Looking for some fresh air and a light ride? In Courpière, bike hire means freedom. Mount your bike in the town square, cross the Dore on a small stone bridge, and the noise of the town fades away. Bocage roads wind between meadows and hedges, farms dot the horizon, and the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park opens its paths like an open-air hiking book.

For a gentle ride, follow the valley: a ribbon of quiet asphalt, flat or nearly so, perfect with a trailer or child seat. You can stop in the shade of a chestnut tree, watch the water glide by, have a nibble before setting off again. Want to spice up your outing? Head for the hillsides: steady climbs, fresh undergrowth, the scent of pine after the rain. Up here, your eyes take in the valleys and ridges, and you freewheel downhill with a smile on your face.