If you’re rediscovering your bike, have kids or just want an easy bicycle tour away from roads, the valleys of the Isere has been designed for you. A stone’s throw east of Grenoble and an hour west of Lyon, lies the gentle, verdant biking country found at the base of the “Alpine emeralds” of Chartreuse. Nestled between two low sets of hills, you ride along the ridges, looking down on a string of charming villages and hamlets on the plain below.

Using mountain bikes, the route takes you on farm tracks and quiet lanes through cool, green forests and sunlit fields exploding in bright yellow and burnt sienna. The views are simply stunning; snow capped Alps rise to the east, the fortress walls of the Vercor hem you in to the south and the Massif Central stands as a mute sentinel to the west.

The Rhone river valley is close, with access to excellent local food and wine. Dining options are many. The chateau hotel has its own chef and superb restaurant and the chambre d’hotes offer brilliant home cooked meals. You’re spoilt for lunch options in the many towns and villages along the way. Hikers, equestrians and cyclists come here every summer for the grand views and comfortable temperatures. Nestled between 250 to 600 meters, the days are warm and nights cool.

At Montseveroux, don’t be surprised to find yourself talking to someone from Istanbul or Warsaw. The hill-top town is a stopping off point for long-distance pilgrims making their way from all over the world to the shrine of St. James of Compostela in Santiago, Spain. The area is also the home of the famous French composer Hector Berlioz. His museum/home in La Cote de Andre is excellent.

Gourmet dining at the hillside chateau and towns en route and the authentic food of the stunning chambre d’hotes helps to make this a memorable tour. With three loop days built in, there’s plenty of time to walk, hike, or relax in the towns and villages along the way.