Our 'Ride London to Barcelona' cycle tour is an exhilarating and challenging adventure spanning southern England, four regions of western France, the Pyrenees mountains and the Spanish region of Catalonia. The entire route is 1,400 kilometres through remarkably diverse landscapes. You will complete it in 11 cycling days. The total metres climbed is approximately 15,000 m.
Dates - Sun 4th to Sat 17th May 2025 (13 nights)
Route Map of the London to Barcelona Cycle Tour
Join us in May 2025 for this fully supported road bike tour from London in southern England to Barcelona on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Our journey starts on southern England’s green country roads from London to Portsmouth. The ferry journey across the channel to France is a delightful experience.
On the French side, you’ll cycle through beautiful river valleys and villages. Ride through Normandie, the Loire river valley, marvel at the beauty of the Dordogne and admire the many chateaus. Périgord, Limousin and Dordogne are characterized by their picture-postcard villages and empty country lanes. Further south to Albi and on to Carcassonne and the countryside has a dry, sun-kissed feel to it. Congratulate yourself as you make the 52 kilometre climb to the Spanish border in the Pyrenees and revel in the ensuing descent through the Catalonian hills to Barcelona.
Distance and Climbing
The London to Barcelona tour is a challenging tour with some longer days in the saddle. Days vary, but generally the route has some climbs of medium difficulty and a few which are challenging. You will most likely need to train for the event and ensure you are fit enough to complete the distance and climbing.
On this epic cycle journey from London to Barcelona you will experience a cycle tour with a remarkable diversity of landscapes and scenery.
This tour is suitable for our AVID Riders. Find out if you are an AVID or ACTIVE style of rider here. The entire route is approximately 1,400 kilometres (850 mi) in 11 cycling days plus one arrival day, one departure day and one rest day in Carcassonne.
- 120 km (72 mi) daily average
- 1,250 m (4,100 ft) daily average
Price
- The price is £2,220 per person sharing. Some single rooms are available for an additional supplement of £850.
- EARLY BIRD booking discount of 5% (£111) if paid by midnight on 30th April 2024 for the May 2025 tour.
- Returning customers enjoy an additional 5% (£111) discount
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation and breakfast in great hotels and guesthouses
- Portsmouth to Caen overnight ferry with twin share cabin
- Luggage transfer
- Advice on places to stop for your morning coffee
- Water, Soft drinks, fruit, cakes and bars en route
- Van and mechanical support
- GPX route files
Optional Extras:
- Bike return from Barcelona to London - optional package to have your bike returned by lorry, fully built for £190 OR for £70 you can choose to have your bike packed in a cardboard box for you to take with you on a return flight
- Lunches - optional package available on all cycling days for £100. These will be a combination of packed lunches and cafés / restaurants
- Extra night(s) can be booked at our start and finish hotels at a special price. We can send further details and price upon request
- Good quality tour jersey - £70
What is NOT included in the tour
- Evening meals - stopovers have reasonably priced restaurants and pubs nearby and some hotels have good dining. Breakfast IS included
- Optional trips / entry fees for any excursions you arrange independently
- Insurance - you need to organise your own bike and travel insurance as required
- Gels, high energy bars, energy powder and shakes - bring your own as per what works best for you and your tummy!
- Flights to start or from finish
An email will be sent out prior to the tour with a link to order extras and merchandise
Our start is from Bushey Park in south-west London mainly on quiet suburban roads through the Surrey Hills and the Downs which are a joy to ride and wonderfully scenic. Then on to Portsmouth and the overnight ferry to Caen in Normandy, northern France.
