Abbeys and Vineyards Cycling

• Gentle, undemanding cycling - totally unspoilt quiet routes; very easy to get to from the UK
• World-famous vineyards, superb local cuisine; excellent value for money
• Flower bedecked villages, hidden meadows, lovely rivers and canals
• Roman and Romanesque abbeys; Gothic and Renaissance chateaux
• Riverside cafes and beaches; poppies, sunflowers, kingfishers, woodpeckers

Nine centuries of bon viveur tradition, one world-famous wine area and three others to check out, are packed into this short non-strenuous holiday. You'll have plenty of opportunities for gastronomic pit-stops. And you'll be able to taste several renowned appellations.

Starting from historic Auxerre (lovely mediaeval city full of interest), it's easy, undemanding cycling through a fascinating landscape of hidden villages, water meadows, woodlands and vineyards. Then, following the course of the Yonne, pleasant meanderings in and out of villages and woodlands, with swimming possibilities on the way to Ligny (and at the riverside beach when you get there). Meals throughout are superb.

Highlights include Chablis, where wine has been made for over a millenium; the celebrated stained glass at St Etienne; the ancient crypt at the abbey of St Germain; and the early Gothic Abbey of Pontigny.