Cycling in tourist areas: a major challenge

Every year, they flock to every destination: more and more holidaymakers in France are cycling. Whether for a day, a weekend or even several weeks, more and more French people are travelling by bike on vacation.

Bicycle routes, towns and seaside resorts… All public spaces in tourist areas need to be equipped and organized to safely park the bikes of vacationing cyclists.

That’s why we took part in this year’s ^92nd ANETT (Association Nationale des Élus des Territoires Touristiques) Congress in Pornic, Loire-Atlantique, to discuss these particularly important issues with mayors and elected officials from tourist communities.

Here are some ideas for developing bicycle parking for tourists:

NETWORK THE REGION WITH SELF-SERVICE PARKING

In town, along the beach or close to shops, it’s important to offer cyclists a short-term bike parking solution. These bike parking facilities must be easily accessible and distributed as evenly as possible in the area where cyclists are likely to stop. Ideally, an open shelter equipped with bicycle racks will provide sufficient, well-organized parking. In certain areas where parking will be very short and/or space does not permit the installation of a shelter, simple bicycle racks may also suffice.

OFFER SECURE PARKING FACILITIES

Particularly essential on bicycle paths, think about creating secure parking spaces in strategic locations! Holidaymakers on bicycles are bound to stop for longer periods: for a visit, a lunch, an overnight stay… If the flow of cyclists is significant, a secure collective shelter can be considered. Abriplus advises you to install individual bike racks along your cycling itinerary, which can be easily secured.

These bike lockers enable users to store their bikes in a safe place and secure the door individually with an anti-theft device or padlock.

DEVELOP BICYCLE REPAIR SERVICES

What cyclist hasn’t experienced a flat tire, a derailed bike or an incorrectly adjusted part? By installing a few self-service bike repair totems in tourist areas, you’re giving cycling tourists an extra service and the peace of mind of knowing that they can easily carry out the first repairs on their bikes.

Taking up little floor space, our repair stations feature tamper-proof retractable cables and are perfectly suited to outdoor use.