France Bike Tours

From the mighty Alps to the lush Loire Valley and the sunflower-strewn fields of Provence, the pleasures of France grow greater the deeper you delve into its distinctive regions. When wine lovers talk about the defining traits of a bottle or glass, there is one word they use above all: terroir. It refers to the precise combination of geography, climate, soil, and other place-specific characteristics that set one wine apart from another produced just a few miles away.

The notion of terroir also captures the very essence of France: a certain joie de vivre is present everywhere, but so much else changes from province to province (and often just between towns). From briny oysters in Bordeaux to decadent foie gras in Burgundy, an effervescent bottle of Champagne to an earthy Grand Cru, the notion of terroir is present in every aspect of French food and culture. It is a life’s work to explore it all, and our trips to France are a great way to start—or continue.