Summary

The bicycle tourism market in France has demonstrated robust growth, with its economic benefits reaching €5.1 billion in 2020, marking a 46% increase from 2010. As of 2020, there were over 5,000 establishments certified with "Accueil Vélo," which supports the hospitality and service quality for cyclists. France boasts a vast network of cycle routes, including over 17,515 km of developed national routes, with plans to expand to 100% of the cycle routes by 2030. EuroVelo routes, which are part of a European cycling network, have seen a significant increase, growing 21% between 2017 and 2019, with a total of 8,184 km of routes available in France as of 2020.

The rental bike market for tourists is also substantial, estimated at 525,210 to 701,350 bikes in 2014, and the sector is dominated by small businesses holding the largest share. Tour operators play a notable role, with 250 operators present in 2019, of which 26% are French. The Covid-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on leisure activities in France, with cycling activity initially dropping by 72% due to lockdowns; however, a resurgence in cycling was noted post-lockdown as restrictions were eased. Despite the global disruptions caused by the pandemic, the bicycle tourism market in France has shown resilience, underlined by growing infrastructure, enhanced services, and a clear demand for cycling-related leisure.

**Rising Pedals: The Surge of Bicycle Tourism in France**

Bicycle tourism in France has not only maintained a strong foothold within the travel industry but has also experienced a notable upswing in recent years. The allure of exploring the picturesque landscapes of France on two wheels has increasingly caught the fancy of both locals and international visitors alike. In the last decade alone, from 2010 to 2020, the economic benefits of the bicycle tourism market have witnessed an impressive increase of approximately 46%, leaping from a valuation between €3 and €4 billion to over €5 billion. This growth signals not just a flourishing market but also an expanding interest in sustainable and active tourism avenues. A breakdown of the demand shows a robust participation from domestic tourists, who accounted for about between 80% and 90% of the total cycle tourists, translating to over 100 million overnight stays in various types of accommodations within the country in 2019 alone. The remaining between 10% and 20% were international tourists, with a significant proportion hailed from Germany and the UK & Ireland.

The diversity of cycling routes in France—ranging from Greenways to Regional cycle paths and the extensive European cycling network, EuroVelo—adds to the compelling offer at the disposal of cycle tourists. The EuroVelo routes have been particularly popular, with the Atlantic Coast Route (La Vélodyssée) generating economic benefits exceeding €100 million in 2018, serving as a testament to the popularity and the financial impact of cycle tourism. As a part of this blossoming sector, bicycle sales have exhibited interesting trends, showcasing a steady market growth since 2017, notwithstanding a decline in the sales volume of bicycles. This juxtaposition hints at a growing preference for high-quality or specialized bicycles, with electric bikes, in particular, showing a significant increase in average price over the years.

Cycling stands as the leading leisure activity in France, with more than half the populace engaging in it. The distribution of personal preferences within cycling subcategories showed that while a majority ride for leisure, a substantial number do so as part of their holidays or for utility purposes, such as commuting. Observing the profile of cycle tourists, there's a noteworthy presence of more mature individuals partaking in this pastime. The average age of the cyclists hovers around the late 40s, with a reasonably even distribution between those living in rural and urban settings. The gender split leans more towards men, making up about two-thirds of the cycling population. 

### Major Contributors to France's Thriving Bicycle Tourism Market

The bicycle tourism market in France boasts a diverse array of actors, each playing a crucial role in providing an enriching experience for cyclists exploring the scenic countryside and vibrant cities on two wheels. These companies and organizations help to facilitate memorable and convenient cycling holidays, catering to the various needs of cycle tourists.

**Accueil Vélo** is a standout initiative that champions quality services catered to cyclists' specific needs. With an extensive network of establishments, including accommodation, restaurants, and bike rental or repair shops, Accueil Vélo ensures cycle tourists enjoy a welcoming and supportive environment no matter where their journey takes them in France.

One of the most captivating and frequented routes is the **EuroVelo network**, particularly the **La Vélodyssée** route that spans the Atlantic coastline. These routes are not only popular among local cyclists but also attract a significant number of overseas enthusiasts, looking to experience France's diverse landscapes.

Among the tour operators, **UCPA** claims a dominant position, known for arranging a breadth of outdoor activity holidays, including bike tours, showcasing the natural beauty and culture across various French regions. Its recent acquisition of **La Balaguère** expands its reach further into the domain of cycling tourism.

**Discover France** has carved out its niche by spearheading self-guided bicycle tours. This approach allows for a more personal and flexible exploration of France, appealing particularly to those who prefer to cycle independently but still benefit from expert planning and route selection.

