TRAVEL INFORMATION TO OUR B&B - PROVENCE CYCLING TRIPS.

TIMING: Our self guided Provence cycling tours have varying fixed start days - please consult the availability page for exact dates. Our tours run from April to October. Our earliest arrivals are from 1pm and departures are up to 11am.

LOCATION: We are based in the South of France, just outside the village of Coustellet, in the Luberon Regional Park, in the Department of the Vaucluse, Provence. We are 5kms south of Gordes & 35kms east of Avignon.

TRANSPORT LINKS - OUR TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS: The following are the 2 best travel hubs for joining our tours:
1. Avignon TGV Station (the high speed trains from Paris, and elsewhere), it's 35kms away.
2. Marseille Airport, it's a well served airport and is 70km away.

1 - TGV (FAST TRAIN) TRAVEL OPTIONS - Our main train hub in Avignon (35kms away) has plenty of fast trains (TGVs) to and from Paris (it's a 2h40 journey), Marseille and towards Spain. TGV trains in general are a nice way to travel, as they are comfortable, have a bar & food, and the views down the Rhone valley are nice.

♦ TGV TRAINS FROM PARIS: Trains leave Charles de Gaulle airport & Gare de Lyon train station in Paris with a direct service to Avignon TGV station. It's best to choose Avignon TGV station as your destination, and not Avignon SNCF central station, as it's easier for onward travel, and there are plenty of hire cars available. Bookings must be made before you travel, but can not be made more than 3 months in advance. See the links below for train/ticket info:
- RailEurope - https://www.raileurope.co.uk
- Eurostar - https://www.eurostar.com
- The Train Line

♦ TRAINS FROM THE UK: Frequent Eurostar / TGV trains leave from the UK (St Pancras & Ashford) to Lille or Paris (Gare du Nord), usually a second train will then take you to Avignon (travel time approx 6h40).
If travelling via Paris, you will arrive at the "Gare du Nord" train station and then take the metro, south across Paris, to the "Gare de Lyon". It's about an hour's transfer on the metro.
It's easier if you can take the train via Lille (in Northern France) rather than via Paris, as you simply change platform for your 2nd train to Avignon. Note though, that there is also a direct service from London to Avignon (from May to Sept), so no changes and it only takes 5h40 - if you can, use this service as it's by far the most convenient way to travel.

⇨ HOW TO GET TO US FROM AVIGNON TGV STATION: We would recommend hiring a car as it makes travelling to and from the B&B easier, as well as allowing you to further explore the Luberon area once you have finished your day’s cycling. It also increases your options for dinners out in the beautiful local villages.

- By rental car from outside the station: Price wise, a 6-day car hire for an Economy class should cost circa €320 and €370 for a Compact class - Based on an arguscarhire.com quote in Jan 23, for 6 days rental in June. See the following links for quotes:
- Qeeq : https://www.qeeq.com
- Argus Car Hire : https://www.arguscarhire.com
- Europcar : https://www.europcar.com/en-us
- EasyCar : https://www.easycar.com/
- Sixt : https://www.sixt.fr/ - Avis : https://www.avis.fr/services-avis/location-voiture/europe/france/avignon/gare-d-avignon-tgv/

- By taxi : Taxis should be readily available from outside the station. It would cost you about 80/120€ depending on the day / time of the day. See the following links: - gettransfer.com or - montransport.com

- By bus : It's easiest to catch the bus from right outside Avignon TGV station. The journey time is just under an hour. Our stop in Coustellet is listed as either "Maubec / Coustellet Route d’Apt" or "Maubec / Coustellet Place du Marché".Tickets are €3, and payable in cash on the bus. The bus stop is a 10 min walk from our farmhouse on easy roads.
See the following time table and links: Note that if the bus you need leaves from Avignon Centre train station, then you can take the regular shuttle train from Avignon TGV station to Avignon Centre train station and then walk to the bus station (Gare Routière PEM) that is right nearby. The shuttle train leaves every 30 mins, takes 5mins and costs €2.
- Bus Timetable - Ligne 915 - Avignon TGV to Apt via Coustellet - The best option!
- Bus Timetable - Ligne 907 - Avignon to Coustellet via Cavaillon
Below are the departure times from Avignon TGV to Coustellet - SUBJECT TO CHANGES - CHECK THE TIMETABLE LINKS BEFORE TRAVELLING:

