Holiday help for a family with a mental road racer?

simonjbrooks

People I need and would like your advice please.....

I would like some advice on holidays.

The need:
A family holiday somewhere hot in July/August ( 2 girls one <10 one grump teenager ;o) )
Roads good enough and safe enough for road rides (I like hills and mountains)

Preferences:
Some pretty historic places to visit

Thoughts (these seem to be cheaper, but Greece does have the Euro :O( ):
Greece - I have no idea about the quality of the roads and how busy and dangerous the roads are in the various areas
Corfu - ditto
Turkey - ditto

Any other places I should consider?

ugo.santalucia

Consider Cataluna, around Barcelona... very beautiful region, with beautiful climbs too. You've got the sea, the mountains, the history, the good food and wine. It's hot but not the scorching heat of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey... basically 30 instead of 40 degrees.
The period is unfortunately very expensive no matter where you go

Wardster00

Have a look at Mojacar which is near Almeria in Spain.

Mojacar village is pretty and is where the Moors handed over Granada to Ferdinand and Isabella. You also have the Cabo de Gata national park a few miles away that is also home to minin-Hollywood which is where they filmed all of the Spaghetti Westerns.

In terms of cycling, it doesn't get much better. This is where Rabobank (now Blanco) have been coming for their winter training for the last few years. This year they were joined by Net App Endura so it is becoming a bit of a hot bed for cycling. If you search for Laurens Ten Dam on Strava he has posted all of his training routes in the area to give you some ideas for routes.

woolwich

Another option is Northern Italy. Steeped in cycling heritage. Fabulous climbs and the odd cycling museum. If you drive you can split the journey and let the kids out whilst you do some of the famous french climbs like the Izoard.
Or fly to Milan and head in just about any direction.

16mm

I'm off to Scarborough. There is the Scarborough RR at olivers mount in the summer, and N Yorkshire, and a beach.
Rosedale should see you right for hills

diy

Take them floatila sailing in the greek islands and give the bike a rest Do they really want to go riding with you?

jouxplan

Les Gets, near Morzine in the northern French Alps. I go there most summers with my (not grumpy yet) teenage son, 10 year old daughter and wife. It is an area of the French Alps known as 'Portes du Soliel', meaning it is generally very sunny, and very hot. The weather is way better then you find in the mid Alps and in fact I have often found it a little too hot when riding. I'm going again this July.

The cycling is great, with climbs such as Morzine - Avoriaz, Col du Joux Plane and plenty more. The roads are safe for cycling - there are loads of roadies everywhere Les Gets has plenty for the kids and teenagers to do during the day. There are some great places to visit in the area including a lake you can swim in halfway up the back road to Avoriaz. Annecy is about 45 mins away and is well worth a visit if you like towns and it has Lake Annecy which is beautiful.

I'm not sure I would like to cycle in Turkey or Greece - very, very hot at that time of year and I think you'll find the roads less safe then France.

Aces_up1504

Maybe Pollensa in north Majorca.

The old town is very pretty, the new town at the harbour has plenty of bars and resturants and not scuffy at all.

Then for riding you have this: Sa Calobra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CaLc_MuLd4

Its amazing to drive and see plenty of cyclists doing it.

navrig

Burgundy.

We spent a fortnight there and I took my road bike. We stayed just on the north east side of their national lakes park. So to the SW there was lots of hills almost no traffic and very good tarmac.

To the NE was a plateau which gave relatively easy flat roads for putting in the miles.

Loads of history.

Water sports on the lakes.

Nearby is Dijon and other historic towns.

Look on Google maps for Quarrier les Tombes.

bigpikle

Dordogne?

Been the last couple of years and going again this summer. Guaranteed hot weather, loads for the family to see and do - river, kayaking, chateaus, loads of historic sites - and loads of great roads. Not mountains but lots of good climbing up and down the river gorges and great training grounds.

Lots of family friendly accom as well. We stay at some lodges with communal pools so there are loads of other families and kids around to keep the clan quiet while I ride most mornings. Cheap as well and you drive which makes life so much easier...

Calpol

Bigpikle wrote:

Dordogne?

Been the last couple of years and going again this summer. Guaranteed hot weather, loads for the family to see and do - river, kayaking, chateaus, loads of historic sites - and loads of great roads. Not mountains but lots of good climbing up and down the river gorges and great training grounds.

Lots of family friendly accom as well. We stay at some lodges with communal pools so there are loads of other families and kids around to keep the clan quiet while I ride most mornings. Cheap as well and you drive which makes life so much easier...

Navrig wrote:

Burgundy.

We spent a fortnight there and I took my road bike. We stayed just on the north east side of their national lakes park. So to the SW there was lots of hills almost no traffic and very good tarmac.

To the NE was a plateau which gave relatively easy flat roads for putting in the miles.

Loads of history.

Water sports on the lakes.

Nearby is Dijon and other historic towns.

Look on Google maps for Quarrier les Tombes.

I am really interested in this also. Can either of you guys be more specific as to locations. Similar family requirements. Looking for a lodge or villa for 4.

marylogic

Provence?

Had a great holiday there a few years ago - there is Vaison la Romaine and Avignon for the history bit, you can head to the cote D'Azur for the girls and for you the prize is the Giant of Provence

bigpikle

Calpol wrote:

I am really interested in this also. Can either of you guys be more specific as to locations. Similar family requirements. Looking for a lodge or villa for 4.

Dordogne

http://souillaccountryclub.com/en/

Ignore the golf bit as its just that all the lodges are scattered around the golf course and its not part of the package so you dont pay for something you dont use. Great location but you need a car.

navrig

Calpol wrote:

Bigpikle wrote:

Dordogne?

Been the last couple of years and going again this summer. Guaranteed hot weather, loads for the family to see and do - river, kayaking, chateaus, loads of historic sites - and loads of great roads. Not mountains but lots of good climbing up and down the river gorges and great training grounds.

Lots of family friendly accom as well. We stay at some lodges with communal pools so there are loads of other families and kids around to keep the clan quiet while I ride most mornings. Cheap as well and you drive which makes life so much easier...

Navrig wrote:

Burgundy.

We spent a fortnight there and I took my road bike. We stayed just on the north east side of their national lakes park. So to the SW there was lots of hills almost no traffic and very good tarmac.

To the NE was a plateau which gave relatively easy flat roads for putting in the miles.

Loads of history.

Water sports on the lakes.

Nearby is Dijon and other historic towns.

Look on Google maps for Quarrier les Tombes.

I am really interested in this also. Can either of you guys be more specific as to locations. Similar family requirements. Looking for a lodge or villa for 4.

We had a villa for 10 so can't help much on the accommodation front. We stayed at Rouvray near Quarre Les Tombes.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=c ... CA0Q_AUoAA

If you Google Morvan National Park you'll get a feel for what is there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morvan

We found the villa from one of the many Villa owners sites online and booked by email.

mallinov

I'm off to Annecy.

Massive lake with lovely clear water for wife and kids. Lots of mountains for the cycling.

Hopefully no gunmen this summer.

jouxplan

mallinov wrote:

I'm off to Annecy.

Hopefully no gunmen this summer.

How did that story end up? I seem to recall that initially the police figured the cyclist that was shot and killed had inadvertently come across the British family as they were being murdered in their car. No one could figure out why the family was targeted. Then some months later I heard the Police were looking into the possibility that it was actually the (French?) cyclist who was the initial target, and the family in the car were the innocent bystanders.

+1 for Annecy though. Lovely place