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Doubs valley

Cycling leisurely from Belfort to Dijon

Cycling trip through Franche-Comté and Burgundy along the Doubs river

Reference VD1001
  • Itinerant trip
  • 10 days
  • Very easy
  • from mid-April to October
  • Minimum age 12
GPSGPS-app available
From
Prices
1149€ / pers.
Book here
  • Itinerary
    • This bike trip takes you from the very beautiful and beautifully preserved citadel of Belfort through the meanders of the Doubs valley to the Burgundy wine route and finishes in capital of Burgundy, Dijon. This magnificent cycling holiday on the Eurovelo 6 lets you discover the wild nature of the Doubs valley with its cliffs and lush forests reflecting in the green waters of the river.

    You are here in the heart of France and this authentic way of life is carried on by the kindness and the welcome of the inhabitants always inviting you to discover one of their local specialties: Montbéliard sausages, Mont d’Or cheese, Comté, Cancoillotte cheese, beef bourguignon and of course the great wines of the Côtes de Nuits.

    The cultural heritage is not to be outdone, as the bike trip takes you through magnificent cities like Besançon, Montbéliard and Dole. You will also make a detour to the royal saltworks of Ard-et-Sénans, which announced the rich industrial heritage that you can also discover at the Peugeot museum near Montbéliard.

    Day 1
     
     

    Arrival in Belfort

    You arrive in the beautiful city of Belfort. More than a beautiful Vauban citadel and the sculpture of the lion Bartholdi, which made the city famous, you will find a vibrant city with its wide shopping streets, its quaint squares, its Haussmanian buildings with handsome facades covered with geranium.

    Day 2
     
     

    Belfort - Montbéliard

    Bike
    31km
    You leave Belfort along the banks of the Savoureuse river. You can choose to continue straight along the canal or cross the forest and follow along the Rhine to the Rhone Canal. Your bike route takes you to Sochaux and the Peugeot Museum. Discover this industrial epic before entering the small Renaissance town Montbéliard.

    Climb to the castle of the Dukes of Württemberg, visit the Saint-Martin temple, the oldest religious building of the Reformation in France and stroll through the medieval streets admiring the houses with their colorful facades. Do not miss in the evening to taste the famous sausage of Montbéliard!

    Day 3
     
     

    Montbéliard - Baume-les-Dames

    Bike
    63km
    Today your bike ride leads you to discover the beautiful loops of the river Doubs. First you have to leave the city and Montbéliard to meander leisurely on bike paths the bucolic edges of this river. From Isle-sur-le-Doubs on the valley becomes majestic and very wild. You wind through the incised valley by steep cliffs, which are the delight of climbers. Very beautiful arrival in the small town Baume-les-Dames, labeled "City of character" at the foot of the rift of Babre.

    Day 4
     
     

    Baume-les-Dames - Besançon

    Bike
    39km
    The Doubs valley is particularly spectacular after leaving Baume-les-Dames. The bike route is very varied: green banks under steep karst cliffs reverberating in the peaceful waters of the Doubs, small villages with bell towers of colored tiles, towpaths lined with plane trees and old brick paper mills tending their chimneys to the sky. At the bend of a loop you arrive without even noticing at the foot of the citadel of Besançon. Big favorite for this student, vibrant and cultural city.

    Day 5
     
     

    Besançon

    Besançon has a very rich historical and cultural heritage. But it does not boil down to its citadel, which includes not only the Vauban fortifications, but also several museums and a zoo. It is also a vibrant city!

    Stroll through the semi-pedestrian shopping streets of the city center to meet the many students, who scour the bars along the Doubs. This beautiful city is also a high place of watchmaking; do not miss the astronomical clock and the superb museum of time. Finally you can follow the footsteps of the very famous French writer and politician Victor Hugo, who was born in Besançon.

    Day 6
     
     

    Besançon - Arc-et-Sénans

    Bike
    54km
    Leave Besançon riding leisurely on a bike path along the Doubs until the breakthrough of Thoraise: an amazing river tunnel under a waterfall. By bike you have to go up to the village to go down again with a beautiful view in the valley. Shortly after you can choose if you wish to continue along the meanders of the Doubs or to make a small detour towards the caves of Osselle.