**Le Vélo Voyageur** is another company that organizes bespoke bike trips that take cyclists on curated paths, ensuring they get to experience the charm and hidden gems that France has to offer.

Lastly, **Cyclomundo** brings a European perspective, offering tours that not only traverse France but connect riders to a wider continental cycling experience.

Each of these organizations contributes to a thriving bicycle tourism market in France, curating experiences that appeal to different kinds of cyclists, from those seeking leisurely rides through vineyard-studded landscapes to those desiring more adventurous, long-distance challenges. Through their efforts, they not only promote sustainable tourism but also support the local economy, culture, and environment.

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Summary and extracts

1 Market summary

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

The bicycle tourism, or cycle tourism, is a way of discovering a territory or region by bike, in order to discover its main tourist attractions.

Cycling tourism represents an important market, the majority of which is related to accommodation and restauration, with more than 100 million overnight stays registered in France in 2019. France is the second largest destination in Europe for bicycle tourism, just losing out to Germany. Overseas tourists represented 20% of the total number of cycle tourists in France in 2019, with the most represented nationalities for cycle tourists being Germany and Uk & Ireland.

There are 7 different categories of establishments/ associations that make up the whole cycle tourism industry:

  • Accommodation establishments
  • Restaurants
  • Touristic attractions
  • Tourist offices
  • Bike rental companies
  • Bike repair companies
  • Cycle routes

All these establishments, with the exception of cycle routes, are mostly represented by the France Vélo Tourisme certification "Accueil Vélo". As of 2020, there are over 5,000 establishments with this certification in France. There are also other establishments (that do not have the "Accueil Vélo" certification) that also contribute for the cycle tourism industry in France.

In terms of cycle routes, France is divided into 3 types of cycle routes:

  • Voies vertes (Greenways)
  • Véloroutes (Regional cycle paths)
  • EuroVelo (European cycling network)

Voies vertes are the most common in the country, while there are only 10 EuroVelo routes in France as of 2020. However, EuroVelo routes are the most popular for cycle tourists and here is where tourists spend the most money. The Atlantic Coast Route (La Vélodyssée in France) is the most popular route in the country, with economic benefits of over €100 million in 2018.

The actors of bicycle tourism are counting on a diversification by taking advantage of local partnerships with tourist offices, hotels and restaurants to provide the richest possible tourist experience for tourists.

There are no technological or legislative obstacles to be seen in this market, which just requires sporting ability, knowledge of cycling rules and a particular attraction for cycling.

1.2 The growing role of bicycle tourism in Europe

In Europe, it was estimated in **** that there are *.* billion bicycle tourism trips happening every single year. The economic benefits of the cycle tourism industry was estimated at €** billion in **** and involved with the jobs of around ***,*** people in the European Union [***].

The total cycling industry in the EU is made ...

1.3 A growing and strong French market

Since ****, the bycicle tourism market in France has experienced a very positive period, with its economic total benefits going from *.* billion euros to *.* billion euros in **** (***).

Economic benefits of the bicycle tourism market in France France, ****-****, in billions of euros Source: ****

In particular, however, the French bicycle tourism industry was ...

1.4 The impact of Covid-19

While the Covid-** pandemic caused a large part of the world's economy stop, the cycling industry managed to rise in these troubling times. Although the number of people going cycling in France fell by **% when lockdown restrictions were first implemented in mid-March ****, when lockdown restrictions were first lifted on the **th ...

2 Demand analysis

2.1 The evolution of bicycle sales in France

The bicycle market in France has been growing steadily since **** (***). This highlights the fact that the average price of bicycles has been increasing. For instance, the average price of electric bicycles in **** was €****, as oppose to €*** in ****. Similarly, the average price of a traditional bicycle increased by **% between **** and ****, going from ...

2.2 Cycling, the most popular leisure activity in France

In ****, cycling was the most popular leisure activity for the French, with **% of the population claiming that they practice this activity. Other leisure activities such as hiking and running are also fairly popular, but not as much as cycling [***].

Most popular leisure activities in France France, ****, in % Source: ****

In terms of ...

2.3 Profile of cycle tourists in France

The distribution between men and women among the cyclists in France is **% and **% respectively. In addition, cyclists are on average ** years old and **% live in rural areas, while **% live in urban areas [***]

Gender distribution of cyclists in France France, ****, in % Source: ****

Moreover, while most of the tourist cycling activities happen during ...

2.4 Who are the overseas cycle tourists?

Overseas tourists represented **% of the total number of cycle tourists in France in ****. German tourists and British & Irish tourists accounted for the biggest share of the total overseas cycle tourists in France (***). Moreover, only *% of cycle tourists came from outside of Europe.