We then cycle through four regions of France:
- Normandy – “the good life”
- Pays de la Loire – “the run of the river”
- Nouvelle Aquitaine – “where vines meet the ocean”
- Occitanie – “life in the sun”
Leaving Caen we cycle through Normandy’s rich green farming landscape with its wooded countryside, cows and steeples. The quality of the cuisine of Normandy is exceptional. Then it’s the Pays de la Loire region renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and diverse culture. The Loire Valley wine region is one of the world's most well-known areas of wine production. From the monumental Loire Valley to the light-filled countryside, between vineyard landscapes and charming villages, each area has its own special identity. The valley that surrounds the river is a truly magical area known for its lush forests, rolling hills and imposing cliffs. We cross the Loire River at the city of Tours with its perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. As you cycle the quiet roads of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region you will enjoy cycling amongst medieval villages, castles and impressive churches. Charming villages perch on the hillsides of the Lot river valley. Saint-Cirq Lapopie being one of the most striking.
Enjoy a rest day in Carcassonnne with its fortified city and medieval castle. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is perched on a rocky hilltop and bristles with zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets. After Carcassonne the route enters the foothills of the Pyrenees, a mix of rocky hills and vineyards, before reaching the mountains proper. In this section we ride from Perpignan in France to Ripoll in Spain crossing the border at the 1,513m summit of the Col d'Ares mountain pass. An amazing 52 kilometre climb followed by a glorious 32 km descent!
Some other Pyrenees cols include:
- Col de la Seille (1,185m)
- Col de Couisse (507m)
- Col de Villerouge (404m)
Our final journey to Barcelona follows the River Merlés on a flowy, off-the-beaten track road with a surprisingly great surface for such a quiet route. The final section is on Barcelona’s world class cycling infrastructure with its dedicated cycleways. Your arrival in this wonderful city is celebrated at the ocean with a well-deserved beer and a chance to relax before a final meal in our chosen hotel.
London to Barcelona Cycle Route & Daily Itinerary*
- 4th May 2025 - ARRIVE London (no cycling)
- 5th May 2025 - London to Portsmouth then ferry to Caen 124 km 1,137 m (77 mi 3,729 ft)
- 6th May 2025 - Caen to Alencon 124 km 1,042 m (77 mi 3,417 ft)
- 7th May 2025 - Alencon to Tours 146 km 1,033 m (90 mi 3,388 ft)
- 8th May 2025 - Tours to Montmorillon 138 km 1,129 m (85 mi 3,703 ft)
- 9th May 2025 - Montmorillon to Arnac-Pompadour 155 km 2,083 m (96 mi 6,832 ft)
- 10th May 2025 - Arnac-Pompadour to Tour-de-Faure 143 km 1,525 m (88 mi 5,002 ft)
- 11th May 2025 - Tour-de-Faure to Albi 90 km 953 m (55 mi 3,125 ft)
- 12th May 2025 - Albi to Carcassonne 109 km 1,412 m (67 mi 4,631 ft)
- 13th May 2025 - REST DAY in Carrcassone
- 14th May 2025 - Carcassonne to Perpignan 134 km 1,537 m (83 mi 5,041 ft)
- 15th May 2025 - Perpignan to Ripoll 93 km 1,573 m (57 mi 5,159 ft)
- 16th May 2025 - Ripoll to Barcelona 140 km 1,593 m (86 mi 5,225 ft)
- 17th May 2025 - DEPART from Barcelona (no cycling)
* Routes are subject to change if necessary.
Cycling Terrain and Bike Suitability
The tour is primarily on quiet roads with a small number of joining sections on busier roads. Some cycling in towns and cities is necessary, particularly at the start and end of the day. Roads are generally well surfaced and suitable for road bike tires of 25 mm or more. We recommend a good quality and well-fitted road bike with dropped handlebars.
GPX / GPS Files
All our cycle tours are supported with GPX files of the entire route. These start at the door of the hotel you are leaving and finish right at your finish hotel. The GPX route files for your tour will be sent well in advance for you to check uploading to your bike computer. Any revisions will be resent.
Accommodation in France and Spain
On the London to Barcelona you will stay in comfortable, clean and good quality hotels. Bike storage will be available. Some hotels have restaurants. We have personally selected (and usually stayed in!) all the hotels we use. You will enjoy a fantastic breakfast each morning to fuel you for the day.
