Biking amid vineyards
Those looking for an interesting bicycle excursion may want to check out the Niagara vineyards, where cycling and fine wine make a perfect match. The region's microclimate is home to some 60 vineyards and is renowned for its icewine, its whites and even a few reds – which have garnered honours well beyond our borders.
With its impressive panorama, the Niagara Parkway lets you cycle amid the vineyards while looking out over the Niagara River and the charming Victorian houses dotting the shoreline. This bucolic setting can be enjoyed as part of an organized tour group. Zoom Leisure, for example, offers guided bicycle tours, with routes generally spanning about 20 kilometres over flat and easy terrain. Tour guides pepper your travel time with anecdotes on the history of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
There are stopovers at three vineyards: a medium-sized winery, a family-run operation and a major winery, where you'll be given a tour of their installations. And if you want to leave with a few souvenir bottles, a vehicle is available to take them back to your departure point.
Prices range from $69 to $79 per person (for an afternoon 15-to-20-kilometre package), including bicycle rental. Call 1-866-811-6993 or go to www.zoomleisure.com. There are plenty of chain hotels (mostly in Niagara Falls), privately run inns and B&Bs in the region. For details, call 1-800-263-2988 or visit www.tourismniagara.com. You may also call the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce at 905-468-1950 or go to www.niagaraonthelake.com.
The Grand Duke Tour
For those intent on sampling more distant locales as well as fine vintages, Europe presents an attractive option. A company in France called Ekilib, the outdoors division of the Fleur-de-Lys travel agency, offers independent and guided tours, with Tuscany, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley and the Burgundy region among its destinations.
While the Tuscany bike trails tend to be rather challenging (level 4 on a scale of 1 to 5), those of Burgundy are a little more accessible (level 3) and they, too, visit historic sites and wineries: the celebrated abbey at Cluny, the vineyards of Pommard, Nuits Saint-Georges and Côte de Beaune, Château du Clos de Vougeot and let's not forget Dijon and Beaune, the departure and arrival points, respectively.
Under the supervision of a guide, participants (15 at the most) cycle an average of 45 kilometres a day, usually along peaceful panoramic routes through farmland and vineyards. Add to this the gastronomic specialties and wines of Burgundy and you've got the makings of a feast for the senses!
This tour can be done solo or as part of a group, and English-speaking guides are available upon request. Packages for double occupancy start at $1,720 per person (or $1,505 per person for self-guided tours). The price includes accommodations in two- and three star hotels, baggage transportation, lunch and dinner but does not include airfare. Call 1-888-713-3311 or visit www.ekilib.com.
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