Distribution of overseas cycle tourists by nationality France, ****, in ...

3 Market structure

3.1 The never-ending growth of bicycle routes in France

As of April ****, **% of the total existing or planned cycle routes in France (***) were open and operating - that is, **,*** km of operating cycle routes of a total of **,*** km. This therefore means that there are *,*** km cycle routes yet to be opened in France. The plan is that ***% of the ...

3.2 The growth of EuroVelo

As of the *st of January ****, there were *,*** km of European cycle routes available in France, which represented **% of the total *,*** km of routes that were projected to be available in France by **** [***].

EuroVelo routes in France France, ****, in % Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the amount of EuroVelo routes in France increased by ...

3.3 The growth of Accueil Vélo

"Accueil Vélo" is an accreditation given to French establishments with a high quality of welcome and services for cyclists using French cycle routes. There are * different types of establishments that can obtain this accreditation: 

Accommodation establishments Restaurants Touristic attractions Tourist offices Bike rental and repair companies

As of the *st ...

3.4 The importance of bike rental services

A very important part of the cycle tourism industry in France is the bike rental services. In ****, it was estimated that the number of bicycles available for rental for tourism purposes was between ***,*** and ***,*** [***]

In ****, it was estimated that there were approximately *,*** bike rental services aimed at cycle tourists (***) of these ...

3.5 The role of tour operators

Bicycle tourism is very distinct to other types of tourism, as there is less dependance on tour operators. Most of cycle tourists in France are mostly self-sufficient (***) still rely on them for their bicycle trips in France.

In ****, there were *** tour operators in France, being a **% increase from the *** operators in ...

4 Analysis of the offer

4.1 Main tourist bicycle routes in France

Among the main cycle routes in France, the Vélodyssée route (***) is the least popular for tourists.

Share of tourists of total cyclists using French cycle routes France, ****, in % of total cyclists Source: ****

The rest of the share of total cyclists using French cycle routes is composed by excursionists - ...

4.2 The popularity of leisure cycling

Among France's main cycle routes, the most popular cycling category is by far leisure cycling. However, touring cycling is extremely popular in routes such as Via Rhôna and Loire à vélo

Types of cycling practiced by cycle tourists in the main cycle routes France, ****, in % of total cycling categories Source: ...

4.3 Understanding the offer of bike rentals

The average price of bike rental in France varies depending on the type of bicycle and range level. There are * different types of bikes that tourists can rent in France:

Cross-country bikes Mountain bikes Road bikes

Of all these bikes, road bikes are the most expensive to rent, while cross-country bikes ...

5 Rules and regulations

5.1 Regulations

Although there are no regulations regarding bicycle tourism in particular, the practice of cycling in France has its own set rules.

General cycling regulations in France [***]

Cyclists must always cycle on the dedicated paths (***). In the absence of these, cyclists must cycle on the right side of the road. It is ...

List of charts

  • L'industrie du vélo en Europe
  • Répartition des routes EuroVelo en Europe
  • Retombées économiques du cyclotourisme en France
  • Augmentation du nombre d'utilisateurs des pistes cyclables françaises
  • Nombre total de nuitées des cyclotouristes en France
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Latest news

Explore Europe by bike with Cyclodyssées. - 27/06/2022
  • Destinations - From Portugal to Austria, via Andalusia, Périgord, Benelux and the Black Forest.
  • Length of stay - Generally five to six days of cycling.
  • Tours accessible by train from Paris or Brussels.
  • End of the year: Extension of the range of tours to Ireland, England, Bavaria and Tuscany.
  • Potential development of one- to three-day microadventures.
  • Routes designed to be quiet and safe, with limited changes in altitude and steep gradients, and stages of around 35 to 60 km.
  • Partnerships with local companies for logistics (luggage transport, bike hire, etc.).
  • Roadbook full of information on the route and places crossed.
Parcours Vélo Val de Loire: 35 years of passion with RandoVélo - 08/07/2020
  • 35 years' experience in organizing cycling trips.
  • Over 30 years of activity in the Loire Châteaux region.
  • Packaged and tailor-made tours to suit all requirements.
  • Wide choice of trips for different profiles (couples, families, friends).
  • Tailor-made stays with a team of specialists who know the area inside out.

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

France Vélo Tourisme
La Vélodyssée
La Loire à Vélo
La Méditerranée à Vélo
UCPA
La Balaguère
Discover France
Alentour
Cyclodyssées
Randovélo
Safrantours

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