From €370 / pers
with luggage transfer

A cycling trip to discover the thatched cottages of Mézenc
Distance
88km
Duration
3 days
Steps
Stages > 50km - Difficulty 2/5
Voyager tranquille à vélo

The Thatched Cottage bike Tour

A weekend exploring the thatched cottages of the Mézenc highlands. Along incredible roads and easy trails, you’ll discover the villages of Moudeyres, Saint-Front, and Bigorre. Through moors and forests, the whole family can join you on this short trip, which provides an excellent glimpse of the authentic beauty of the Haute-Loire region and offers a complete break and a chance to unwind in the land of the fine Gras du Mézenc. An e-bike or, depending on your preference, mountain bike tour that will take you through mountain landscapes, a volcanic lake, endless meadows, stone and thatch architecture, and the gastronomy of the Haute-Loire region. But that’s not all; the e-bike tour allows you to easily meet and interact with the locals of the Haute-Loire region.

[WEBRESA]

The advantages of your bike tour:

  • You travel independently and follow a specially adapted itinerary.

  • Optional: You have access to modern electric bikes offering comfort and convenience.

  • Your accommodations are offered on a half-board basis

  • Easy to navigate, you have access to a digital guidance app.

  • Your luggage is delivered at each stopover (1 bag max. 13kg/person).

  • For this trip, the bikes provided by the agency include the guarantee “Sereine Mind” – More information can be found in the Insurance section.

  • Our travel bikes for this trip. Trip available for groups of 2 or more.

Your journey
Parcours La Ronde des Chaumières

Your route:

  • Elevation gain 1,685 m – Country roads and trails
  • This route is accessible to families and open to everyone.

  • Family: Children up to 6 years old and 10 years old in a trailer (depending on their cycling ability)

  • Self-guided cycling tour, you choose your departure

  • Accommodation: In a private room (B&B and hotel***)
  • IMPORTANT: Cycling touring requires good self-management skills: Knowing how to change an inner tube, repositioning a derailed chain, and also good bike handling skills.
  • What climate? See our Frequently Asked Questions

Note: The steps are given for information purposes only and may be modified depending on host availability.

Le Rocher Saint-Michel d'Aiguille du Puy
Day 1: Your arrival in Le Puy-en-Velay

A day exploring the town of Le Puy-en-Velay.

An opportunity to discover the Velay city! You'll stroll and discover the upper town of Le Puy-en-Velay by exploring its hidden streets.

Things to see:
> The Cathedral and its Cloister - Photo credits: Tourist Office Le Puy en Velay ©Luc Olivier
> Statue of Notre-Dame de France
> Saint-Michel Chapel
> Crozatier Museum
> The narrow streets of the upper town
> The Hôtel-Dieu and its exhibitions
> Polignac Fortress
> Monument passes on sale at the Tourist Office or at the monument ticket offices.
> Bobbin Lacemaking Training Center
> Henry Vinay Garden (Horseshoe Park)

La ferme des frères Perrel - Moudeyres
Day 2: Le Puy-en-Velay - Moudeyres - 37km - D+930M

You will join the Puy Greenway, which will take you peacefully to Coubon, where you will follow the Saint-Régis path to Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille. Your route will continue along small roads and forest tracks to take you to Freycenet-la-Tour and finally Moudeyres and its thatched cottages.

Discover:
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille
> The Abbey of Saint Chaffre, which combines Romanesque and Gothic styles.
> The Church of St. John the Baptist
> The circular fountains and wash houses
> Museum of Popular Beliefs
> School Museum
> The European Cultural Space (exhibitions)
> The Recoumène Viaduct

• Freycenet-la-Tour
> 11th-century church
> Etang des Barthes

• Moudeyres
> The Perrel Brothers Museum
> The village and its thatched roofs
> The two houses of La Béate

Rivière à saint-font dans le massif du Mézenc
Day 3: Moudeyres - Le Puy-en-Velay - 51km - D+755M

You'll travel along small roads and paths across plateaus with incredible landscapes as far as the eye can see, and soon you'll reach the hamlet of Bigorre and its magnificent thatched cottages. You'll then pass through the very pretty village of Montusclat before returning to the peaks of the Meygal (La Tortue, Le Testavoyre) and the Way of St. James to reach Brives-Charensac and then return to Le Puy-en-Velay.

End of stay with luggage collection from 5 p.m. at our partner's or optionally with an additional night in Puy-en-Velay (overnight stay & breakfast with luggage delivery to the hotel).

Discover:
• Saint-Front
> The 11th-century church
> The Maar-type volcanic lake
> The wild Sousteyros waterfall

• Bigorre
> The thatched cottage village
> The ecomuseum

• Montusclat
> The charming village
> The 12th-century church
> The monumental cross
> The oratory of La Pradette

• Saint-Germain-Laprade
> Bourg Castle
> Remains of the former Doue Abbey

Prices include:

  • Accommodation in a double, twin, or multiple-occupancy room with half-board 
  • Tourist taxes,
  • Luggage transfer at the stopover (one bag, max. 13kg/person),
  • Access to the guidance app and travel diary,
  • Telephone assistance.