Your luggage will be transferred each day. Our support van will be there in a jiffy if you need any assistance during the day.
Lunch, Snacks and Refreshments
Lunch and evening meals are not included in the price. You will have an option to purchase a lunch package from us on Ride London to Barcelona for £100. On occasions you may choose to have an evening meal together with the group, or you are free to stroll around and explore the local cuisine which the French are world-renowned for!
Water, fruit, bars and snacks are available without limit each day from the support van. Just help yourself.
Arriving
The tour starts at our hotel near Bushey Park, London on the first date of the itinerary. We prepare our bikes and spend the night in our hotel. This first night is included in the price of the tour. Please contact us if you have other travel requirements you wish to discuss and we will do our best to assist! We begin cycling early the next day.
Departure Planning
The tour finishes in Barcelona where we spend a final night in our chosen hotel. From here you can arrange your onward travels.
What to Expect on Your London to Barcelona Cycle Tour
Weather
Our 'Ride London to Barcelona' tour runs in late spring (May). This is the best season for cycling in France and Spain. Average daily high temperatures range from 17°C to 21°C.
In May, the country may still be in bloom and waking after the winter. You can expect daytime temperatures between 17 C and 24 C. May is generally a sunny month with low rainfall. Of course the weather will vary between the north and the coastal south.
Group Size and Tour Leaders
The maximum number of participants on our London to Barcelona tour is 26.
The tour is supported by a tour leader and assistant, both of whom have previous tour support experience and are themselves cyclists who fully appreciate just how it feels however your day pans out. The tour leader and assistant usually ride in the van to better aid a speedy assist where required. We may also have a rider on the road with basic mechanical and first aid skills who will try to ride ‘mid-pack’, but the van generally gets there first.
At the initial briefing all cyclists are provided with the tour leader and assistant’s number, as well as that of the emergency services which they are instructed to use in the event of an emergency.
You must carry your passport on you at all times.
English is fairly widely spoken in the larger towns in France and Spain.
Camaraderie
Camaraderie forms a big part of the whole experience our tours provide and although single supplements are available, our tours are priced and catered for such that a single cyclist can feel comfortable making a booking and opt to share a twin room with someone they don’t know.
People tend to settle into their own way of cycling throughout the day and groups can vary from day to day and evening to evening. You can cycle at your own pace for a solitary cycle or join others.
Navigating the London to Barcelona Cycle Route
We recommend you bring a bike computer onto which you can upload the GPX files of the route. GPX files of the route will be emailed to you approximately four weeks before the start of the tour.
Bike Maintenance
Each morning (and evening) bike cleaning materials, basic tools, pumps and lubricants will be available so you can groom your trusty steeds.
You can telephone any time for mechanical support where required.
Mechanical Issues
With regards to mechanical issues it’s helpful if everyone knows how to repair a puncture or replace a tube. However, we are on call if you need help re-seating a stiff tyre on the rim.
Minor mechanicals can be dealt with roadside and where more specialist help is required we can transport you and your bike to a local bike shop to carry out repairs.
Support Van & Cyclist
Our support van with water and refreshments will pass you at least once each morning and afternoon en route to lunch and hotel so you will normally be able to access your day pack before lunch, at lunch and in the afternoon.
In the afternoon we ensure we get your bag to the hotel before you arrive.
Daily Routine
Every day starts with a hearty breakfast and a briefing.
Breakfasts vary but for the most part will include cereals, fruit, eggs in various guises, cheeses, meats and breads with coffee, juice and tea.
We’ll advise of a suitable morning coffee stop for ‘second breakfast’ and we’ll also specify a lunch stop where the van can be found. The London to Barcelona tour has an optional lunch package for £100. Sometimes there will be a choice of restaurant but in remote areas there may only be one suitable or a packed lunch may need to be provided.
Evening meals are available in some of our hotels. We do however advise a little walk each evening just to sample the delights these towns have to offer.
