From Bordeaux to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie: Cycling the Garonne Canal and Lot Valley

Day 1: Arrival in Bordeaux
You will arrive in Bordeaux, the former Roman Burdigala, a city inseparable from its legendary vineyard. Collect your bike and route notes, then set out to explore this UNESCO World Heritage treasure. Stone facades glow golden in the evening light. The Garonne River, beating heart of the city, welcomes walkers along its banks — and if you are lucky, a cruise ship will glide past, a giant of the seas framed against the old town skyline.
Night and breakfast in hotel 3 or 4\*.

Day 2: Bordeaux – Sauveterre-de-Guyenne (45–60 km; +200 m)
You will leave Bordeaux along the track that hugs the Garonne, then follow the greenway winding through the hillsides of the Entre-Deux-Mers. Vineyards stretch to the horizon. The trail passes through Créon and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, two magnificent fortified bastide towns with stone arcades and flower-filled squares. Fifty-five kilometres of enchanting greenway and quiet lanes lead you to your evening accommodation.
Dinner, night and breakfast in a charming guesthouse.

Day 3: Sauveterre-de-Guyenne – Marmande (40–60 km; +225 m)
The greenway rolls on, crossing vineyards and forests and passing through small stations converted into charming houses. Despite a few gentle false flats, the route stays easy and offers a breath of pure nature. A shorter stage today — take your time to enjoy the many cyclist-friendly stops along the way. In the late afternoon, a welcoming 3-star hotel in Marmande awaits.
Night and breakfast in hotel 3\*.

Day 4: Marmande – Villeneuve-sur-Lot (60 km; +200 m)
You will leave Marmande, the land of tomato and strawberry. Shaded by plane trees, you will follow the Canal de Garonne to Tonneins, then veer toward Clairac and its Benedictine abbey. From here, the Canal du Lot takes over — a bucolic ribbon of water brightened by orchards and sleepy villages — leading you all the way to Villeneuve-sur-Lot. This powerful bastide, built on both banks of the Lot between 1251 and 1264, reveals half-timbered houses, medieval towers, and a main square alive with market-day colour.
Night and breakfast in hotel 4\*.

Day 5: Villeneuve-sur-Lot – Puy-Lévêque (57 km; +200 m)
From Villeneuve-sur-Lot, quiet roads thread through plum orchards in the wide bed of the Lot. You will cross the beautiful perched village of Pujols, then Montsempron-Libos and Fumel. A few kilometres from Fumel, the Castle of Bonaguil demands a stop — one of France's most impressive fortresses, dominating the valley from a rocky spur for eight centuries. The road then sweeps you into Puy-Lévêque, a pearl of the Lot Valley perched on a rocky promontory between Quercy and Périgord.
Night and breakfast in hotel 2\*.

Day 6: Puy-Lévêque – Cahors (57 km; +300 m)
The véloroute weaves between vineyards and orchards through green, preserved landscapes. You will pass Belaye, a medieval village offering a stunning view of the valley, and Luzech, nestled in the heart of a meander forming a peninsula — one of the most spectacular sites in the Lot Valley. Finally, Cahors appears: the City of Art and History. From the iconic Pont Valentré to the Saint-Étienne cathedral, this ancient town enclosed in a loop of the Lot combines southern warmth and centuries of history waiting to be explored.
Night and breakfast in hotel 3 or 4\*.

Day 7: Cahors – Saint-Cirq-Lapopie – Cahors (60 km; +600 m)
A magnificent loop to the jewel of the Lot Valley: Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, one of the most beautiful villages in France. The medieval village, with no fewer than thirteen historical monuments perched on a cliff, overlooks the Lot Valley and offers a breathtaking panorama. You will travel back in time through narrow streets, past fortified doors, a 13th-century donjon, and old houses where stone facades meet timber frames. A demanding but unforgettable day.
Night and breakfast in hotel 3 or 4\*.

Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.