Extras

  • Electric bike rental or a non-electric bike rental, two rear panniers, a helmet, a light repair kit,
  • Multitasks and cancellation insurance
  • Single supplement

This price does not include

  • Transportation and transfers to the starting point Meals other than those listed in the description
  • Multirisks and annulation insurance
  • Parking Bike rental
  • GPX tracks (we do not provide GPX tracks for our routes – guidance via the app)
  • Drinks, spending money, any visits or activities
  • Generally, anything not listed in the “This price includes” section

Administration fees

  • €12/person if ordered online
  • €15/person via quote

As an optional extra, L’Autre Chemin offers:

You want to rent a bike

  • E-bike rental with two  panniers + the guarantee “Sereine Mind”: +€85/bike
  • Standard bike rental with two  panniers + the guarantee “Sereine Mind”: +€50/bike

If you plan to travel with your bike, please ensure certain points: If it is an electric-assisted bike, the battery must have a minimum power of 400 or even 500 watts. Please note: the battery must be removable; if not, please contact us to check availability. It is imperative that your bike is in perfect working order before departure. Remember to have it serviced. Please bring a suitable repair kit and a smartphone mount for the handlebars. Our routes combine small roads and trails; your bike must be a hybrid, mountain bike, or gravel bike with suitable tires. City and road bikes are therefore prohibited. Our trips are more or less sporty, and a basket on the handlebars is to be avoided, as are large city bags. You’ll be riding on trails, and this type of equipment risks destabilizing the bike’s balance and making it difficult to transfer bikes (similarly, front mudguards make it difficult to load bikes onto trailers, so avoid them). Any doubts? Contact us.

Add a final night in Le Puy-en-Velay

Enjoy one last night in Le Puy-en-Velay at the end of your tour. We’ll take care of booking your overnight stay and breakfast at a 3-star hotel in the city center, and your luggage will be delivered directly to reception.

L’Autre Chemin has developed numerous partnerships with guesthouses and small traditional hotels to offer you the best of Haute-Loire and to ensure that each stopover is an opportunity to discover the architecture, the art of living, the gastronomy, but also a moment of exchange and meeting.

By Train

The town of Le Puy-en-Velay has a train station that takes you right to the city center, close to your first hotel and all the sights and shops. In short, it’s very pleasant to take the train from home to begin your cycling trip to Le Puy. Psst, even if the journey may seem long, when you arrive via Saint-Etienne, the tracks run alongside the wild Loire Valley, a very pleasant sight.

By Car

Le Puy is accessible by road, notably via two main roads: the RN88 from Saint-Etienne/Lyon or Aubenas/Mende, or via the RN102 (Clermont-Ferrand). There are suitable parking lots on site, but we’ll explain everything in your travel guide!

  • Paris: 515km
  • Lyon: 134km
  • Marseille: 300km
  • Toulouse: 350km
  • Montpellier: 250km

Where to park in Le Puy?

  • Breuil underground car park – Place du Breuil (near Ibis Styles and Ibis Centre) – Closed Sundays and public holidays – 7 days: €60 & 14 days: €100/14 days – Reservations: +33 4 71 02 03 54

Le Puy above-ground car parks – Rates: €10/week and €20/month. Subscriptions must be reserved and paid in advance at the Mobilité-en-Velay commercial center. Tel. +33 4 71 02 60 11 (open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) – Height limit 2.20 m & length 5.50 m maximum. These car parks are served by a free shuttle or the urban transport network.

  • Bertrand de Doue Parking: Parking without video (near train station, Ibis Styles & Budget)
  • Estrouilhas Parking: Parking without video (near Ibis Centre)
  • Quincieu Park and Ride Parking: Parking without video (near Ibis Centre)
  • Montredon Park and Ride Parking: Parking without video (free bus service to the city center)
  • Dunant Parking (free bus service to the city center)
  • Train Station Parking: Video-monitored parking – €6 / 24 hours (near Ibis Styles & Budget)

 

  • Carmes Parking: Video-monitored parking – €30 / week – Reservation: +33 7 68 10 76 81 (near Ibis Styles & Budget)
  • Foch Parking – 6 avenue du Maréchal Foch – Video surveillance – (near Ibis Styles & Budget) – 7 days: €30 & 14 days: €60 – Reservation: +33 7 68 10 76 81
  • Saint-Jacques Parking (Center served by bus) – 13 bis de Roderie – Aiguilhe – Video surveillance – Reservation: +33 4 44 43 97 43 – 7 days: €29 & 14 days: €55 (near Ibis Center)
  • La Malle Postale – Parking at 7km from Le Puy – Drop-off and pick-up guaranteed – 7 days / 7– 7 days: €30 & 15 days: €50 – Reservation: 04 71 04 21 79 Prices given for information purposes only, subject to change without notice

Whether you want to book your e-bike trip or ask us any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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