Least hilly route from Basel to Montpellier???

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I may never do this but it is definatly an option if I decide against the rhine radweg for the return route and I have time..which I probably will..so, I thought I might head south west from Basel down to Lyon and then on to Montpellier and fly home...sounds easy, except I know somewhere down that way there be mountains and I have no desire to find them...I have a IGN AA road atlas 1:180,000 (2.8 miles =1") but it has no contours. i know the only propewr way is to get a topographic map or something but I just wondered if anybody had any experience of this route or part of it?

I was thinking of rivers again, Rhine saone, rhone etc??

 

[vernon]

I may never do this but it is definatly an option if I decide against the rhine radweg for the return route and I have time..which I probably will..so, I thought I might head south west from Basel down to Lyon and then on to Montpellier and fly home...sounds easy, except I know somewhere down that way there be mountains and I have no desire to find them...I have a IGN AA road atlas 1:180,000 (2.8 miles =1") but it has no contours. i know the only propewr way is to get a topographic map or something but I just wondered if anybody had any experience of this route or part of it?

I was thinking of rivers again, Rhine saone, rhone etc??

Follow the rivers in the Rhone Saone Gap towards the coast and turn right at Arles, ride through the Carmargue stop when you reach Montpellier. No hills of any ferocity. Did it last year.

You could play around with the route planner on www.mapmyride.com which will plot a gradient profile for your chosen route.

 

[Cathryn]

Word of warning - getting into Montpellier is hell. There are literally no road signs in the whole city that point to the city centre. If in doubt, follow the tram tracks!

We did Arles to Montpellier (in reverse) last month. Carmargue flat and quite windy. Fine but not our best day.

 

[vernon]

Word of warning - getting into Montpellier is hell. There are literally no road signs in the whole city that point to the city centre. If in doubt, follow the tram tracks!

We did Arles to Montpellier (in reverse) last month. Carmargue flat and quite windy. Fine but not our best day.

Getting to the retail park where European Bike Express Picks up cyclists is also difficult. I too used the tram lines as a guide.

Did you see any flamingoes and coypus in the Carmargue? I was excited at seeing my first (dead) coypu but tired of them as they littered the road side. Never got to see a live one. The flamingoes were awesome.

I really liked Arles and Avignon though someone ought to complete the pont

 

[Cathryn]

No, we only saw bulls and ponies, although that was exciting enough. Arles was breathtaking, I agree!!

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

will my wheels fit into the tram lines though?

 

[vernon]

will my wheels fit into the tram lines though?

Only if you want them to.