A long weekend away or a quick escape to the countryside are often some of our favourite holiday memories. Short but sweet, they’re the perfect circuit breaker if you’re itching to get away. And what better way to enjoy a short break than by cycling? Pedal past vineyards and through charming towns, as you make the most of a long weekend.

The type of cycling holiday you want to experience, the region you’d like to go to, the activities you’d like to enjoy, and the people you’d like to bring are all important factors that should feature in your decision-making. If you’re wondering how to plan a short break cycling holiday, we’ve created this helpful guide to get your search underway and hopefully narrow down some options for you. Read on for more.

Where and when to go?

The easiest way to start planning your short break cycling holiday is to figure out where exactly you want to go. Each region offers something different and unique but also shines at different times of the year. For a spring escape, the Loire Valley in France is a perfect destination. Known as the ‘garden of France’, the many châteaux gardens are in full bloom. Our classic tour, Châteaux of the Loire, has a 4 nights option, perfect for a short break to floral France. For summer, the Cotswolds is at its best. With sunny days in picture-perfect countryside, our Cotswolds Country Escape cycling tour is a great choice for a long weekend in the summer. For autumn, Provence is a fantastic region to visit. Our single centre tour, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, lets you explore the surrounding area as much or as little as you like. Expect wonderfully mild temperatures and bright sunshine.

What do you want to do?

As you’re often limited on time on these quick escapes, it can be helpful to focus on just one thing you want to do and expand from there. Having a focal point for the holiday is invaluable, and you’ll find the other pieces of the puzzle fall into place very naturally after deciding this. Whether this is wine tasting, exploring historical sites, or eating as much delicious food as possible, your short break cycling holiday will naturally form around this.

If you’re wanting to enjoy some wine tasting as you tour a vineyard, then look to Champagne, Bordeaux or Sussex for your escape. The Champagne region of France, just northeast of Paris, produces the most famous wine in the world, garnering a reputation for luxury, elegance, and celebration. Our A Taste of Champagne cycling holiday has a 3 nights option, making it a great place to start when asking how to plan a short break cycling holiday. Stay in luxurious accommodation and cycle past some of the most famous vineyards in France. This indulgence tour is the luxurious weekend away you’ve been searching for.

View our A Taste of Champagne tour

Another famous wine region, Bordeaux also boasts a fantastic cuisine. Mixing the very best of coastal and inland dishes, expect delicious mussels in white wine and locally sourced meat flavoured with red wine reductions. Our Bordeaux City Break cycling tour is perfect for wine lovers and foodies alike to come together and enjoy 4 nights in one of the most vibrant cities in France. Not only does the city have fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the surrounding vineyards and wine towns also produce world-class wines for you to taste and tour.

View our Bordeaux City Break tour

Although a newcomer to the wine scene, Sussex is perhaps the most impressive competitor Champagne has had in centuries. Creating sommelier-recognised sparkling wines, the Sussex vineyards sit on the same chalk bed as Champagne, creating the perfect conditions for sparkling wine. With a signature English charm, the sparkling wine is fruity and playful according to the vineyards. On our single-centre tour, Ockenden Manor, stay in a historic hotel and venture out to explore the exciting winemakers in the region. Tour and taste to your heart’s delight on a sparkling weekend away.

View our Ockenden Manor tour

Who’s coming?

When asking how to plan a short break cycling holiday, it’s important to also know the wants and wishes of those you’re travelling with. For families, it would be wise to stick to flatter regions with easier cycling routes. The Loire is a fantastic example of this, as it’s pancake flat and follows gentle canals. Not only this but the many castles and gardens are a fantastic place for kids to explore, setting the stage perfectly for their imaginations to take flight.

If your short break holiday includes adult beginner cyclists, Champagne is just as flat as the Loire Valley, except it’s filled with far more activities for adults like wine tastings and luxury restaurants. For those not travelling with children, enjoy a long weekend pedalling across this elegant region, tasting and touring classic sparkling wines.

A fantastic option for large groups, whether family or friends, is our single-centre cycling holidays, where you stay in one hotel throughout the tour. With no set itinerary, you can choose from many ride options each day. This is perfect for groups who all want to do different things and see different sights. There’s even the choice to stay at the hotel and relax whilst the others go cycling. Knowing how to plan a short break cycling holiday is made much easier when you chose a single-centre holiday type for this very reason.

If you’d like to know more about how to plan a short break cycling holiday, you can call our cycle experts today. Alternatively, you can view our short break cycling holidays here.

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