Touring - anyone cycled from Barcelona along the coast to Nice

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mongoose
07-31-07, 02:33 PM
Is it worth it?

Nice sea views and towns to stay in along the way?

Is it hilly?

What should we avoid?

Thanx for any help.

Gotte
08-01-07, 01:40 AM
I'd be interested in answers to this, also.
Creamcrackered
08-02-07, 12:25 AM
I haven't cycled this route but my experience of coastal routes is they tend to be quite hilly and overdeveloped. That particular stretch of coastline is one of the most heavily developed in Europe so it may not be good cycling.

avatarworf
08-03-07, 02:42 AM
We cycled from Narbonne down the coast to Barcelona and then carried on. The last 100km or so into Barcelona as I remember them were very busy and I would not recommend cycling in. Maybe take a train out of the city and go from there? The coast around the French border was certainly very hilly but not so busy and quite beautiful. Personally, if I had to do it again, aside from the odd stretch of coastline I would prefer to try an inland route. Less traffic, fewer built-up fake tourist towns of high rise apartments, etc...

I donīt know how much time you have but in France, instead of going along the coast, you might divert into the Tarn gorges and through the Ardeche. Even if you have to take a train or two to make the distance, it would be worth it!

http://travellingtwo.com/map/ -- here you can see the route we took and click on individual points for posts from those days
jibi
08-03-07, 02:51 AM
+1000 for the Tarn absolutely beautiful, then over the Cevennes, Nimes down to the Camargue, Marsielles and the Calanques.
As has been said the coast route is very busy and built up, I went down to Cap d'Agde and turned round back inland as soon as I saw it.

http://europejibi.googlepages.com/home
for my routes, journals photos etc

enjoy

george
cyclezealot
08-03-07, 03:37 AM
We live near the area. North of Barcelona you enter the Costa Brava. It is very hilly. North of the French border it changes to the Cote Verneille. Equally hilly. North of Collioure the coast flattens out all the way to Montpelier. Have some extra time from Narbonne go east along the Canal Midi towards Carcassonne. Incredible ride. Most of the roads in Spain are pretty hilly, curvy, but farily wide. Personally, I'd avoid the region east of the Carmague, much too busy. Unless you go after October , when its out of tourist season.