Food and hydration

To ride along comfortably, avoiding feeling drained in the midst of your cycling outing, you need to fuel up on energy. Before heading out in the morning, always make sure you have a good breakfast. Depending on the areas you’re riding across and the opening times of shops, it can sometimes be difficult to pick up provisions where you might have planned. If short of water, remember that cemeteries can be of help, as they always have a tap from which to get fresh water.

Make sure you have plenty of water supplies before heading off. In case you run out, say in a rural area, you can always try knocking at a door – it’s not often that you’ll be refused a simple glass of water if you ask nicely!

During the duration of your cycling trip, remember to eat well. Perhaps you’re thinking of making do with a sandwich for lunch most days? But remember, this can also be a journey involving exploration for your tastebuds! And to have sufficient energy to cycle efficiently, it’s important to opt for nutritious meals providing you with plenty of fuel. Here are a few tips for eating a healthy, balanced diet during your cycling adventure:

Breakfast

Doing sports, you shouldn’t head out on an empty stomach! Make sure to feast on a breakfast fit for a champion, taking in plenty of starches and fruit to help keep your energy levels up through the whole day.

Our La Flow Vélo chef’s top tip: prepare some porridge oats and add in ingredients you like. Put the porridge oats and milk in your pan (you can use plant-based milk substitutes or even water if you prefer) and warm over a gentle heat, stirring, to get the texture you like. As to the toppings, fruit, seeds, nuts, chocolate, even caramel… choose what gives you pleasure!

Lunch: preparing a well-balanced picnic 

Each meal is a celebration, they say, and certainly many French people would agree. Why always make do with a quick snack when you can recharge your own batteries better by savouring a more substantial meal?

Think of different sources of varied nutrition:

• Starchy foods to provide you with the necessary energy (bread, rice, pasta…)
• Proteins to help your muscles function well (the likes of ham, boiled eggs, tuna, etc)
• Fruit and vegetables rich in vitamins, fibre, water and sugar (such as carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, melon and so much more...)
• Dairy produce (a good source of calcium, as well as other benefits, including milk, yoghurt and cheese)

Idea n°1: risotto, to satisfy any appetite

And these are the ingredients you need to make it a success:

• freeze-dried soup
• water
• rice
• seasonal veg (carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, onions, all cut into little pieces)

Idea n°2: tabouleh, high in protein as well as taste!

Here are the necessary ingredients:

• Bulgur wheat
• One onion
• One pepper
• One tomato
• A half-cucumber
• One lemon
• Fresh mint
• Chic peas
• Olive oil

Here’s to culinary curiosity! All along La Flow Vélo cycle route, the areas of the Charentes and the Dordogne you ride through offer plenty of opportunities to relish local produce. Do go to any market if you arrive on the right day, and stock up on specialities. Go for fine seasonal local offerings. For example, what about adding a slice of Charentais melon to your dish, or Périgord walnuts? Or, to accompany your salad, smother a piece of French bread with grillon Charentais, a coarse pork pâté.

A tea-time break shouldn’t just be for the children!

At afternoon tea-time, you may find that the boulangeries you pass are beckoning temptingly at you! Why not let yourself be tempted by local specialities such as a marguerite au chocolat or a cornuelle?

To deal with little cravings during the day and to top up on vitamins, opt for seasonal local fruit. As well as being easy to transport, it’s ideal for avoiding leaving any waste.  

To replenish your energy, muesli is another option. Add nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts, or seeds such as pumpkin seeds, or then chocolate… even peanut butter for the greedier among you. It’s up to you and your tastes.  

Finally, never forget to drink water regularly. To make it more interesting, you might add a bit of lemon juice or mint.

Thanks to these tips, you can move on from endless basic pasta meals in Tupperware! Be a bit creative on your stove and the cycling trip will prove all the tastier!

Also consider carrying a few general purpose reusable bags, good for transporting ingredients and even certain meals. You can also keep utensils in them. And like that, you help avoid leaving plastic waste in the areas you ride through.