looking at the area south of clermont ferrand for a couple of weeks exploring next summer.
anyone been? and idea’s greatly appreciated.

also, easiest way to get there?
was gonna sail to st malo and hire a car, ride for 2 weeks and hire again to get back to st malo.

From Castlenaudry to Saint Affrique taking in montagne Noire is a favourite stretch.

Florac, nasbinals and St flour also

It’s ball-ache getting there from the north of England. Manchester flights to Limoges are nearest then car hire is a possibility but will be spendy.

Driving wise Caen won’t be much different and I think crossings are cheaper than St.Malo.

You can drive it in one hit in about 20 hours from East Lancs via the tunnel.

I’m mainly based west of there when we go so can’t help with routes really – from what I’ve seen in the car take low gears and big legs

Oh and on 10th July TdF is going up the Puy Mary https://www.letour.fr/en/stage-13

Would it not be cheaper to take your own car, Newhaven – Dieppe is cheaper on the ferry. We found an amenable B&B nr Orleans and left the car there for two weeks whilst touring last summer.

The Cevennes national park might be worth a look
Miles of gravelled way-marked trails to explore through some lovely scenery
IIRC there is also a 200 mile circular route for bikes and horses
TdF is visiting too

By “south of Clermont-Ferrand” do you mean starting there and wandering south, or anywhere at a lower latitude? If the former I’d probably aim myself towards the Lot (draw a vague line to Figeac), if the latter then knock yourself out, the southern half of France is a cycle touring dream.

Rather than hire a car I would sail overnight to Le Havre, get the train to Paris, have an early lunch there, then get a TGV to Clermont. Should be much cheaper than hiring a car, and much more relaxing, too.

We went to the part of the Massif Central immediately south of Clermont this spring and it was stunningly pretty. We are currently working our way through the 100 greatest climbs of the TDF so concentrated on rides that included those climbs. We drove down from the tunnel and stayed a few nights in Mont Dore which being a spar town has a bit of life all year round. We then moved onto Murat which has an historic old town built into the hillside. We were there early in the year so there was a lot of snow still on the ground, we failed to cycle the Puy Mary as it was 10 foot deep in snow.

It might sound obvious but the whole area is very hilly which will be hard work for touring. It is also, whilst being a tourist area, still very French which we liked but was a change from the Alps and Pyrenees. Don’t expect that people will speak English. That said they were all very friendly and patient of our dreadful French and seemed to make a real effort to communicate.

If you want any more info just say.

Don’t expect that people will speak English. That said they were all very friendly and patient of our dreadful French and seemed to make a real effort to communicate.

Most places outside of Paris you’ll get a long way by simply making an effort. Learn just a handful of basic words and phrases and, while it won’t mean you can hold a conversation in French or that rural French people will be able to speak English, it’ll mean people will generally be happy to help you out. If you set out with the expectation of them dealing with your English you’ll get short shrift, even if you’re paying: I’ve been in multiple hotels and restaurants where the resulting difference in service can be quite apparent 🙂

That wasn’t quite how I meant it. We both try very hard with our French (Mr TW lived in Belgium for a few years so is half competent) and quite enjoy trying to have a bit of a chat. It is just in most touristy areas people do speak English and often would rather default to that for speed and efficiency (they are probably also quite bored of trying to decipher heavily accented French). In the Massif Central we found people were much more patient.

Loved this area. Drove to & started at Le Puy En Velay (lovely town and campsite) then followed the GR70 south. Stopped just before it got crazy steep and looped back. Roads were nice, off-road was great but could be very bouldery (so did short sections on roads). Got quite cold at night in summer as lots was over 1000m. Lots of volcanoes, lots of campsites, loved it (even on a fat bike).

You could travel further south and do the Canal du Midi. Coast to coast or start in Toulouse and do half . Ideal for easy pootle.

That wasn’t quite how I meant it.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything, I was quoting you in agreement and meant “you” in the general sense rather than the personal one 🙂

Not to familiar with area near Clermont but the south part should be my cup of tea. I live somewhere between Rodez and Millau. My rides stretch to most of Aveyron, some nearing bits of Lozere gard Cantal and Tarn.

Its hilly but lovely cycling teriotority, as while its rarely flat the climbs are not that steep and not that long. You can find the real granny gear stuff and one hour climbs but they are not all over the place. Plenty of options and low traffic as not that densely populated. Some area’s do get quite some tourist traffic in season. So off season is better late june early september. But first two weeks maybe even three has been calms tourist wise the last 2 or even three year so also a good option. Tour the france passing through late june on way to pyrenées and early july leaving pyrenées. Always willing to help.

No problem Bez, I didn’t mean to sound defensive 😊. Anyhow, here is Mr TW halfway up the Puy Mary.

My old cycling buddy is busy setting up a nice B&B base nr Lodève if anyone is interested in exploring the area further south about an hour from Montpellier and Beziers airports.

thanks for all the input everyone.
hills are ok, we have low gears.
been to france lots, ok-ish with the language.
somewhere quiet will be fine for us, we dont like busy.

I live in Millau, great riding all around.

I have done a fair bit of walking in the area ad a wee bit offroad cycling and I love it. Volcanoes national park is amazing.

I did fly into clermont Ferrand so it is possible – IIRC Edinburgh / paris then paris to Clermont Ferrand