its own personality, but they all have certain features in common. We look for routes with varied scenery, that capture a slice of France's long and rich history. And whichever trip you choose, you'll have the added bonus and enjoyment of spending your vacation with a small, friendly gay group.

The Provencal: Dance at Avignon's gay disco one night; the next, visit the old Roman baths in historic Arles. Bike past the sunflowers that Van Gogh painted in his final, turbulent years, and through the Luberon region so colorfully described by Peter Mayle in A Year in Provence.

The Mistral: Spin into northwestern Provence, through the deep-carved Ardeche Gorges. Skinny-dip in the starlight under a soaring limestone arch. Take a moonlit stroll to the ruins of a crumbling castle in the old Roman town of Vaison-la-Romaine. Sample the wines of world-famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Big Loire, Little Loir: This 5-day trip is the perfect introduction to biking in France: Start along the pastoral roads of the smaller Loir river, lined with hobbit-style homes built into caves. Finish at Chambord, the grandest of the Loire chateaux.

Valley of the Kings: Bike through the Loire valley, where French royalty created their fortresses and dream castles in centuries past: Joan of Arc and Catherine de Medici once dominated these walls. Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lion-Heart are buried here.

The Mistral: Spend a week biking deep into northwestern Provence, through the deep-carved Ardeche Gorges. Take a moonlit stroll to the ruins of a crumbling castle in the old Roman town of Vaison-la-Romaine. Sample the wines of world-famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Truffles and Cave Bears: Bike along France's Dordogne river, through thousands of years of history. Prehistoric cave art depicts the rhinos and cave bears that once lived here, while magnificent chateaux attest to the years of struggle between England and France. And every evening, enjoy the region's legendary cuisine, including truffles and foie gras.