Cycling in France? My Best 5 Cycling Tips

Thinking about cycling in France for the first time? Whether gravel biking in France or Bikepacking in France or Road Cycling in France then these tips are for you. I’ve been riding here since 2008 and these are the 5 key things I wish I knew when I started. From navigating the roads and understanding local cycling laws to grabbing the best lunch deal at the boulangerie — this guide will make your trip safer, smoother, and a lot more enjoyable.

0:00 Intro
0:18 Carry ID
0:30 The Boulangerie
1:30 Drinking Water in France (eau potable / eau non potable)
2:24 Right of Way (priorité à droite)
2:55 Follow the green cycling signs !
3:50 Bonjour !!!!!!

Got your own tip for cycling in France? Leave it in the comments — I’d love to hear it!

👍 If this video helped you, give it a like.
🔔 Subscribe for weekly cycling adventures and advice from France.
📺 Watch next: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGp2ZuWxgIQ “Is the Tour de France Sustainable ? ”]

#CyclingInFrance #BikeTouring #FranceByBike #CyclingTips #VéloFrance #FrenchCycling #bikepackingfrance #gravelbikingfrance

Website : https://www.morethan21bends.com
Help support the channel and buy me a coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/morethan21bends

Hey, how you doing? I have been 
cycling in France since 2008. So, I thought I’d talk about five things you need to 
know if it’s your first time cycling in France. Okay, number one, this is not a legal requirement, 
but I always carry with me a credit card, some ID, and my medical insurance. If you have an accident, 
these are the three things that the authorities will want to see. The boulangerie is your friend. 
Most boulangeries now do coffee and tea. You can buy pastries, croissants, sandwiches, quiches, 
everything in the boulangerie. And it tends to be a lot cheaper than the fancy cafes. So if you are 
hungry or thirsty, go to your local boulangerie. Your local boulangerie will also do cans of coke, 
sparkling water, everything you need at a fraction of the price of a cafe. A lot of boulangerie 
nowadays also have a little terrace where you can sit and eat your sandwiches and drink your 
drinks that you have bought from the boulangerie. In terms of drinking water, you don’t need to 
buy bottled water. You can use all the taps in the area. Usually most villages and towns have a 
water pump as well which you can use. If it says “eau potable” or nothing at all then you are okay 
to drink it. Don’t waste your money on bottled water. And also think about the environment. One 
less plastic bottle. If you find a tap that says “eau non potable” that means it’s not drinking 
water. Don’t touch it. You might get away with it, you might not. You don’t want to spoil your 
cycling holiday because of some dodgy water. When you’re cycling on the road, 
especially through built up areas, be aware of “priorité à droite”. So the 
person turning onto the main road on your right has priority. A lot of locals won’t even 
look. They’ll just pull out in front of you. It’s you breaking the law if you haven’t 
stopped. So that’s the “priorité à droite” France has a great network of cycling routes and 
dotted around the roads you will see signs like this. They’re quite small. They’re always green. 
It’s worth following them. Don’t just blindly follow your GPS system. Sometimes it’s nice to 
take a detour and these routes will take you through little villages. It may be a bit longer, 
but you’ll start seeing the real France. So, always follow the green signs. I hope you 
found these five tips for cycling in France helpful. Please keep watching to the end to 
discover a bonus tip and probably for me the most important. If you’ve learned something new, 
give this video a thumbs up. And if you’re an experienced cyclist in France, I’d love to hear 
your own tips or advice in the comments below. Finally, if you’ve enjoyed this video, why 
not subscribe and check out some of my cycling adventures in France? People appreciate 
it in France. If you always say bonjour, bonjour. You might get a bonjour 
back, a quick flick of the wrist, quick nod, but it’s always nice to say bonjour to 
everyone. Bonjour. Obviously, in a city center, that gets a little bit difficult. So, I don’t 
tend to do it when I’m riding into Caen!