Club or sports riders

For the more serious club riders we can offer fantastic sportive or race season preparation or development. The level of climbing on offer in most of our 70-100km loops is around 12-14m per kilometre, which means a testing 1000m of climbing is typical on a half-day ride, and of course you can do far more if you're up to it. There are at least a dozen climbs of Strava’s category 4 within easy riding distance, and several category 3s. The lack of traffic and warmer early season makes this an ideal place to get in your winter and spring training.

This is what David, a club rider, had to say about riding with us in the Dordogne:

For those who would like to move up in scale the fabulous mountains of the Cantal, home to the first climbs of the 2016 Tour, are within a morning's drive and we'd very much recommend a dual centre Dordogne-Cantal week if you'd like a challenge. And if you'd like the ultimate cycling challenge then why not let us take you to the playground of the cycling icons, the wild Pyrenees.

Have a look at some of the big races that we can help you see and ride near on our calendar page, and have a look at our ideas about trips to see pro-races.

If you’d like to go up a gear, the magnificent and quiet mountains of the Cantal are only three hours away for a taste of real Tour mountain stages with hors categorie climbs as high as 1700m and if you’d like the ultimate challenge of a classic Tour de France Pyrenean col, such as the Tourmalet or Peyresourde, the Pyrenees are only 5 hours south of La Bucherie and a two- or three-day excursion can easily be arranged.

Whatever your preference, La Vie en Vélo can guide you on appropriate routes and challenges, as well as how to tailor your riding to match the local highlights and challenges.