La Belle Étoile ‘Rider Tour’

An opportunity to experience French life as a guest in our home and French roads on your bike! La Belle Êtoile is a large farmhouse set in grounds of just over four acres located in the Parthenay-Gâtine region of the Deux-Sèvres in Western France. We would like to share our experience of living here and offer a four night B&B short break, for up to six guests, exploring the region by bike over three full ride out days; it’s all about riding through the wonderful French countryside, towns and villages and of course the conviviality with a small group of like-minded rider guests passionate about France and their motorcycles.

You will make your own way down for arrival at La Belle Êtoile on late Monday afternoon or early evening, we can supply you the most interesting but progressive enough route depending on your arrival port. We recommend Portsmouth – Caen with Brittany Ferries. We’ll greet you with a cold beer or glass of wine and a home cooked three course dinner on the first evening, with a glass or two of wine produced in the Loire. You’ll have the opportunity to eat out on three further evening meals at local restaurants. (This will be at your expense) after each days ride out. Your drinks are included for the duration of your stay with a well-stocked fridge for your exclusive use, so a cold beer or glass of wine is always available once we are back at La Belle Êtoile for the evening.

Over the next four nights and three days you’ll enjoy the company of your fellow guests! Relax in the peaceful courtyard, listen to the swallows chirping and marvel at their flying skills as you enjoy a glass of wine, or a cold beer, reflecting on your day on the bike, perfect! This is our home, whilst you are with us it’s your home as well, if you feel like doing your own thing, riding your own ride or having a day away from the bike then the choice is yours! .

Engines start by nine thirty, plenty of time to enjoy a substantial English or Continental breakfast with French coffee or English tea, either way a good breakfast to set us up for a full day out on the bikes!

We’ll be exploring northwards into the Loire Valley, crossing the River Loire as we follow its course west on both the north and south banks. Then winding our way eastwards over the iconic Pont de Ré on to the Île de Ré, through the Marais Poitevin in the southern Vendee, the country’s second largest wetland, also known as the ‘Venice Vert. Finally we’ll head south into the Charente where the twisty roads really open up as we ride our route through some wonderful French countryside for lunch at a popular village restaurant.

On each ride out day we’ll find time for either a traditional ‘plat de jour’ lunch or we’ll stop at a boulangerie for a classic French baguette sandwich! We will be out for up to eight to ten hours each day, depending on evening dinner arrangements, covering around one hundred and seventy five miles on each ride out with plenty of time for a few coffee breaks along the way!

A great opportunity therefore to experience this beautiful region of Western France on your bike staying in a relaxed and informal setting at La Belle Êtoile with a small group of like-minded guests!