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Velomagg in Montepellier (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) is another of the growing number of city bike hire schemes which have blossomed throughout France - and which potentially offer a different way of visiting many of France’s cities. It has also given employment to those creative people who dream up catchy logos and names for such schemes!

It all started in Paris with the Velib’ Scheme - an amalgam of Velo (cycle) and Liberte (free), which has been a tremendous success.

Vélib’ is a Self Service “bike hire” system available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Multi pick up and drop off location allows you to pick up your bike from one service point and drop off to another.

You need to subscribe, but for visitors there are 1-day and 7-day subscriptions and after the first 30 minutes you pay by the half-hour - e.g. a 90-minute hire will cost just €3 and you can pick up and drop off your bike at any of the hundreds of self-service stations across the city.

The Velib’ scheme has been based on a similar scheme VeloV in Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) France’s second city. The combination of these eco-friendly and fitness focussed schemes is now spreading throughout France:-
VeloCite in Mulhouse (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace) and Besancon (25 Doubs, Franche-Comté)
Vhello in Aix-en-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Le Velo in Marseille (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Velo in Toulouse (34 Haut Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees)
Nantes (44 Loire-Atlantique, Val de Loire)
Rouen (76 Seine Maritime, Normandy)
Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine)
Velostan in Nancy (54 Meurthe et Moselle, Lorraine)
Velo+ in Orleans (45 Loiret, Centre)
Velomagg in Montpellier (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)

This is clearly a popular scheme, mainly aimed at local residents but may also offer a different way of seeing some of France’s major cities from a different perspective. However, I would recommend choosing a city with good cycle lanes and paths - you do get the impression that traffic in many of France’s cities is not very forgiving with errant cyclists - so do not try cycling around the rond-point of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris!!

Inevitably there are some urban myths developing - such as the fact that there are always plenty of bikes at the bottom of the Butte de Montmartre, but none at the top - for obvious reasons. And you can get caught out in busy locations if you cannot find an empty slot in which to return your bike!

On 10 June 2007 French Railways opens the latest link in their high speed train network with the TGV Est Europeén which will link Paris with Reims, Strasbourg and points east - i.e. Germany (Munich) and Austria (Vienna) - all by high speed train.
Importantly it brings the travel time between Paris and Reims to just 45 minutes (previously 95 minutes) - so although an east-west route does not appear to be immediately useful for visitors from the UK, these timings make a day trip from Paris to Reims (for its Cathedral and the Champagne houses) more than possible.Or vice versa - a day’s excursion from Reims to Paris could enhance a long weekend in the capital of Champagne.
Similarly Strasbourg comes down from 4 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris, (and eventually to 1h 50m) providing faster access to the vineyards of Alsace.
Another example of an impressive approach to major infrastructure developments in France - made easier by the fact that France has so much more “elbow room” with twice the land area of the UK - and rather different planning laws.
LINKS:-
For more info see the LGV Est website with videos and information on the construction of the line
TGV Est website with information on train services, tickets, bookings, timetables

Recommended Reading:
Alsace Lorraine Champagne Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)
World Encylopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine