With the growth in casual cycling during the Covid pandemic e-bikes, or electric bicycles have really exploded onto the scene, and in France where cycling is the national sport seeing the countryside on two wheels without too much effort really is the way to enjoy family time on holiday while getting to the real heartbeat of this gorgeous country.

With miles of well signed cycle ways, and dedicated ‘voie verts’ (green lanes), many of which have been surfaced especially for cycling its possible for families to have adventures in the countryside in safety.

Some prefer to take their own bikes with them, and to do this bike boxes can be hired so that your bike travels on your flight with you, but the network of hire shops has exploded now, with a couple of national networks offering local collection and service points not only for e bikes but also mountain bikes (VTT – Vélo Tous Terrain) and road bikes. A typical outlet is Café-Velo, at Agen in Lot-et-Garonne. Based in a former pumping station right beside the Garonne Canal, not only are bikes of all types available for hire, but there is a great café there and even on site no frills accommodation if you are exploring the 290km Garonne Canal cycle path that runs between Bordeaux and Toulouse and in need of a stopover.

Simply you can book your hire bikes and collection points online before you leave, and your machines should be ready for you to collect, or in areas where there are no collection points nearby delivery from the nearest operator is also available. One national operator is Cycle Classic Tours . A newer operator, specialising in e-Bike hire is Station Bees with outlets mainly throughout the South and South West of France