Bike rides Occitania, an Eldorado for cycling

Voie verte Foix - St-Girons en Ariège

Le Canal des Deux Mers, CRT Occitanie_Patrice THEBAULT

Véloroute de la vallée du Lot

Vélo dans les vignes

Véloroute Vallée du Lot

Véloroute Vallée du Lot, ADT Lot / J.Morel

An easy bike ride for families, for a morning or the day, along one of the many Green Ways that give Occitania all its bucolic charm. A mountain-bike ride through magnificent landscapes with exciting emotions guaranteed. Themed trails of varying lengths to explore attractive villages and picturesque sites… All the joys of cycling can be savoured in Occitania in a thousand different ways

The Green Ways

Easy and pleasant rides for everyone

In Occitania, you can choose between some forty Green Ways for cyclists, ranging from 4 to 145 Km, at an easy level. These trails are adapted to bikes, often running along former railway lines, on cycle lanes or river embankments: you can ride without coming into contact with cars.

The Green Ways will take you past such landmarks as the Pont du Gard, historic landscapes including the Cathar Pyrenees or the Upper-Languedoc regional nature park.

You can see the Green Ways by region on the website of the French Association for the Development of Cycling Routes and Green Ways.

Voie verte Passa Païs

Voie verte Passa Païs, PNR Haut-Languedo / C. Angot

Useful information

The road surface on a Green Way may be a smooth asphalt, easy-riding stone or compact sand. A hybrid bike or a mountain bike (MTB) are best adapted.

Themed Circuits

Routes adapted to all

The Armagnac route, the dovecot trail, the ride in the land of the black diamond… In Occitania, countless themed trails will inspire you to get on your bike and ride from village to village, in search of the treasures of local heritage, local specialities or the best regional restaurants.

They vary in length: from 4 to 100 km or more, from a very easy to a challenging level.

Balade vélo dans les Gorges du Tarn

Balade vélo dans les Gorges du Tarn, Régis Domergue

Our favorite

Move up a gear and see our long-distance cycling trails. In the front rank: the legendary Canal des Deux Mers by bike: to complete in one go, adventurer-style, or to enjoy in shorter sections.

Mountain-Bike Rides

Trails for all levels in remarkable natural settings

In the Aveyron gorges, through the vast Cévennes, at the heart of the Pyrenees - hundreds of trails on offer in beautiful natural settings, with over 40 officially listed MTB sites and centres.

Each one features at least 100 km of marked trails on circuits for different levels. Experts will find trails to suit them, while the easy or very easy trails will delight the whole family.

VTT en Ariège

VTT en Ariège, Raphaël KANN - ADT Ariège

Decente en VTT au Pic du Jer à Lourdes

Decente en VTT au Pic du Jer à Lourdes, Patrice THEBAULT

Mountain-Bike Descents

Unique sensations

Few regions provide such great descents for mountain-bikers! In Occitania, you can set off on a mountain bike from the top of the Pic du Midi (at an altitude of 2,877m) for a memorable descent that can last up to 11 km, depending on the route you choose.

In Lourdes, the Pic du Jer (1,000m above sea-level) awaits you with 2 trails: one is in the black category and is much appreciated by expert riders, while the other is suited to families. Are you ready?

Don't miss

Cycling fans come from far and wide to tackle the Col du Tourmalet and other Tour de France mountain routes in the Pyrenees. Road-bike tourism is a real speciality in Occitania.

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The Upper-Languedoc

"Passa Païs" green way: the lilting accent of Occitania is concentrated in these 2 words. They symbolise the landscape to be seen during this 80 km green way through two regions (the former Midi-Pyrénées and Languedoc-Roussillon regions). Wide-ranging landscapes provide the setting for your bike ride, filled with fine sights to see. Opt to do the whole thing or just some sections.

How to get there?

  • By car: Occitania has a large number of motorways (A9, A20, A61, A75, etc.).
  • By plane: the region has several airports, including the international airports of Toulouse, Montpellier and Lourdes.
  • By train: the region is accessible from all the major cities of France and the European capitals.

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