2 - AIR TRAVEL OPTIONS - There are frequent international flights (including low cost) to Marseille, Montpellier & Nice airports. Marseille airport is an easy 55 mins motorway journey away, Montpellier 1h40 & Nice is 2h20. Avignon (a 25min drive) and Nimes (a 1h10 drive) airports are smaller with less service. See the following links:
- Easyjet fly to Marseille & Montpellier : Easyjet: https://www.easyjet.com/asp/en/book/index.asp
- Ryanair fly to Marseille & Montpellier : Ryanair: https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en
- Flybe to Avignon: Flybe: https://www.flybe.com/
- BA to Marseille : BA: https://www.britishairways.com
- Air France to Marseille : Air France : https://www.airfrance.co.uk

⇨ HOW TO GET TO US FROM MARSEILLE AIRPORT: We would recommend hiring a car as it makes travelling to and from the B&B easier, as well as allowing you to further explore the Luberon area once you have finished your day’s cycling. It also increases your options for dinners out in the beautiful local villages.

- By rental car from outside the airport: Note that most motorways (autoroutes in French) are toll roads, you first take a ticket when joining the motorway and you pay on exiting. Euro coins and foreign credit cards are fine.
Price wise, a 6-day car hire for an Economy class should cost circa €320 and €370 for a Compact class - based on an arguscarhire.com quote in Jan 23, for 6 days rental in June. See the following links for quotes:
- Qeeq : https://www.qeeq.com
- Argus Car Hire : https://www.arguscarhire.com
- Europcar : https://www.europcar.com/en-us
- EasyCar : https://www.easycar.com/
- Sixt : https://www.sixt.fr/ - Avis : https://www.avis.fr/services-avis/location-voiture/europe/france/marseille/aéroport-marseille-provence

- By taxi: Taxis should be readily available right outside the airport. It would cost you about 150/200€ depending on the day and time of the day.
See the following links: - gettransfer.com or - montransport.com

- By local train: 1. First you get the shuttle bus from outside the airport to Vitrolles Aeroport de Marseille train station. It's the "Le Bus 13" service and it leaves from Stop No 5 at the airport, the bus costs €2 and leaves every 10/20mins and the journey takes 5mins. The first bus is at 6.15am and the last one at 9.45pm. Link to the timetable: - Timetable shuttle bus Marseille airport to Vitrolles train station.
2. It's then approx a 1h train journey to Cavaillon station with a TER local train. Make sure you take a direct train as some trains go to Avignon first and then onto Cavaillon. It will cost you about €14 per person – No obligation to book, unlike the TGV trains.
See the following links:- The Train Line or - Timetable train Vitrolles-Cavaillon
3. When in Cavaillon, it's a 15 min taxi ride to us (circa €25/40). You can book a taxi on arrival using the taxi stand number, note there are rarely taxis just waiting at the rank.
Or there are buses available at Cavaillon train station - there is roughly 1 per hour leaving from right outside the train station at the Cavaillon PEM Gare Routière (the main Cavaillon bus hub). The journey is 20 mins and they stop at the "Maubec/Coustellet Place du Marché" stop in our village, Coustellet. Approx €3 a ticket.
The bus stop is a 10 min walk from our farmhouse on easy roads.

Bus options:
- Bus Timetable - Ligne 907 - Avignon to Coustellet via Cavaillon
- Bus Timetable - Ligne 918 - Cavaillon to Apt via Coustellet & Bonnieux
- Bus Timetable - Ligne 917 - Cavaillon to Apt via Coustellet & Gordes

Below are the departure times from Cavaillon bus station to Coustellet - SUBJECT TO CHANGES - CHECK THE TIMETABLE LINKS BEFORE TRAVELLING: