September 22, 2023 - by Muriel Dassen
The Rioja is an unprecedentedly famous Spanish red wine. The name stands for the region where the wine comes from, La Rioja. So it is not a type of grape but a type of wine. And therefore, unlike for example a Chardonnay or a Merlot, Rioja wine can only come from Spain and specifically from this region. Besides the red wines with their special, soft taste, you can also find white and rosé Rioja’s. The Rioja is located in the Northern part of Spain and consists of three regions: Rioja Baja, Alavesa and Alta. The whole Rioja region is supplied with water by the river Ebro, running through the centre of the region with several branches that supply the region with water. The Rioja Baja is the Southern part of the region where temperatures can be the highest, therefor producing the most robust wines. The Rioja Alavesa, the smallest part, is located in the north of the region and is a bit higher than the other regions and therefor has a somewhat cooler climate. As a result, mainly lighter wines are produced in the Rioja Alavesa. Rioja Alta is situated in the middle of the Rioja region. Because it is surrounded by mountains, the cold wind that blows in from the sea has little chance and the temperatures in the region can be high.
Haro is the centre of the Rioja alta and as it is also a very nice city, the central point for our Riding the Rioja tour!
Of course you can download the GPX / ITN files and full e-books of the 2 rides we have in this tour via our roadtrip planner but you can already find the info in this blogpost.
Read more September 20, 2023 - by Muriel Dassen
The wine regions in France can be divided into 11 major wine regions that span a wide variety of climates and territories. The most influential (and famous) regions are Bourgogne, Bordeaux and Champagne. And there is a saying on these 3 world famous wines: Bourgogne makes you think of silly things, Bordeaux makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them. So we had to come and explore the Champagne area in a Quazy Rides tour!
The Champagne region is divided into two parts and we are in the Northern region, roughly covering the area between Reims, Châlons-sur-Champagne and Épernay, also called the Golden Triangle. Épernay is often referred to as the capital of the Champagne as it houses numerous champagne houses, including many of the famous ones, especially on the Avenue de Champagne. So we chose Épernay as the central point of our Sipping Champagne tour!
Of course you can download the GPX / ITN files and full e-books of the 2 rides we have in this tour via our roadtrip planner but you can already find the info in this blogpost.
Read more September 15, 2023 - by Muriel Dassen
The Bourgogne region in France is of course very well known for its sublime red ánd white wines! But have you have heard of the green lungs of the Bourgogne? That is how the natural park Morvan is also called. It is a mountainous area where you can find true unspoiled nature. The landscape is characterised by mountains, hills, vast forests, blue lakes and rippling rivers. So we had to come here for 3 rides and explore this area. Besides the nature the Morvan also holds many nice little towns, much of them with a medieval character. We have chosen the cosy town of Avallon as our central point for our tour here that we have named Medieval Morvan, which city reigns over the picturesque Cousin valley and is known as “one of the most charming towns” in the department of Yonne.
Of course you can download the GPX / ITN files and full e-books of the 3 rides we have in this tour via our roadtrip planner but you can already find the info in this blogpost.
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