    Arrive in the small village of Ranchot and leave the banks of the Doubs to cross the forest of Chaux and reach the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Sénans. This 18th century saline is one of the first modern "factories". It was used to turn the brackish water extracted in Salins, 20 km away in salt.

    Day 7
     
     

    Arc-et-Sénans - Dole

    Bike
    39km
    You cross the forest of Chaux to reach the Doubs. Riding on the towpath of the canal, you pass under beautiful limestone cliffs and fortified villages. In Rochefort-sur-Néron you can climb on the cliffs and admire the beautiful view of the valley. The towpath lined with plane trees leads you to the marina of Dole at the foot of the cathedral. We were charmed by this historical city, birthplace of Louis Pasteur. You will admire the cathedral, the halls, but also at every turn of streets here a crest over a portal, there a carved door etc.

    Day 8
     
     

    Dole - Charrey

    Bike
    36km
    At Dole you leave the Doubs river and continue to follow the Rhine- Rhone canal to reach the Saône river just before Saint-Jean-de-Losne. The atmosphere changes as you leave the last foothills of the Jura to arrive in the plains of Burgundy. This change is not only visible in the landscape, but also in the architecture of bell towers or in the cuisine.

    Saint-Jean-de-Losnes is at the confluence of the Saône and the Rhine - Rhone Canal and thus the capital of inland water shipping and especially the largest recreational river port in France. A little further in a dead arm of the Saone hides a small village on barges.

    Day 9
     
     

    Charrey - Dijon

    Bike
    42km
    From Charrey on you cross the Citeaux forest to the abbey of Notre-Dame de Citeaux. A small guided tour is needed to better understand life in this Cisterian monastery. You continue through the plain to reach the wine road at Clos Vougeot, founded by the monks of Citeaux. You will learn about the distinct castle architecture, as well as the rites of the brotherhood of the Chevalier du Tastevin. This organization, sometimes known as the Brotherhood of the Knight’s Tasting Cup is a bacchanalian society committed to enjoying and promoting the wines and food of the Burgundy region of France. A detour via Nuits-Saint-Georges is also possible.

    You continue to Dijon, former capital of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy. This gourmet and lively city warmly welcomes you to its remarkably well-preserved pedestrianized city center.

    Day 10
     
     

    Dijon

    Described as the "city with the hundred bell towers" by François 1er, Dijon was the capital of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy. The city has inherited architectural gems such as the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, Notre Dame church with its famous carved owl or the mansions of the old city center. Dijon is also well-known for its food specialties such as gingerbread, mustard, blackcurrant liquor or nonette (pastry).
  • Accommodation

    • Category B

    You will get a good night’s sleep when you stay in these 3-star hotels or charming Bed and Breakfasts. All properties have been selected for their cleanliness, style and friendliness of the staff. A hearty breakfast is included!
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
    • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.
    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.


    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests.

    Our documentation contains a very detailed description of the itinerary. No matter how you usually navigate, you will find your way thanks to our comprehensive guidance material including:
    • a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
    • a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest

    Example of a map and of a step-by-step description


    Our GPS App

    For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).

    You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and useful alerts on the way.

    -> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and the use of the application will be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.
  • Practical information
    • To get to departure point:
    • By plane: flight for Bâle (Switzerland) and train to Belfort-Montbeliard TGV (50min).
    • By train: Regional train or TGV to Belfort-Ville or Belfort-Montbeliard TGV. To plan your trip, www.raileurope.com.

    Parking:
    • We will inform you about the different options (free and paid-parking) to park your car next to your accomodation in your travel documents.

    To reach back the starting point:
    • There is a train between Besançon and Belfort (1 train per hour, duration: between 1h15 and 2h45 with a connection in Besançon or Mulhouse). All practical information will be in your travel documents.
    • You can choose to use a private transfer from Dole to Belfort (in the booking form)


     
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    the trip description
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