This is a self supported tour, meaning everyone carries his/her own stuff and looks out for each other. The mileages are low, mostly in the 30 to 40 range. The last day is 53, but a lot of that is descent, a long run from the mountains down to sea level. There are only 9 actual days on the road but you may want to add in a day or two before and after, especially in Nice. Take a train from Paris and head out the next day. There are a number of trains leaving from Paris, Gare de Lyon and arriving in St. Etienne about 3 hrs later. Take one going to the Chateaucreux station in St. Etienne. The first hotel is just across the Place. At the end of the trip hang out in Nice for a few days, have dinner in Monaco QUICK VISIT and then train back to Paris. Trains leave Nice in the morning and arrive in Paris in mid to late afternoon. They are TGV and fun to ride on. Check out the schedules on the S.N.C.F. If you have a folding bike it's a piece of cake. If you have a standard bike it's necessary to pack it down very compactly so as to be sure of having it on the train with you both ways. Pack it in the states and unpack it in St. Etienne. Pack it again in Nice and unpack it in your home. Please don't let this be a stumbling block. It's not that hard. It takes a half hour and it makes you feel incredibly self sufficient. Find out a little more about it HERE. It's really not particularly difficult. Travelers have been doing it for years. Why would you want to go so far to ride a strange rental bike of questionable quality? Take your own trusty steed. That way you can look at it when you get home and remember where it took you. You'll know you can go any place, any time. The hotels' websites in each town are listed below so you can make reservations. They mostly 2 star and completely different one from another. They all are used to bike travelers and have secure storage for bikes. Two need to be phoned. The prices are in Euros (�). There were a few small changes and an extra few � for breakfast. Check the international exchange rate. A Euro is about $1.25 at the moment. If you want to find your own hotels check Les Pages Jaunes, otherwise known as the Yellow Pages. If you print out the route description you can follow the route on a map or on one of the online mapping sites. Google Earth is fun. Notice these are route directions, not a cue sheet. You will need a a couple of large scale maps to actually do this. The changing pictures below are scenes along the way. You can do this.
H�TEL BRASSERIE D'ANJOU 
�44 Tel. 04 77 32 34 35
Day 1, St. Etienne to Annonay, 47K
D8 south out of town to Le Bessat stiff climbs then screamer down
R. onto D306
L. onto N82
R. onto D206
Arrive Annonay
HOTEL DU MIDI�57 Tel.04 75 33 23 77
Day 2, Annonay to Valence, 51K
South on D 371 follow me on this
R on D270 Breathtaking,"land that time forgot� valley SEE THE MOVIE
R. onto N86
L. onto D268 crossing Rhone
Arrive Valence
HOTEL DE LYONS�40 Tel.04 75 41 44 66
Day 3, Valence to Crest, 41K
Cross Rhone on N532
L. N 533
Merge on N 86 to La Voulte
L. across Rhone on D86
L. & R. D93 to Crest
Arrive Crest. Body surfing in the river
GRAND HOTEL �65 Tel.04 75 25 08 17
Day 4 60K Crest to Luc en Diois
D93 from Crest
Arrive Luc en Diois
HOTEL DE LEVANT �50 Tel.04 75 21 33 30 Nice small town hotel. Piscine.
Day 5, Luc en Diois to Aspres sur Buech 45K
D93 thru La Claps climb short then long stiff climb to Col de Cabre and screamer descent
Arrive Aspres sur Buech
HOTEL DU PARC � Tel.04 92 58 60 01
Day 6, Aspres sur Buech to Sisteron, 37K
N75 South to Aspremont then follow D 50, all gently rolling with some short & sharp very rural & quiet
then D350
then D330
then D942
then D948
Arrive Sisteron river flows thru cleft here, visit Citadelle
GRAND HOTEL DU COURS �80 Tel.04 92 61 04 51
Day 7, Sisteron to Digne, 47K
Cross Durance & R. D4 one short & sharp, gently rolling
L. on N85
R. at Maillans & cross Bleone on small bridge
Around L. D12 more short & sharp very, very rural
Arrive Digne les Bains
HOTEL DE PROVENCE �66 Tel.04 92 31 32 19
Day 7, Digne to Castellane, 64K
N85 to Barreme short climb & down into Asse valley thru the Clue de Chabrieres
L. at Barreme onto N202 climb Col des Robines short screamer descent into St. Andre les Alpes
Continue on N202 along & across Lac de Castillon some short & sharp to dam screamer down
Arrive Castellane
HOTEL DU LEVANT �70(x 2)Tel.04 92 83 60 05
Day 8, Layover in Castellane
Visit the Gorges du Verdon difficult but gorgeous scenery, rafting tubing etc.
Day 9, Castellane to Nice, 86K 
N85 stiff climb, screamer, stiff climb, screamer
L. onto D221/D2 gradual rise through beautiful valley to Clue de Peyron, from here all downhill to the Mediterranean @ 35K
R. at Greolieres onto D3
L. onto D6 & follow to the sea. Partway down is a wonderful cascade beside the road. SEE THE MOVIE
Just before lunch in medieval Greolieres the old town appears above. TAKE A LOOK
L. at beach at Cagnes sur Mer at first on wide shoulder & then on bike path
Arrive Nice
HOTEL EXCELSIOR �90 x ? Tel. 04 93 88 18 05