St Malo to Nice: The must-do electric bike tour in France

Since it was first created by Skedaddle guides Hannah Reynolds and John Walsh over 15 years ago, our St Malo to Nice adventure has gone on to become one of our most popular Iconic Journeys.  For years, this epic French odyssey has wowed road cyclists on our ever popular 15-and 20-day tours. Now, for 2027, we’re excited to make this remarkable cycle route through France possible for even more riders.  

Thanks to the extra support of an electric bike, you can now experience all the highlights of this coast to coast adventure with a little less effort and more time to soak up the experience. Below we share what makes it such a special journey and why St Malo to Nice is set to become one of the most exciting electric bike tours in France! 

In this essential guide you’ll find: 

• Tour overview and key stats 
• Difficulty
• Choosing the right e-bike
• Riding tips
• What’s included
• Pre-trip training & kit list
• Culinary highlights

Introducing the St Malo to Nice cycling tour 

Your journey from the Channel to the Med covers almost a thousand miles. Leaving Brittany’s coastline and the UNESCO Mont St Michel, you’ll head deep into the heart of rural France, cycling in the Loire valley, past the vineyards of Ardèche and Rhône, the lavender fields of Provence and through the spectacular Verdon Gorge before finishing on the shores of the French Riviera. We can’t think of a better way to experience the beautiful and changing landscapes of France. 

Hannah Reynolds, who has guided this route countless times, shares some key highlights:

• Experiencing the changing terrain and geography through your legs and your senses in a way you can’t by train or car. 
• The non-riding moments – admiring the dramatic Mont Ventoux with a rosé in hand and enjoying a dip under Pont d’arc in the Ardeche
• Enjoying the changing cuisine, from the Far Breton, a custardy cake with large sticky prunes in it that you can only find in Brittany to the exceptional wines of the Rhône valley.  Each Menu du Jour traces your journey as clearly in the meals you have eaten as the miles you have ridden. (More on this below!)
• Arriving in Nice with a sense of euphoria and satisfaction that we have covered such a long distance.

Key stats of the St Malo to Nice tour: 

• Duration: 23 days (21 riding days) 
• Distance and elevation gain: approx 950 miles / 1,500Km, approx 18,000 metres of ascent
• Tour type: Guided leisure cycling holiday with support vehicle
• Group size: 6 – 14 riders

Guided

Guided

France

NEW! France – St Malo to Nice Explorer (23 Days)

Guided Electric Bike Holiday

Duration

23 days

Prices from

£6,995 P.P.

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Grade 4: Active

More Info BOOK NOW

NEW! France – St Malo to Nice Explorer (23 Days)

Guided Electric Bike Holiday

E-BIKE HOLIDAY

This holiday has been designed as an e-bike tour allowing you to experience more on two wheels whilst riding with like-minded Skedaddlers. Confident cyclists will enjoy the boost from a battery for those cheeky climbs and longer distances. With less effort required on the bike, you’ll have more energy at the end of the day for off-the-bike activities. Remember to select your e-bike hire when you book your holiday with us.

Start Date	End Date	Price p.p.
03/05/2027 Last Spaces	25/05/2027	£6,995.00
27/09/2027	19/10/2027	£6,995.00

• Cycling almost 1000 pedal-assisted miles through 19 of France’s regional départements
  
• Cruising along the Brittany coast, admiring the dramatic landscapes and picturesque shoreline
  
• Cycling in the Loire Valley, admiring the many châteaux and sampling the region’s famous wines
  
• Meandering along the Loire, Dordogne, Lot and Rhône rivers
  
• Rolling through the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  
• Enjoying the changing French flavours, from the dairy-rich north to the Mediterranean south
  
• Marvelling at the spectacular Gorges de l’Ardèche, Gorge de la Nesque and Gorges du Verdon
  
• Celebrating the achievement of conquering the St Malo to Nice cycle route with a glass of fizz on the French Riviera

Photo Highlights Dates

Why ride St Malo to Nice on an e bike? 

One of the things we love about e-bikes is their ability to open up new cycling experiences to even more people. Not everyone can ride the length of an entire country under their own steam, but a little boost from a battery changes everything. It’s still a challenging ride but with electric bikes, France suddenly becomes an achievable end-to-end ride. 

Since our Land’s End to John o’ Groats e-bike holiday launched two years ago, it’s been hugely popular so it got us thinking: would an e-bike tour from St Malo to Nice be possible too?  

Logistically, it’s been a complex puzzle to solve and creating a long-distance cycle route in France that works well for e-bikes is no mean feat. But now that we’re ready to guide our first trips in 2027, we can’t wait to show you this incredible route! 

How difficult is St Malo to Nice by e-bike? 

Before you book any holiday, it’s a good idea to carefully check the grade descriptions. St Malo to Nice by e-bike is in our leisure cycling range and graded 4 out of 5, which makes it perfect for frequent cyclists who are experienced in riding on a variety of terrains. Cycling through France for 1000 miles is no small undertaking, so check the daily distances and elevation and make sure you’re comfortable riding them.  

The pedal assist e-bike gives you a nice boost up the hills but keep in mind that you’ll need to reserve power in the ‘eco mode’ in order to complete the daily distances, some of which are up to 75 miles. 

Comfort is another thing to keep in mind. Are you used to spending a long time in the saddle? The bikes are of a high quality with a comfortable saddle, but it’s a good idea to make sure you’re used to riding on consecutive days. More on this below in our handy training tips.  

What kind of e-bike is suitable? 

Selecting the right bike is hugely important for such a lengthy and challenging tour. Our hire bikes are typically Giant Explore E+ or Giant AnyTour E+. The bikes have a large battery and powerful motor that are suitable for the long and often hilly days. They also have some front suspension and thick tyres to make your ride even more comfortable. 

If you’re planning on bringing your own e-bike, please note it must be legally compliant with UK and European standards and do chat to our team about its suitability for this trip. 

Top tips for getting the most out of your e-bike 

• Select the right gear – make sure you drop into lower gears for the hills. This will get the most out of your motor and ensure you don’t drain the battery 

• Select the appropriate power mode – ramping up the power to turbo for a steep hill is OK but make sure you don’t forget to turn it down again so you can preserve enough power for the distance 

• Remember that the motor will cut out once your speed exceeds 15mph. You can still ride faster than this but you won’t have any assistance from the motor. Our advice is to pace yourself and the battery each day because it’s not a race. 

• Don’t rest your feet on the pedals when stationary – this will activate the motor and drain your battery 

• Remember to remove and charge your battery at the end of each day! 

What’s included and what to expect 

When you join St Malo to Nice by e-bike you can expect the same high level of service as you would get on every Skedaddle holiday. Similar to the other tours in our Iconic Journeys range, St Malo to Nice includes: 

• All transfers including daily luggage transfers 
• Expert riding guides, support vehicle and emergency support
• Breakfast and legendary Skedaddle picnic lunches
• Quailty accommodation (twin share with single rooms available on request subject to availability)
• Optional e-bike hire