E-bike holidays in the Dordogne, self-guided

On our Cycling in the Dordogne holiday you can upgrade to a pedal-assist e-bike for £140 per person: the motor helps only while you pedal, so the hills feel gentler but you still ride it like a normal bike. It has proved popular: most of our cyclists choose an e-bike.

By Cassie · 18 October 2026

How a pedal-assist e-bike works

A pedal-assist e-bike (sometimes called a pedelec) has a small electric motor that adds to your own pedalling. You still pedal and change gear as usual, and most e-bikes let you choose an assist level: low for the flat, higher for a climb.

EU rules set the limits. Under Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, a pedal-assist cycle falls outside the EU’s approval rules for mopeds and motorcycles if its motor has a maximum continuous rated power of 250 W, the assistance cuts out when you stop pedalling, and it’s progressively reduced and finally cut off before you reach 25 km/h (about 15.5 mph). You can ride faster on your own power, but the motor won’t help above that speed. EN 15194 is the European safety standard for these electrically power assisted cycles.

Bikes and e-bikes parked against an old stone wall in Sarlat

The hills on the route

Cycling in the Dordogne is a circular week from Souillac, riding up to 47 km (29 miles) a day, with climbs of up to 530 m (about 1,750 ft). It’s graded moderate. The river valleys are gentle, but villages and châteaux often sit on top of the hills.

Day 2, Souillac to Sarlat: 31.8 or 33.8 km (20 or 21 miles). The longer route follows the Dordogne, mostly on a cycle path; the shorter one is hillier.
Day 3, optional ride to Domme and La Roque-Gageac: 30.7 km (19 miles), with 500 m (about 1,650 ft) of climbing. Domme is a hilltop bastide high above the river.
Day 4, Sarlat to Les Eyzies: 41 km (25 miles) of rolling hills past Beynac and Castelnaud, with 480 m (about 1,550 ft) of climbing.
Day 7, Montignac to Souillac: 47 km (29 miles), the longest day, with 530 m (about 1,750 ft) of climbing and long downhills, after your visit to Lascaux IV.

On a hybrid, these are good, honest days in the saddle. On an e-bike, the climbs feel much easier, leaving more energy for the castles, caves and villages.

The Dordogne valley from the clifftop at Domme

Photo: Jebulon / CC0

Beynac and its château across the Dordogne valley

Photo: Père Igor / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Voie Verte greenway on the old railway line at Carsac-Aillac

Battery range

How far a battery lasts depends on how you ride. Bosch, which makes e-bike motors and batteries, says range is affected by the assist level you use, the terrain, rider weight, ground conditions, wind, tyre pressure and temperature. Riding uphill and using the highest assist mode drain the battery faster.

In practice, use a lower assist level on the flat and save the higher levels for the climbs. Bosch also suggests keeping your tyres at the recommended pressure, pedalling at a steady 60 to 80 turns a minute, charging at room temperature and keeping the battery out of hot sun. You can charge your battery at every hotel on Cycling in the Dordogne, so you can start each riding day fully charged. And if it does run low, almost all e-bikes still work as ordinary bikes, just without the help.

What’s included with the bike

Bike hire is included on every Cycling in the Dordogne holiday. The standard bike is a 24-speed hybrid with a rear rack and two panniers, a handlebar bag with a clear pocket for your route notes, a bottle holder, a pump, a lock and a puncture repair kit. The e-bike upgrade costs £140 per person.

A few things to know:

Helmets aren’t included. Bring your own, or hire one from the bike company when they deliver your bikes.
We need each rider’s height when you book, so the bikes fit.
You should be able to fix a puncture. For anything bigger, call us.
Your luggage is moved for you each time you change hotel, so the panniers are just for the day’s things.
You return your bike in Souillac at the end of the week.

A cyclist in a yellow jersey riding down a quiet lane beside an old stone wall

Hybrid or e-bike?

If you cycle regularly and enjoy a climb, the hybrid is a good choice. If you’d like help on the hills, want to arrive with energy to spare, or ride with someone fitter than you, an e-bike can make the week more relaxed. The price is £1,250 per person sharing with a hybrid, or £1,390 with an e-bike.

Dordogne Experience is a family business, owned and run by Cassie, creating walking and cycling holidays in the Dordogne for over 40 years. You ride at your own pace with route notes and GPX files, and we’re a phone call or WhatsApp message away throughout.