Cycling holidays in Aveyron, Parc des Grands Causses (all tours).

Tarn Valley from Albi to Millau

8 to 14 days light cyclingtour in this Southern part of the Massif Central.

8 to 14 days moderate and challenging cycling in the Grands Causses

Very light, light and Moderate tours,

Cycling Tarn Valley, Between Albi and Millau

Pont Lerouge and Viaduc de Millau

From Albi, the "pink city" with its stunning brick-built old center, the renowned Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, and the majestic stone-brick Cathedral, to Millau, nestled in the heart of the Parc des Grands Causses, your journey along the Tarn River is nothing short of magical. As you walk or bike through the steep-sided valley, you’ll feel as though you’re in the mountains, even though you’re down in the valley between two hilly plateaus that rise up to 700 meters.

The Tarn River flows swiftly westward through this breathtaking landscape, also known as Vallée de l'Amitié—a warm and welcoming place perfect for hiking and exploration. To the east, the dramatic Gorges des Raspes du Tarn add to the adventure.

Along the way, you’ll discover ancient castles in Brousse-le-Château, Coupiac, and St. Izaire, as well as charming villages like Ambialet and St. Rome de Tarn. For centuries, life and local trade have thrived in these picturesque settings, making your journey a true step back in time.

Bike trips in Aveyron, Lozère and Tarn department


Tarn valley halfway Albi and Millau

From Millau, a pleasant small Mediterranean alike city, also the gateway to the better known canyons of the Gorges du Tarn and a centre for activity holidays, you'll start the Tarn Valley tours in Albi and bike upstream to the worlds highest viaduct.

From the second half of June, the chirring sound of cicadas will go all along with you as if in Provence.

Cycling Pays de Roquefort.

More pictures on Pays de Roquefort.

South of the Tarn river, water acting on the limestone plateaux created caves, subterranean rivers, gushing springs. The most famous of the caves is now still used for the ripening of sheep cheese: Roquefort, king of cheeses, cheese of kings.

Pays de Roquefort St.Jean d'Alcas

Pays de Roquefort also includes the Causse du Larzac with its restored Medieval Templars garrisons from where crusades set out in 10th-13th centuries, and the Redlands of Camarès with its Cistercienzer Abbaye de Sylvanès. St.Affrique, a small Southern town, is the starting place of many walks in this walking area. The landscape exudes peace and unspoiled natural beauty. Shepherds will be your only company during hours of walking.

Cycling Gorges and Causses, French canyons: Gorges du Tarn

Biking Gorges du Tarn, Larzac and Cevennes

More pictures of Gorges and Causses.

East of Millau the Tarn river and its tributaries carved out 4 canyon like Gorges: Gorges de la Dourbie, Gorges de la Jonte, Gorges du Trèvezel and the most famous of all the Gorges du Tarn. These Gorges are at the heart of the most spectacular walking and cycling area of the Grands Causses Natural Parc. Steep crags of 400m and the typical scenery of limestone plateaux dissected by rivers, the Causse du Larzac, Causse Noir and the Causse Méjean. You'll see the Grotte Rose of Dargilan, the unusual scenery of the Causses (Le Chaos de Montpellier le Vieux and Roques Altes). Your walk begins and ends in Millau or at Château de Creissels.

Gorges du Tarn

Far away from all the hustle and bustle, at 700km South of Paris, the Tarn river flows from the Cevennes through the departments Lozère, Aveyron and Tarn and the Grands Causses area.

Here le "Midi" (South of France) begins: A nice climate, : mountains, limestone plateaus (Causses), lush green valleys, roaring rivers (Tarn, Jonte, Dourbie, Lot, Aveyron, Dourdou). Lots of small villages here instead of large urban areas with dense population. No fast food here, but the French cuisine, honest food in small family-run hotels and you will get a warm welcome.

La Ligne Verte has settled in a small village in the Valley of the Tarn, 60 km from Millau and Albi, called Broquiès. This part of the course of the Tarn is called the "Gorges des Raspes" in the Parc Régional des Grands Causses in South-Aveyron.

Aveyron is also a rich source of (ancient) culture: the district of Templars, medieval cloisters and places of pilgrimage. And... apart from the cyclists and hikers, a renowned district for bird-watching in the valleys and plateaus, called Causses.

Albi is a nice start for accessing the Grands Causses nature park.
By the lovely Tarn valley you will reach Millau in 2, 3 or 4 days cycling, 7 or 8 days walking.

More Hotel based, selfguided cycling tours in South of France. Click in a circle or on  a link next to the map with your mobile