Lonely Planet Cycling France
by Ethan Gelber
List Price:
Our Price: $15.65
You Save: $9.34 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $10.98 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Ethan GelberBrand: Lonely Planet
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-10-01
ISBN: 1741040442
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Product features:
- Brand New
- Never Used
- In the manufacturers retail Packaging.
- With Full Factory Warranty!
- Buy it now!
Book Reviews of Lonely Planet Cycling France
Book Review: new edition, great info, hard to read
Summary: 4 Stars
As with the 2001 edition, this new June 2009 edition is chock full of great information and has been brought up to date with prices now in euros and is still near current as of February 2011. ($1.US = euro.78) The routes detailed are great. I have ridden many of them in my 20 plus bike trips to France. The authors have put a great deal of work into this book.
However, the big drawback for this guide is the the color and type, particularly on the maps, making it difficult to read. The main body of the text is a small font with light gray ink and light purple highlights. The sample pages on Amazon on my screen are easy to read because they are larger and brighter than the actual text and are highlighted in blue, not light red-ish purple like the book. C'mon Lonely Planet, it's a guide book, not armchair reading for ants. Real people are going to be reading the maps and cue sheets after a hard day in the saddle, in fading light, through dirty glasses with sweat in their eyes. Capital letters are 2 mm tall. Lower case are 1 mm tall. Maps and cue sheets are half that. Forget the fancy artistic touches and just make the book readable in a larger font, bold black and white text without the use of a magnifying glass. I know it can be done as the infrequently used bold text that comprises only about 5% of the book is just right. Edit the text, make the book smaller and tighter and the text bigger.
OK, now that I've gotten that off my chest, this is the best book on cycling in France. Period. If you are planning a bike trip to France, buy this book. Read all the general essential information. Scan the pages you'll need on your trip, enlarge them to be readable, print them and then leave the book home.
Summary of Lonely Planet Cycling France
Lonely Planet Knows France.Idyllic countryside rides along tranquil canals, dramatic coastal routes atop rugged sea cliffs, demanding alpine climbs - France offers a wealth of great cycling experiences, and we have chose the crème de la crème, for every interest and ability level. Whether you want a gourmand's tour through vineyard and farmland, or to conquer the principal climbs of the Tour de France in the High Alps, this guide gives you the best of France on two wheels.
In This Guide:
Everything you need to know to get prepared
Bike maintenance tips to keep you on the road
Comprehensive listings for sleeping, eating and facilities along the way
The French have a nickname for the bicycle: la petite reine, or the little queen. With the country's fondness for the queen of the road, its vast network of quiet back roads, magnificent scenery, and scrumptious eateries, it's the perfect choice for discovering the world on two wheels. Lonely Planet has created an excellent guide to touring in France, chock-full of itineraries, maps, information, and advice for those who want to get off the bus and set their own pace. They've mapped out the best rides in the country for neophytes, veterans, and off-roaders, with itineraries ranging from a few hours to two months. Here's a sampling: In Paris you can take the bike paths along the Seine or all the way to Monet's gardens in Giverny. The Loire Valley offers intimate excursions beside sandstone villages, magnificent châteaux, and scenic waterways. Take the tiny, winding roads of Provence to see perched villages and spectacular panoramas of the Cote d'Azur, or dip into Champagne for the terraced vineyards of Dom Perignon. For those up to the challenge, there's the dramatic volcanic landscape of the Massif Central, with its steep climbs and sweeping descents. The guide includes a chapter on the island of Corsica, with its rugged coastal scenery and prehistoric sites.
Traveling by bicycle calls for a plethora of information not found in the typical tourist guidebook. Lonely Planet has it all. "Facts for Cyclists" provides practical information on when to ride (based on the weather and wind patterns), a checklist of what to bring, information on buying or renting locally, a list of cycling events, and Internet resources. There are tips for senior, disabled, and gay and lesbian cyclers, and those riding with children, as well as lists of which airlines and which types of trains are bicycle friendly, and how to pack and transport your bike. The "Health and Safety" chapter explains the French rules of the road (including the confusing "Priority to the Right"), and gives tips for getting and staying fit, and treatments for common ailments on the road. Of course, there's the usual information on where to stay, what to eat, and what to see for a wide range of tastes, from camping to a night in a château. There's also a section on the history of cycling in France and a chapter on the Tour de France and its nuances. With the inclusion of the requisite chapter on bicycle maintenance and repair, you're ready to ride. --Lesley Reed
Cycling Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Cycling Books
Arkansas Valley Mountain Bikingby Mark S Wolff
Barking Dog Guides Press; Published: 2010-12-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.38
Price in other shops:
All About Bikes and Bicycling: Care, Repair and Safetyby MAX ALTH
BAILEY BROS.& SWINFEN LTD; Published: 1974; Hardcover; Book
The Tour de France: A Cultural History, Updated with a New Prefaceby Christopher S. Thompson
University of California Press; Published: 2008-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.88
Price in other shops:
Cycling Home from Siberiaby Rob Lilwall
Hodder Pb; Published: 2009-08-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $48.44
Wheels!: The kids' bike bookby Megan Stine
Little, Brown; Published: 1990; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.82
Lance Armstrong: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)by Paula Marie Johanson
Greenwood; Published: 2011-04-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.65
Price in other shops:
Across America by Bicycle: Alice and Bobbi's Summer on Wheelsby Alice Honeywell, Bobbi Montgomery
University of Wisconsin Press; Published: 2010-10-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.38
Price in other shops:
Fallen Angel: The Passion of Fausto Coppiby William Fotheringham
Random House UK; Published: 2010-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.47
Price in other shops:
Cycling in the South West of Ireland (Cycling Guide)Harper Collins; Published: 2002-08-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $59.57
Cycling in the South East of Ireland (Cycling Guide) Collinsby Collins
Collins; Published: 2001-05-08; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $9.95
Similar Books and other products
Ascent: The Mountains of the Tour De Franceby Richard Yates
Cycle Publishing; Published: 2006-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.50
Price in other shops:
Cycle Touring in Spain: Eight detailed routes (Cicerone International Walking S.)by Harry Dowdell
Cicerone Press Limited; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.34
Price in other shops:
The Danube Cycleway: Donaueschingen to Budapestby John Higginson
Cicerone Press Limited; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.82
Price in other shops:
Lonely Planet France (Full Color Country Travel Guide)by Nicola Williams
LONELY PLANET; Lonely Planet; Published: 2011-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops:
Cycling in the French Alps (Cicerone Guides)by Paul Henderson
Cicerone Press Limited; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.60
Price in other shops:
Lonely Planet Cycling Britainby Etain O'Carroll, Aaron Anderson, Marc Di Duca
Lonely Planet; Lonely Planet; Published: 2009-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.98
Price in other shops:
Graham Watson's Tour de France Travel Guide: The Complete Insider's Guide to the Tour!by Graham Watson
VELO; Velo Press; Published: 2009-06-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.97
Price in other shops:
Cycling the River Loire: The Way of St Martin (Cicerone Cycling S.)by John Higginson
Cicerone Press Limited; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.38
Price in other shops:
Lonely Planet Cycling Italyby Ellee Thalheimer
Lonely Planet; Lonely Planet; Published: 2009-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.39
Price in other shops:
Cycle Touring in France: Eight selected cycle tours (Cicerone Guides)by Stephen Fox
Cicerone Press Limited; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.83
Price in other shops: